Savers hold +£400 billion GBP in cash sitting idle in their accounts earning them no benefit, being eroded by inflation and high prices. Young professionals and parents want to grow their money, but due to confusion using existing apps and brokers, they stay away from investing.
We’re changing this at Alessia by building an app that takes the fear and guesswork out of investing by giving personalised financial advice. What bankers do for the wealthy, we’ll do for the everyday people that long for financial freedom.
Existing investing and trading apps are designed the same way: self-managed platforms that offer no guidance or personalisation , leaving users to navigate the complexities of investing on their own. This lack of support leads to uncertainty, hesitation, and, ultimately, many people avoiding investing altogether for fear of making the wrong choice.
Alessia’s impact starts by bridging the Financial Advice Gap by ensuring that individuals who lack traditional investment support can make informed decisions with ease and confidence. This matters because many Scottish households keep their money in low-yield savings, leaving them vulnerable to inflation and economic shocks. Alessia can lead people to financial inclusion and long-term financial resilience since our platform helps people move from cash savings to tax-efficient investments, improving their long-term financial security.
Alessia was founded with a deeply personal mission: to make investing easy and accessible for those who feel excluded. Growing up in Mexico, Alessia’s founder Jose Fajardo witnessed firsthand how financial literacy and access to investing tools were privileges rather than the norm. This reality fuelled his drive to create solutions that empower individuals to take control of their financial future.
His entrepreneurial journey began while still a university student, launching a B2B startup focused on bringing digital tools to small businesses. Shortly after graduating, a £150,000 investment was secured, enabling the startup to scale its POS & eCommerce app and onboard 5,000 SMEs across Mexico and Canada.
In 2022, he moved to Glasgow after being awarded the ‘Adam Smith Business School Global Challenge Award Scholarship’ to study an MSc in Financial Technology at the University of Glasgow. This transition was a turning point, providing exposure to the fintech ecosystem in the UK and deepening knowledge of financial inclusion on a global scale.
Through extensive conversations with young professionals and parents, it became clear that investing remains intimidating for too many people. The industry is riddled with complexity, financial jargon, and high barriers to entry.
Alessia was created to fill this gap in the market, designed for beginner and first-time investors—those who want to grow their savings beyond low-yield Cash ISAs but don’t know where to start. By removing the fear and guesswork from investing, our app offers an intuitive experience and affordable financial advice.
Our founder’s journey—from launching a startup in Mexico to studying fintech in the UK—has shaped Alessia’s vision. It is not just about creating another investment app; it is about breaking down barriers and empowering people to build financial security. With a clear market need, and a mission-driven approach, Alessia is positioned to transform the way people engage with investing.
Jose Fajardo – CEO and Founder
In 2022 I moved from Mexico to Glasgow after I was awarded the ‘Adam Smith Business School Global Challenge Award Scholarship’ that fully covered my tuition fees to study a MSc in Financial Technology at the University of Glasgow. Last year I was selected as part of the first cohort for the University of Glasgow’s DeepTech Accelerator with Alessia as my project, starting to bring the idea of investing platform aimed at beginner investors into reality.
