Ana Mahony
Democratising wealth access

How did Addition Wealth get started?
I worked in consumer finance in both the public and private sectors, and then at Uber for six years. During that time I witnessed the power of using technology to make things accessible to people that were previously unaffordable. After these experiences, and recognising that the vast majority of individuals are still stressed about their finances without access to traditional support models, I wanted to build a company that brought product technology and skilled marketplace solutions together.

What are the biggest challenges to female engagement with financial wellness?
Traditional financial advisory companies cater to individuals who have about $1m (€910,000) of assets under management at a financial institution. It’s part of the reason that we built a welcoming model where there’s no minimum money required. We distribute through the employer channel, which we found to be a hugely impactful partnership because we can configure the platform to include information about how one is paid from their employer, such as your benefits package, your retirement plan, any potential equity compensation or emergency assistance programmes.

Could you tell us about working with the UBS Female Founder initiative?
It’s an honour to have been selected for the UBS Female Founder Award alongside so many accomplished finalists. As a start-up in the fintech space, it’s fantastic to partner with UBS and learn valuable insights for our business. I’m also very grateful that UBS is investing time and resources to support more female founders.