FutureAdvisor Raises Funding From Sequoia To Bring Financial And Investment Advice To The Masses

Leena Rao

Leena Rao is currently a Senior Editor for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007, she helped lead Congresswoman Carloyn Maloney’s community outreach and relations efforts in New York City. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003, where she was... → Learn More

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
FutureAdvisor

Y Combinator startup FutureAdvisor has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Sequoia Capital and angel investors Keith Rabois and Jeremy Stoppelman.

FutureAdvisor, which debuted in 2010, is an online financial advisor designed to help people get the most out of their investment portfolios. FutureAdvisor’s web app provides people with personalized financial advice by recommending ways to reduce fees, maximize on tax efficiency and select the right investments.

When you integrate your financial accounts and information (via Yodlee), the startup will analyze your entire financial picture and takes these details into account by providing personalized, actionable recommendations for future investments based on age, risk tolerance as well as current and existing investment situations. FutureAdvisor provides a free platform for unlimited investment advice but also offers premium plans, with a flat annual fee ($49-$195), that allow clients to schedule personalized video consultations with financial advisors on staff to answer any specific questions they may have, as well as receive alerts and more.

FutureAdvisor will also provide data-driven analysis and recommendations to reduce portfolio fees and give you tips on how to keep your portfolio diversified with market fluctuations. In terms of retirement, the startup will answer questions such as how much you need to save per year to stay on track of your retirement goals and how much you need to save to retire comfortably.

Additionally, you can enter in data about your age and retirement goals and the FutureAdvisor algorithm provides you with options for asset allocation, how to optimize your return, and, if you currently work at Google, Microsoft or Intel, the app can tailor its advice within your 401K’s limits.

Bo Lu, cofounder of FutureAdvisor explained in an interview that the startup aims to democratize the ability to find quality financial and investment advice. We want to empower the 99% of everyday investors with information they need to manage their own investments online,” he said. The startup doesn’t accept commissions or charge percentage fees on gains, he adds.

FutureAdvisor faces competition from Betterment, WealthFront, and others.


Company: FutureAdvisor
Launch Date: 2010
Funding: $5M

FutureAdvisor was founded in 2010 on the premise that investing for your future does not have to be difficult or expensive. Members of the founding finance team have been actively investing and worked in finance for years, and so have always been the ones friends asked for advice. We eventually realized that most of our friends were asking the same questions (how should I allocate my money?), making some of the same mistakes (buying high-fee funds), and that the...

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