Designing Financial Tools for the Unbanked

We worked to design financial tools for the 2.5 billion people who are unbanked

An estimated 2.5 billion of the world’s people—mostly in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East—do not use banks. These “unbanked” rely heavily on cash, which is a serious impediment to their planning and money management in both the short and long terms. Banco Bradesco in Brazil asked the Mobile Experience Lab to come up with ways to educate the unbanked and to develop some at-home banking solutions these potential customers would embrace. Our design solutions included Smart Saving Envelopes, a simple way for users to keep track of their savings using a familiar object.

Our design solutions:

Smart Saving Envelopes offer a simple way for users to keep track of their savings using familiar objects like envelopes.

Luz is a take on smart everyday objects. It is a smart safe that doubles as a lamp while helping the user stay on track with financial goals, payments etc.

Realize is a web platform that lets people share information (tips and ideas) about personal finance.