Empowering young women as investors
Reimagining investment onboarding through a reflective AI companion
K.A. de Boer (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
P.A. Lloyd – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Creative Processes)
S.S. Mulder – Mentor (TU Delft - Creative Processes)
Tom Krabbe – Mentor (Rabobank Netherlands)
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Abstract
Young adults face growing financial pressure due to rising living costs, inflation, housing shortages, and unstable employment. In this context, investing is becoming increasingly important for long-term financial resilience, yet participation remains low among young adults, particularly young women.
This project explores how generative AI could responsibly support young women in taking their first steps into investing within the context of Rabobank’s investment services. A human-centred design approach was applied, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, including focus groups, co-creation sessions, surveys, and concept evaluations with young adults and Rabobank stakeholders.
The project resulted in a concept that reimagines the onboarding journey of Rabobank’s SimpelBeleggen service, transforming it from a rigid linear flow into a circular interaction model that mirrors how young women approach financial decision-making: exploring, comparing, and reflecting before committing. As the project’s research revealed that young women often seek external reassurance in financial decision-making, the concept introduces a reflective AI companion that helps users explore investing at their own pace and in relation to their personal context, such as financial goals and personal values, while building confidence in their choices. In this way, onboarding shifts from a compliance-driven funnel into a supportive decision-making framework.
The project highlights the importance of designing investment services that better support underserved groups and demonstrates how AI can be integrated as a reflective companion to enable more confident investment decision-making. In doing so, it provides a practical foundation for financial institutions seeking to design investment services that are more accessible and inclusive.