Being a woman in the fintech and entrepreneurial ecosystem brings a necessary and often overlooked perspective to financial innovation, while being in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Waiting for the perfect timing only delays progress. Every successful founder had to start somewhere, often without having all the answers, as an investor and leader. Taking action, learning along the way, and moving forward despite uncertainty is the key to creating real impact.
Who is Feli Oikonomopoulou?
After working as a financial services lawyer at the world’s largest banks and turning into a fintech entrepreneur, Feli Oikonomopoulou aims to improve social health with fintech solutions that increase financial accessibility.
She started her career at the Central Bank of Greece and the European Investment Fund, then worked at Goldman Sachs and Bank of America in the US. Oikonomopoulou left her position as Vice President (VP) at Bank of America in 2022 and took over as Research Director at Yale University until 2024.
In 2024, she founded WealthMeUp, the first embedded fintech application for women that facilitates investment processes. It provides a branch opportunity for users, 70% of whom are women, to directly transfer the prices (Cashback) they earn from their daily transactions to their investment portfolios.
- Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
It’s a pleasure to be invited to this interview! I started my career in law, working at law firms and banks as a lawyer specializing in investment management and financial services. When I started managing my own finances, I struggled to find resources that made investing straightforward and relevant to my daily life. I initially thought this challenge was unique to me, but I quickly noticed a widespread issue: many women, including those in investment roles, were not actively investing.
While pursuing my MBA at Yale, I explored this issue further, which ultimately led to the launch of WealthMeUp—a platform that simplifies investing for women and fits seamlessly into their everyday activities. I discovered that not only historical reasons but also current barriers—like financial products not designed with women in mind—contributed to lower investment rates among women. As the idea took shape,Anna Misley, one of my closest friends and now my co-founder, and Adan Rivas, whose passion and unwavering support have been instrumental, joined me on this journey. Together, are working to make investing more intuitive, accessible, and rewarding.
This project came from my own need to understand finance better—a subject often overlooked in education—and to develop tools that simplify managing financial futures. WealthMeUp is the tool I wish I had when I was 22, as it would have made starting to invest much easier.
- What’s the problem you’re trying to solve or the gap that you’re trying to fill?
Investing can be intimidating and often feels disconnected from everyday life, making it hard for people (data suggest over 60% of young millennials and gen-Zs) to develop good investment habits. Many think investing doesn’t fit into their budget or is too risky. Yet, we all make purchases every day, especially in the U.S., where consumer spending is a powerful economic force, and the cashback and rewards system is highly developed. With a U.S. cashback market worth over $94.2 billion annually, WealthMeUp leverages this mature ecosystem to make investing a seamless part of daily spending, turning everyday purchases into investment opportunities. Our vision is simple: every spender can be an investor
This challenge also presents a tremendous opportunity for women, who control 80% of consumer spending and make most household purchasing decisions, yet invest far less than men. Closing this gap could add $3.22 trillion to global assets, according to the World Economic Forum, unlocking significant financial growth and equity.
We create a win-win value chain that benefits everyone involved:
For consumers: Every purchase earns cashback that’s automatically invested, making it effortless to build wealth without changing their spending habits.
For retailers: Partnering with WealthMeUp allows them to offer rewards that boost customer loyalty and drive more frequent purchases—70% of users say they’d shop more often if they could invest their rewards.
For financial institutions: We directly connect everyday spending to investment products, helping them reach new customer segments while reducing acquisition costs and expanding their market reach.
- What does “Being a Woman in the Fintech and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem” mean to you?
Being a woman in fintech and entrepreneurship means navigating an industry that has historically been male-dominated while bringing a necessary and often overlooked perspective to financial innovation. Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in leadership, investment decision-making, and product design within fintech.
Many companies publicly advocate for gender diversity through events and leadership programs, but these initiatives often fail to translate into structural changes that foster true inclusivity. Real progress requires more than symbolic gestures—it demands a shift in how organizations think, operate, and integrate diverse perspectives at every level.
Research has shown that companies with diverse leadership teams are 21% more likely to outperform their peers in profitability, yet female-founded startups receive only 2% of total venture capital funding. This systemic imbalance stifles innovation and limits the ability of fintech solutions to address the diverse financial needs of all consumers, particularly women. Being a woman in this space means not just pushing for representation but also advocating for meaningful change—ensuring that the next generation of fintech products and services are designed with a broader, more inclusive vision in mind.
- Do you think the number of women in the fintech ecosystem sufficient?
No, the number of women in fintech (as founders, but also as consumers of fintech products) remains critically low. This is not due to a lack of talented female founders or executives, but rather systemic barriers that limit access to capital, leadership opportunities, and industry influence.
Female-led startups receive significantly less funding than their male-led counterparts—despite delivering higher returns. In 2023, women-led startups secured just 2.1% of total venture capital funding, and even when they do raise capital, they often face worse terms compared to male-led companies. This lack of investment directly impacts the scalability and success of female-founded fintech ventures.
Beyond funding, financial products are often designed around male income and career trajectories, failing to account for the unique barriers women face in investment decision-making—such as longer career breaks, longer lifespans, and distinct financial needs. Women control 80% of consumer spending and $10 trillion in U.S. financial assets, yet financial services rarely cater to their realities.
For example, traditional investment products don’t address how career breaks for caregiving impact retirement savings, or how women’s longer life expectancy requires different financial planning. Failing to consider these factors perpetuates financial inequality.
Closing this gap isn’t just about representation—it’s an economic necessity. Fintech must evolve to design financial products that reflect women’s real financial journeys, ensuring better outcomes for both consumers and the industry.
- Can you please share your “3 Things We Must Do To Have More Women Direct Investment Dollars”?
Proactively Identify and Support Women-Led Ventures: Numerous initiatives target women, yet women receive less than one quarter of venture capital funds. This disparity suggests that investors often overlook women, particularly in the crucial early stages of a business when a founder’s passion is a key asset. To genuinely support diversity and innovation, funds need to actively trust and invest in women, moving beyond traditional funding patterns that repeatedly favor the same demographics. Essentially, we need more action and fewer words.
Be Open to New and Disruptive Views and Ways of Doing Things: Even when women reach top positions, they are often evaluated against outdated standards. We need to adopt fresh perspectives that recognize and value the unique contributions and challenges women bring to the industry. Embracing new ideas and approaches can lead to more innovative and inclusive financial practices.
Set Metrics and Ensure Accountability – Funds should establish clear goals for investing in women-led businesses and publicly track their progress. Transparency and accountability will drive real change, ensuring that investment decisions reflect a commitment to equity.
- Can you summarize the development and future of the fintech ecosystem in three words?
Inclusive, Personalized, Seamless.
Fintech is becoming inclusive, breaking barriers to ensure access for all. It is personalized, using AI and data to tailor financial solutions to individual needs, life stages, and behaviors. And it is seamless, integrating effortlessly into daily life, making investing and financial management easy and intuitive.
- What advice would you give to women who want to pursue a career in fintech? Where should they start?
Build a strong foundation in finance and technology, gain experience in startups or financial firms, and actively seek mentorship and networking opportunities. But most importantly, be an advocate for diversity—support other women and brilliant ideas whenever possible. Change happens when we actively uplift each other.
Start today. Do it wrong. Do it without confidence. Just do it. The timing will never be perfect, and waiting for the “right moment” only delays progress. Every successful founder, investor, and leader started somewhere, often without all the answers. Taking action, learning along the way, and pushing forward despite uncertainty is what creates impact.
At WealthMeUp, our motto—”Your Lifestyle Invested”—reflects this mindset. Just as we empower people to invest effortlessly as part of their daily lives, stepping into fintech should feel the same—natural, accessible, and integrated into who you are. You don’t need to wait for the perfect moment or feel completely ready—just start, learn as you go, and build your future along the way.
