When someone asks high schooler Avaneesh Savkar how he wants to change the world, he always has the same answer: “I want to make financial literacy accessible for everyone.” From building a car seat to protect babies from dangerous temperature fluctuations in vehicles to working at a tobacco farm for 12 hours a day, Avaneesh is committed to using his hard work and technological innovation to improve people’s lives.
What Led Avaneesh Savkar to Financial Literacy
Growing up, Avaneesh observed that some people appeared to have extensive financial knowledge but did not lead lives that reflected strong financial outcomes. He knew there was a gap between their financial awareness and their lived experiences. Intensive research led him to behavioral economics, where he studied how the brain influences people’s buying patterns. From that work, he built models designed to map how people approach future financial decisions.
That research convinced him financial education programs needed to change. Rather than focusing solely on teaching students how to become financially literate, programs needed to show students how to apply financial knowledge to real-life situations.
How Fin-WAL Approaches Financial Literacy
These insights led to Fin-WAL, a comprehensive platform built around wealth, awareness, and literacy. Fin-WAL complements existing financial literacy programs in schools by helping students track their finances, engage in realistic simulations where they practice finance-related skills, and reflect on the cultural and family influences that shape their attitudes toward money.
One of the platform’s central features is Money Mirror, which evaluates a student’s spending behavior and financial habits to produce a personalized financial personality report. The report aims to help students recognize their spending patterns and reflect on their financial habits over time.
Building the Platform and What Comes Next
One of Fin-WAL’s biggest challenges was the technical complexity of measuring behavioral traits like impulsivity, risk tolerance, and emotional decision-making. Avaneesh’s background in behavioral psychology and AI development platforms helped him work through these roadblocks. By rapidly prototyping and testing features, he created a framework designed to identify behavioral patterns based on information about a student’s relationship with money and spending habits.
With the platform almost complete, Avaneesh will launch Fin-WAL on the App Store soon. With the support of Daniel Schwartz, a business mentor for Fin-WAL, he plans to partner with private schools to begin bringing the platform into classrooms in the near future.
Avaneesh has already exceeded expectations for a young high school entrepreneur, and his ambitions reach well beyond the current product. He envisions Fin-WAL growing into a broader financial wellness platform that supports people from adolescence into adulthood. He also hopes to explore investment banking and capital markets. Whatever he pursues in college and beyond, his technological prowess, entrepreneurial spirit, and deep passion for helping others will guide his path forward.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice.
