Clart Finance

Clart Finance is a fintech app concept built around one aim: connecting startups with the investors who can help them grow. The project set out to address the decline of startups in Nigeria, made worse by funding challenges and high tax fees, by designing a product where startups can list themselves and meet investors.

The goal wasn’t only to save struggling businesses. It was to create something that generates returns for investors and builds wealth for entrepreneurs at the same time. My role covered UX design, user research and UI design, across more than 40 screens.

Startups in my region, Nigeria, were going bankrupt and closing down because of economic pressure, and the funding that could keep them alive was hard to reach.

• In an era of digital transformation, angel funding shouldn’t be out of reach. The goal was to make it easy for startups and reputable investors to connect, and effortless for startups to promote themselves.
• Give small businesses and startups more investment opportunities and more visibility, so they get the support they need.

To kick things off, I ran primary research to understand the investment market: micro-enterprises, SMEs, groups and individuals who offer loans, and how lending services are actually run. The main aim was to connect user goals with business goals. These were the insights we focused on:

• A user-centred approach to lending.
• Microfinance’s role in supporting entrepreneurs.
• The need to balance profit with social impact.
• Where the industry has room to innovate.

Access to a diverse, relevant investor network. Venture capitalists, angel investors and corporate investors: a pool wide enough that startups can find people genuinely interested in their industry and business model.

Personalised matchmaking and recommendations. Matching that looks at a startup’s profile, growth stage and investment requirements, so introductions are meaningful rather than random.

Secure, efficient communication. Messaging, video calls and document sharing inside the app, because confidentiality is what makes trust between startups and investors possible.

Onboarding lets people sign in, create an account, or simply look around as a guest. Phone verification keeps sign-up short, and the last step asks one question that splits the product in two: are you here to invest, or to get funding?

Investors browse a catalogue of startups, then open a profile that puts the numbers that matter up front (amount raised, number of investors, days left to invest and the minimum investment), with the pitch, timeline and discussion one tab away. Buying in shows your wallet balance, quantity and price on one screen, and ends with a clear confirmation.

The wallet uses familiar icons and clear calls to action, and sits next to a portfolio view where investors can track their stocks and watch their investments grow. Both were designed to build trust and a sense of security.

A late addition: investor chat. Late in the project we added live chat between investors and the startups they’ve backed, among investors, and between startups and their investors.

Design is only good if it works. That sounds obvious, but it meant we had to aggressively test our assumptions. I built prototypes and ran usability tests with real users, asking them to complete tasks on Clart. A few people found some flows confusing, and testers pointed out features they felt were missing. These became the start of the V2 list:

• Educational resources and support: articles, webinars, guides and templates on pitch decks, term sheets, negotiation and the legal side of fundraising.
• Feedback and guidance: a way for investors to give feedback on pitches and proposals, plus guidance through due diligence, legal requirements and financial documentation.

Over the course of the project we went from a stocks-and-shares trading idea to an investment app for investors and Nigerian startups: powerful, but still convenient for people growing a portfolio and founders looking for funding.

We collaborated closely with other designers, developers and UX researchers, but I’d push for more direct, critical feedback earlier, while we were still defining the goal. My own worry about losing time and resources made us rush at the start, which led to mistakes we could have avoided and more iterations than expected.

Most rewarding of all was building something that helps people invest in startups, and helps startups get funded, from a phone, solving a problem for users and businesses at the same time.