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Interview with the Founders
ellexx has been around since 2021. What have you achieved so far?
Patrizia: We’ve broken the taboo around money and sparked a new, honest conversation about finances in Switzerland. Women and finance were hardly discussed before ellexx – now everyone is talking about it. That’s exactly what we wanted to achieve. Our book Close the Gaps! certainly helped.
Simone: We’ve managed to get women excited about finance. We’ve explored new ways to make finances accessible, personal, and inspiring. ellexx is basically finance made with love. That’s also because our approach is more emotional, and both content and design are tailored to women’s needs.
Nadine: In 2023, we launched our interactive learning app to give women practical financial knowledge often missing in schools. With ellexx invest, they can start investing small amounts in ETFs directly in the app and build wealth step by step – without complicated jargon. Our app helps women take control of their financial future. That has been a milestone since launch.
Why is ellexx invest such a big milestone?
Patrizia: ellexx is finally a fintech! We’re now the first female finance app in Europe offering both education and direct investing. 92 % of women consider sustainable investing important – and we want to meet that need. With fair fees and a social dimension, ellexx ETF savings plans let you invest not just in your financial future but also in a fairer world. Every plan is carefully curated based on ESG criteria, with a focus on gender equality, fair working conditions, and corporate social responsibility.
Nadine: ellexx invest is also inspired by our community: over 80,000 people follow us on social media, more than 20,000 read our newsletter, and thousands have trained through our Money-Hack courses, Membership, and coaching. We noticed women can get lost among the 2,000+ ETFs on the Swiss market. That’s why we offer a curated solution they can start in just a few clicks – no hours of research. Every woman can invest regularly with sustainable criteria and build wealth long-term.
Simone: Finding the right partner bank wasn’t easy – most banks aren’t technically capable of providing open interfaces for our app. Now, in collaboration with Hypothekarbank Lenzburg, we offer affordable ETF investing directly in the app – a feature most traditional banks don’t provide. Equally important was a transparent, fair offering, without hidden fees like many other providers.
Why is ellexx still needed?
Nadine: Financial gaps for women remain huge: 56 % of women in Switzerland cannot fully provide for themselves. Motherhood hits many women hard. After giving birth, most mothers’ incomes drop by up to 68 % – the «Motherhood Gap» – because they reduce work hours. Many women have financial gaps due to maternity. We want to be part of the solution, showing step-by-step how to fill these gaps – for example, with automated ETF savings plans that build wealth continuously, even with part-time work or motherhood.
Patrizia: Only one in five women invests, so our work is far from done. According to studies, it will take another 135 years to reach economic equality. We won’t live to see that, so we’re doing everything to accelerate change. Wealthy women tend to use their money more for the common good than rich men.
Simone: ellexx is needed because the fight for equality isn’t over. We want to not only wake women up but actively support them with solutions to close financial gaps. Change begins when we question structures and systems – not the affected individuals. We’re activist-minded: with artistic actions like our spray-slogan «Fix the system, not the woman», we show that the system itself must change.
Simone Züger
Why did you start ellexx?
Patrizia: As a longtime finance journalist, it frustrated me that men’s investments flourished while women were barely included. Women invest far less, and the gender wealth gap has grown in recent years. In the U.S., the gender pay gap has been widening again for the last two years. ellexx is my life mission. I wrote the first business plan in 2017, and when Nadine and Simone joined, the idea really took off.
What was your personal motivation to co-found ellexx?
Nadine: As a lawyer and journalism professional, I saw a huge lack of financial education. My goal is for every woman to learn step by step how to save, invest, and plan for the future – regardless of income or family status. Financial independence is especially important when leaving a relationship. ellexx also answers a system long shaped by men. Political processes are slow, so we chose entrepreneurship to accelerate women’s financial equality.
Simone: I lacked female role models in creative and later financial industries. As an entrepreneur, I realized how hard it is to find women-friendly, social, sustainable financial solutions. The language of finance never spoke to me. With ellexx, I want to change that: make finance accessible to women and contribute to real equality.
Nadine Jürgensen
You’ve been working on this since 2019, why did you start only in 2021?
Patrizia: Only 2 % of global venture capital goes to women and their ideas. We felt this too and had to fight for funding. We wanted female investors, but there are almost none. Most wealthy women invest philanthropically. The dream of a women-led bank had to be abandoned.
Nadine: We repeatedly refined our business plan. With very few resources, we achieved a lot. Seeing how much male-led startups receive is shocking. Yet we consistently invested in technology, often at great risk. Crowdinvesting in 2023 strengthened us, breaking a European record for a women-led company.
What are your future goals with ellexx?
Patrizia: We want every woman to become an investor. We need to change the negative perception of money – it’s not just blind consumption or ego. Money can do a lot for others and the environment. Women tend to invest more sustainably and purposefully – they could be game-changers for the economy.
Nadine: Many women fear financial jargon and think investing isn’t for them – but it is! Women want clear, understandable communication. We make finance accessible and provide solutions for diverse life situations. Most products were made by men for men – women’s needs were overlooked.
Simone: We found partners who believe in our vision. Our goal is a more equal society, where women manage their money and gain financial independence.
But aren’t there already enough finance products and blogs?
Patrizia: Studies show 85 % of women feel excluded from financial content. Finance jargon is unnecessary and intimidating, often justifying fees and consultations. Investing isn’t that complicated – we want women to see that.
Simone: Many banking and insurance sites are dry – media too. We want to address women’s high design standards. We also aim to bring emotion to digital finance, making it more approachable, playful, and engaging.
Patrizia: Design matters. Readers should feel comfortable. Design is a sign of respect.
Are there sustainable and women-friendly investment products?
Nadine: It’s a jungle out there – fees, performance, ESG ratings. Over 2,000 ETFs exist on the Swiss exchange alone. We curated a solution with currency-hedged, affordable, responsible ETFs for Swiss investors.
Patrizia Laeri
What makes ellexx invest special?
Patrizia: We simplify entry into investing for women. Social investing, the «S» in ESG, is still rare but important to women. We also encourage regular, staged investing to avoid timing risks – with no trading fees. This full package is unique in Switzerland.
Investment philosophy?
Patrizia: We invest sustainably and women-friendly. We support companies reducing gender gaps and improving women’s lives.
Simone: We invest in our own products out of conviction.
Nadine: Financial flows are a powerful lever for change. 92 % of women value sustainable investments. Women can be game-changers. Let’s pool our money for a women-friendly world.
Nadine Jürgensen
Why offer legal protection insurance?
Nadine: Lawyers are expensive. Many women avoid court. Our insurance covers labor disputes (e.g., discrimination, maternity dismissal, unequal pay) and family law up to CHF 15,000. It also covers contracts, traffic, travel.
Experiences as founders?
Simone: I noticed male-led design studios dominated, so I started initiatives to connect women in creative industries and discuss insurance and finance. As a designer, I experiment constantly – that’s what we do at ellexx.
Nadine: I’ve been self-employed since 2016, mainly for flexibility with motherhood. I co-founded NGO WE/MEN for gender equality. ellexx was the next level: Europe’s largest female-finance platform. It required long nights, childcare, and persistence.
Patrizia: I ran my own GmbH and produced shows like DACHelles. ellexx pushed my entrepreneurial limits. Founding at this scale is a rollercoaster between euphoria and exhaustion. The mission and social impact kept us going.
Nadine: My husband supported me enormously, giving me security to start ellexx. I’m proud of our daughters’ independence – they motivate me to be a role model.
Simone: My family’s support was crucial. Both our children were born during ellexx’s early years – without help from parents and in-laws, we couldn’t have managed. My partner advised professionally on financial law for countless hours.
Lastly: Can men invest with you?
Nadine: Of course! Everyone is welcome. Many men also feel excluded by financial jargon and want equality and sustainability. Gender equality only works together – the more of us, the faster change happens.
