How Rapunzl Nurtures Financial Wellness On Campuses With Competitions And Prizes

In a world where financial literacy is often overlooked, Rapunzl aims to empower a new generation with the knowledge to navigate investing.

Rapunzl's initial vision was to be a social trading platform, co-founder Myles Gage told Benzinga. “But, we realized we were catering to individuals who lacked the fundamentals of investing, prompting us to pivot towards financial education," he added.

Today, Rapunzl is a financial simulator. It provides users with real-time pricing for U.S.-listed securities, as well as intricate order types and fee structures for a more realistic investment experience.

In recent years, Gage, along with co-founder Brian Curcio, reinforced their commitment through initiatives like Dreams For Kids, a 501(c)3 organization focused on preparing students from diverse backgrounds for prosperous careers in finance.

Their most recent endeavor takes the form of a national investment competition, immersing college students in the intricacies of the market while they compete for valuable scholarships.

"We're thrilled to be hosting investment competitions at 30 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) this academic year," Gage said. Howard, Florida A&M, Texas Southern, North Carolina A&T State, and Atlanta University Center schools are at the top of the list.

“These events will feature in-person activations, with $10,000 in prizes," he adds.

Partners include Fintech In Action and PEAK6, the latter of which first connected with Rapunzl in 2019 when it hosted a series of programs with Urban League.

"PEAK6 approached us this year, expressing their desire to expand and scale programs for college students, with additional support from Fintech In Action," Gage shared. "This partnership promises a more substantial impact than our previous independent college tours."

Gage wants Rapunzl to become synonymous with financial education. He envisions their educator portal being licensed and playing a significant role in making this dream a reality.

"Our ideal partners would be major public education systems, charter school networks, and corporations committed to community impact," he said.

Myles Gage spoke at last year’s Fintech Deal Day & Awards. Join us Nov. 13, 2023, for a chance to ideate and deal-make alongside the likes of Gage and executives from industry titans BlackRock, DTCC, OCC, State Street, Société Générale, Hedera, Citi, BMO Capital Markets, Northern Trust, Citibank, Amazon, S&P Global, Google, Invesco, and Moody’s. Book Now!