In this edition of Bright Founders Talk by Sparix Global, we are joined by Vincent Aurez, Co-Founder and CEO of Figen AI—an innovative platform transforming the world of wealth management through artificial intelligence. With a background that spans diplomacy, finance, and real estate asset management, Vincent brings a uniquely interdisciplinary perspective to the AI-driven future of financial services.
His journey into entrepreneurship wasn't planned—it was sparked by frustration over the lack of effective AI tools in wealth management. That passion led to the founding of Figen AI, a platform designed to help financial professionals make smarter, faster investment decisions using proprietary market data.
"I Built the Tool I Was Mad Didn't Exist": How Vincent Aurez Is Shaking Up Wealth Management with AI
Vincent Aurez didn't dream of being a startup founder. In fact, his journey began in the world of diplomacy—quite far from algorithms and wealth portfolios. But somewhere along the way, a mix of curiosity, frustration, and ambition pulled him into the world of finance and then tech. After building innovative real estate investment vehicles, Vincent had a lightbulb moment when ChatGPT entered the scene. He saw the potential of AI—not just to chat—but to revolutionize the way financial professionals work. The problem? No one had built the kind of AI assistant he believed the industry desperately needed. So, he rolled up his sleeves and built it himself.
That's how Figen AI was born—a platform built to save wealth managers from decision fatigue and time-draining searches through data. Vincent describes it like having a superpowered assistant that doesn't just scrape the web but dives into exclusive, non-public market data to deliver tailored investment recommendations.
"Let's say you're a wealth manager, and your client wants to invest in the European defense sector," he explains. "Figen doesn't just pull headlines—it analyzes private fund data and gives you a curated snapshot of the best-fit options for that specific client profile."
It's not about replacing human advisors, he says—it's about making them sharper, faster, and more aligned with both clients and market dynamics.
"It's Not About the Network—It's About the Product": Vincent Aurez on Trust, AI Myths, and Scaling Smart
For Vincent Aurez, the magic formula behind Figen AI's early success wasn't endless networking events or pitch decks to friends-of-friends. It was trust—and an obsession with building something people actually want to use.
"You don't need a huge network," Vincent says. "You need a good product and a few people who really believe in you."
That belief helped him launch in France, where his past in finance opened doors. But now, as Figen looks beyond French borders, he's feeling the limits of his Rolodex. "My network in the UK or Spain? Not great," he admits with a laugh. Still, he's not worried. If the product speaks for itself, people listen—regardless of how many business cards you've handed out.
"Ten People, One Big Idea": How Figen AI Is Beating Giants and Building the Future of FinTech
Vincent Aurez lights up when he talks about what excites him most about the future—not just for Figen AI, but for startups everywhere. For him, AI isn't just a buzzword. It's the ultimate equalizer.
"With the right AI tools, anyone can launch something big," he says.
And Vincent is living proof. His lean 10-person team is already eating into the market share of a 500-person legacy firm that's held a near-monopoly in France. Their secret? Talent, yes—but also tools like Cursor and Cloud Code, which Vincent jokingly calls their "cheat codes." In his world, imagination isn't just encouraged—it's a prerequisite. AI, he says, makes the impossible not just possible, but deployable in weeks.