20 minutes a day.

Helping young adults master financial literacy through gamified, real-world simulations.

Econovel is a gamified learning platform that helps young professionals build financial literacy through interactive simulations. By playing through real-life money scenarios—like managing a first paycheck or handling surprise expenses—users develop practical money skills in a tycoon-style interface filled with rewards, progress loops, and intuitive design.

Now in its 6th month of development, Econovel has completed its product design and MVP. Beta testing is planned for September, with a full launch in October and global rollout by the end of the year.

Information

Details

Tools
Figma | Cursor | ChatGPT | Midjourney | Research

Role
Solo Design Engineer

Duration
Summer 2025

Background

Today, Financial literacy among people in their 20s falls short of OECD standards.

Many young adults are entering the workforce, managing their first salaries, loans, or investments, yet they lack the skills to make informed financial decisions. This shortfall is not due to a lack of available information—there are countless resources scattered across YouTube, news, and online lectures—but rather because these materials are fragmented, unstructured, and often overwhelming.

Problem

Financial education is plentiful, but too difficult for young professionals to access.

Respondents mainly struggled with trust and engagement — over half found financial content unreliable or hard to verify, while others criticized it for being overly commercial, theoretical, and uninspiring. This suggests a strong need for credible, gamified, and experience-driven learning that feels authentic and relevant to users’ real lives.

Solution

Econovel will solve this.

It is a learning platform designed to help users experience and master economic concepts through stories that closely resemble real-life situations.

Challenges

Information Credibility (51.6%)

Users need confidence that the financial knowledge they gain is accurate and trustworthy. They don’t want generic advice or influencer-style tips — they expect expert-backed content, clear reasoning, and transparency in sources. To build trust, the experience must show evidence, cite data, and explain the “why” behind decisions, not just present outcomes. Credibility isn't a feature; it's a foundation for engagement and long-term retention.

Real Financial Utility (32.3%)

A major concern is that financial learning apps feel too gamified and disconnected from real-world application. Users don’t want to feel like they’re playing a simulation with no practical carry-over. They want tools that sharpen real investment instincts and help them apply what they learn in the real financial world. The UX must balance motivation and seriousness — playful enough to stay engaging, but grounded enough to communicate real-world skill development.

Perceived Value & ROI (25.8%)

Users are cautious about whether the time they invest will lead to meaningful improvement in financial ability. They want evidence of progress: measurable growth, skill development, and actionable outcomes they can bring into real-life money decisions. The product must make value visible through feedback loops, performance metrics, and proof of learning — ensuring users feel and see the return on their time.

Results

Top Finalist.

Selected as one of the finalists in the Ministry of Defense Startup Challenge and gained firsthand experience in the operations and strategy of an early-stage EdTech startup.

Solution Highlights.

Experience-based learning

Many users disengage from finance apps that feel either overly theoretical or purely gamified. Econovel bridges this gap through a progressive decision-making that blends play with realism, allowing users to experiment safely while experiencing authentic financial outcomes. This balance makes financial learning both immersive and impactful.

Intelligence & Adaptivity

An Adaptive Learning Engine that builds personalized courses, recommends tailored practice, and delivers feedback to keep financial education engaging, effective, and practical.

AI Engineering by Jaewoo Kim

Microtime

Econovel transforms the spare 20 minutes of your day into meaningful progress. Users chose it for its time efficiency (58%), real-world simulations (47%), and instant feedback (37%)—showing that learning doesn’t need hours, just focus.

With Econovel’s adaptive modules, every micro-moment compounds into mastery—practical, engaging, and built for real financial growth.

click to see the prototype!

Reflections

Focus more on early user testing and onboarding.

Users’ main reflections reveal a deep tension between curiosity and trust — they’re intrigued by gamified finance but fear misinformation and superficiality. To build lasting engagement, Econovel must frame learning as a credible, emotionally safe adventure where play feels purposeful and progress feels real..

Focus more on early user testing and onboarding.

Profitability

Value Creation. Experience.

Simplifies complex financial knowledge into actionable learning.

Builds confidence in real-world financial decisions.

Saves time with short, scenario-based sessions.

Keeps users engaged through gamified, personalized feedback.

additional information _design change progress

Project Credits

CEO & Founder

Jaewoo Kim

CPO & Co-Founder

Aidan Park

Designer & Co-Founder

Bastian Kim

Product Manager

Songyun Jeong