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Stackin' provides a financial wellness platform that offers personalized coaching programs and tools designed to improve users' financial mindsets and habits. The company leverages insights from behavioral psychology and finance professionals to help individuals uncomplicate their relationship with money, focusing on a holistic approach that goes beyond traditional budgeting or spending analysis. Its core offering acts as a guide, providing support and actionable steps to foster long-term financial health.
The company was co-founded in 2017 by Scott Grimes and Kyle Arbaugh. Their insight stemmed from recognizing a critical gap in existing financial management solutions, which often failed to address the underlying psychological factors influencing an individual's financial behavior. Grimes and Arbaugh observed that many people struggled with conventional tools because they did not tackle the fundamental mindset about money, leading them to develop a new approach centered on behavioral change.
Stackin' serves individuals seeking to achieve financial freedom and improve their overall well-being by transforming their relationship with money. The platform aims to empower users to live the life they desire, irrespective of their income, by addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of finance. Its vision is to ensure everyone feels financially well, advocating that a healthy money mindset is crucial for true financial independence.
Stackin' has raised $17.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Stackin' has raised $17.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Stackin' has raised $17.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $13.0M Series B in May 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2020 | $13M Series B | Marieke Christmann | Browder Capital, Cloud Apps Capital Partners, Company Capital, DIG Ventures, Felicis Ventures, Jackson Square Ventures, January Ventures, Next47, Operator Collective, Saga, Third Point Ventures, Thomson Reuters Ventures, Peter Kazanjy, Cherry Tree Investments, Experian Ventures, Mucker Capital, Techstars, Unlock Venture Partners, Wavemaker Partners | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2019 | $4M Series A | DIG Ventures, Cherry Tree Investments, Experian Ventures | Browder Capital, Cloud Apps Capital Partners, Company Capital, Felicis Ventures, Jackson Square Ventures, January Ventures, M13, Next47, Operator Collective, Saga, Social Leverage, Third Point Ventures, Thomson Reuters Ventures, Peter Kazanjy, Howard Lindzon, Mucker Capital, Social Leverage LLC, Wavemaker Partners | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2016 | $35K Seed | — | M13, Social Leverage | Announced |
Stackin' has raised $17.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Stackin''s investors include Marieke Christmann, Browder Capital, Cloud Apps Capital Partners, Company Capital, Dig Ventures, Felicis Ventures, Jackson Square Ventures, January Ventures, Next47, Operator Collective, Saga, Third Point Ventures.
Stackin' is a Venice-based fintech company that simplifies personal finance for millennials through a curated marketplace of fintech apps, delivered primarily via friendly text messaging. It acts as a non-nerdy robo-advisor, offering money tips, savings advice, and personalized app recommendations (e.g., investment platforms) based on user data, while avoiding direct competition with partners.[1] The platform serves young consumers navigating cluttered fintech options, using social media ads on TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram to drive engagement; it grew to over 1 million active users in about a year by mid-2020, sending more than 100 million texts.[1] In 2020, it raised $12.6M in Series B funding (total $19.6M), led by Octopus Ventures, with backers like Experian Ventures and Techstars, but pivoted by ending banking partnerships to focus on its core discovery model.[1]
A modern iteration appears at startstackin.com, rebranded around financial wellness and therapy via an app with custom coaching and expert support to help users grow and improve their finances.[3]
Founded before 2020 (exact year not specified in available data), Stackin' emerged to address fintech overload for millennials, positioning itself as "the simplest entry point into finance."[1] CEO Scott Grimes leads the effort, emphasizing a conversational, text-based approach over traditional apps.[1] Early traction built quickly: from 500,000 to 1 million active users in just over a year pre-2020 Series B, fueled by viral social marketing and 100+ million texts sent.[1] Pivotal moments included the May 2020 $12.6M raise amid COVID-19, which prompted a strategic "shutter"—ending a no-fee checking/savings partnership with Radius Bank and scaling back direct investment features (like an Acorns-style tool)—to prioritize non-competitive curation.[1]
(Note: stacktech.io refers to a separate entity, Stack Technologies, focused on API-driven business solutions like sales tools and shipping—not the fintech Stackin'.[2])
Stackin' rides the fintech democratization wave for underserved millennials, capitalizing on 2020-era clutter from apps like Robinhood, Chime, and Acorns by curating rather than competing.[1] Timing aligned with COVID-19's remote finance boom and social media's rise for Gen-Z/young millennial acquisition, enabling 2x user growth in a year.[1] Market forces favoring it include exploding demand for simplified personal finance tools amid economic uncertainty, plus SMS's high open rates (98%+) over push notifications. It influences the ecosystem by boosting discovery for partner fintechs, fostering a symbiotic network that enhances overall adoption without cannibalization.[1]
Stackin' is poised to expand its text-to-app model and financial therapy app amid rising demand for behavioral finance tools, potentially integrating AI for hyper-personalized coaching. Trends like embedded finance and mental health-aware fintech (e.g., "financial therapy") will shape it, especially as millennials enter wealth-building years. Its influence may grow by powering affiliate ecosystems, evolving from curator to indispensable finance companion—cementing its role as the friendly gateway millennials need in a still-crowded space.[1][3]
