Ellen Kelly (CEO) | Jérémie Layani (COO)

Savvy’s mission is to provide the tools for anyone to invest in line with their values, all while tracking the financial and sustainability performance. Savvy keeps things simple, informative and transparent!

01. Describe the problem/the industry that you are trying to  mediate (and precise the UN SDG-s you are solving). 

There is a lack of simple access to sustainable investments for retail investors. Many people want to start investing, and while there are many investment options, it can be difficult to know where to get started. We all know financial jargon is confusing, and can deter you from getting started on investing. When it comes to investing sustainably, greenwashing is rife, it’s difficult to know what to trust and how to make sense of all of the information we are given. We should be able to grow our personal wealth for the future without going against the things we believe in.

Transparency is lacking, and Savvy will be as transparent as possible for the user to truly understand where their money is invested and how it has an impact. Our investment thesis uses the SDGs to ensure our users can see how their portfolio is weighted towards the goals they are most concerned with.

02. How did the idea to create the company come to mind? How did your team come to be? 

While working in our previous careers in finance, we were often approached by friends asking to help them get started in investing. Knowing that we had a keen interest in sustainability, people often asked how to introduce sustainable investments into their portfolio. 

When studying for a masters in sustainability at HEC Paris, during an entrepreneurship class we got the chance to look at this problem in more detail. How to help people like us and their peers to begin growing wealth, in line with their values, truly understanding where the money was invested. And so, Savvy was born! 

Following graduation both Ellen and Jérémie committed full time to Savvy, while Aoife, who had been working on the wireframes alongside work, remained involved part time. One year on and Aoife is joining the team full time as Chief Product Officer.

03. Why did you choose to participate in the Techstars Sustainability Paris Accelerator program?  

We chose to participate in the program because of the combination of a focus on sustainability and the people. During our entrepreneurship journey so far, we have remained acutely aware of the importance of relationships and surrounding ourselves with people who can both support, challenge and uplift us. Techstars Sustainability Paris does just that.

We are most excited about being challenged by the best in the business and really putting Savvy to the test. It’s a unique opportunity to challenge all aspects of the business and be supported in strengthening the weak points.

04. What are you the most proud of in your initial journey with  your company? 

We are most proud of the team we have built. Our first full time employee has joined Savvy this month, a big achievement for us. Creating a way of working together and learning how under which conditions the team is at its best is something we have taken the time to do, and we are reaping the rewards. 

As we are both not from Paris (Ellen from Dublin and Jérémie from Geneva), we are proud of the network of advisors and supporters we have built in France and abroad. Combining our international network with a french connection is really what gives us the diversity of ideas and opinions when it comes to decision making.

05. How do you plan to measure the positive impact of your  company in the next 5 years? 

We will measure impact based on the CO2 avoided of the investments made via the platform. Each investment made via Savvy will be avoiding emissions that would otherwise have been higher in traditional, non-sustainable investments.

Follow our page on Linkedin to stay updated on our journey.

For the latest news on our applications, please visit our page.

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