Stackin' operates a curated fintech marketplace that uses text messages to educate young consumers and recommend fintech apps, meeting users via platforms like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. The service tailors the first 30–60 days of messaging to how a user finds Stackin', then broadens the content; it has sent more than 100 million text messages to date. Stackin' added one million active users in a little over a year, up 500,000 from when it raised last July. The company monetizes by driving leads and clicks for fintech brands and is paid per click or download on a contract-by-contract basis. Stackin' is not yet profitable and cites sizeable costs from its Twilio-based texting infrastructure. It has 18 employees and recently pared back non-core product plays to focus on its messaging and referral business, while maintaining small investing operations after ending a bank partnership. Stackin pivoted from a video platform to a text-based financial-advisory service, switching to text in March 2018 and building a custom messaging platform on Twilio. The company targets millennials and has amassed roughly 500,000 users. It recently launched no-fee checking and savings accounts in partnership with Radius Bank, offering a 1% annual percentage yield on deposits. Stackin says it will add an investment feature later this fall, likely modeled on Acorns to encourage diversified investing before enabling individual stock trades. The founders are Scott Grimes and Kyle Arbaugh, and the company initially pitched as part of the Techstars Los Angeles accelerator. Management says the new funding will be used to build out additional banking and investing features and deepen customer relationships.

Total raised

$17M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

May 2020