Zave Inc.
A mobile savings platform that transforms financial goals into achievable milestones through brand partnerships, flexible saving plans, and interest-free credit.
Details
Role
UX Researcher & Designer
Timeline
~ 4 months
Skills
User Research, Behavioral Analysis, User Segmentation, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Prototyping
Team
Amruta Kulkarni, Tariq Aziz
Overview
Zave is a mobile fintech platform designed for Gen-Z users (ages 18-27) struggling to save for future purchases. Through research with young savers across India's Tier 1 cities, I discovered the real barrier wasn't knowledge or income. It was motivation, flexibility, and trust. The platform combines brand partnerships offering 7-12% cashback with flexible monthly saving plans and optional interest-free credit earned through consistent behavior, transforming financial planning from an intimidating chore into an achievable, rewarding journey.
tl;dr
The Problem
Traditional fintech apps focus on rigid structure and discipline, completely missing the emotional roots of Gen-Z's saving struggles.
Gen-Z faces a paradox: they're digitally savvy and know they should save, but impulsive spending and failed savings attempts remain persistent. Through interviews with users aged 20-28, a clear pattern emerged. The barrier isn't lack of knowledge. It's emotional. Fear of commitment, anxiety about restrictive budgets, distrust of credit, and lack of immediate gratification create a cycle where saving feels like punishment rather than progress.
The Solution
A brand-partnership savings platform that turns long-term goals into achievable milestones with tangible rewards at every step.
Instead of abstract budgets, users create savings goals for specific products from brands they love (Apple, H&M, MakeMyTrip, Nike). Instead of waiting months to see benefits, they earn 10% cashback on every deposit. Instead of feeling locked in, they can withdraw, switch brands, or modify goals anytime. A gamified streak system rewards consistency by unlocking access to interest-free credit, letting users combine savings with credit to reach goals faster without paying interest.
A user saving ₹1,00,000 for an iPhone over 10 months pays only ₹90,000 thanks to cashback. If they maintain their streak, they can access credit to complete the purchase in month 6 instead of waiting until month 10.
Process
Market Research
Analyzing the competition to find what's missing.
I studied leading fintech platforms including Fi (Neo-Bank), CRED (Bill Payment), Simpl (Buy-now-pay-later), Klarna, and IndMoney. Successful platforms shared traits: clean visuals, satisfying interactions, and reward systems. But most focused on single use cases and required high effort to maintain. CRED made bill payments rewarding but didn't help with saving. Simpl offered convenience with interest charges. Klarna's policy changes eliminating interest-free credit showed how quickly user trust evaporates.
Key insights emerged:
→ Simplicity matters more than features
→ Rewards must feel immediate and tangible
→ Flexibility is non-negotiable for Gen-Z
→ Existing apps treat saving and credit as separate problems
User Interviews
Discovering an emotion-management problem disguised as a time-management one.
Savings Management
Users encounter difficulties in managing their savings effectively.
They frequently dip into savings for unrelated expenses.
Users seek tools for segregating and preserving savings until they reach their goals.
Saving Models
Acknowledge the significance of saving but lack a structured strategy.
Want flexible, practical approach tailored to their diverse financial situations.
Desire a simple yet effective method for consistent savings without compromising daily expenses.
Purchase Goals
Users find motivation in setting specific purchase goals for savings.
Visualising their desired purchase and remaining savings targets enhances their commitment to financial objectives.
Expensive Purchases
Users aspire to acquire high-end items like gadgets, designer fashion, and luxury experiences.
Challenges in effective planning often lead to impulsive decision-making.
These impulsive choices frequently result in buyer's remorse post-purchase.
Purchases Saving & Planning
Want to seek a specialised saving and planning tool for expensive purchases.
Key requirements include setting clear financial goals and tracking progress.
Customisable saving plans, accounting for income, expenses, and timelines, are highly desired.
I conducted semi-structured interviews with users aged 20-28 across income levels, from students on allowances to professionals earning 15 lakhs annually. I focused on their emotional relationship with money rather than budgeting tactics.
The pattern was striking. When discussing expensive purchases (laptops, travel, designer items), users sounded excited and aspirational. When talk shifted to saving for these purchases, the tone became heavy. Words like "guilty," "anxious," "overwhelming," and "stuck" dominated. One freelancer described saving as "disappointing because even when I try really hard, the progress feels so slow that I just give up."
Analysis
Reframing the design challenge.
After organizing insights through affinity mapping, the core problem crystallized. Gen-Z doesn't have a time-management problem. They have an emotion-management problem. The barrier is psychological: lack of motivation when progress feels invisible, fear of rigid plan commitments, anxiety about using credit responsibly, and absence of immediate gratification.
This led to the opportunity:
How might we create a savings platform that aligns with Gen-Z's existing habits while encouraging sustainable growth in a way that feels natural, rewarding, and non-intrusive?
Demographics
Users spanned Tier 1 and 2 cities, ages 18-27, from students to employed professionals. Income ranged from allowances to full-time salaries. Despite diverse backgrounds, they shared remarkably similar behavioral challenges
Psychographics
Users were overwhelmingly risk-averse, preferring stable investments. They were tech-savvy, mobile-first, and comfortable with digital platforms. Personalities ranged from adventure seekers to social trendsetters, but all wanted financial safety nets and conservative money decisions.
Behaviors
We identified distinct archetypes. Frequent savers (23+) saved regularly but lacked strategies. Goal-oriented savers were disciplined for specific purchases. Occasional savers (20-23) struggled with consistency. Spending patterns split into impulsive buyers, budget-conscious planners, over-spenders, and value seekers. Credit behavior divided into credit-averse users and credit-management users who understood but feared using credit.
Needs
Users needed motivation during pessimistic moments, rewards on savings to feel progress, help setting realistic goals, transparency about costs, flexibility to access funds, and financial empowerment through learning. They wanted the journey to feel less like work through gamification and visual satisfaction.
Analysis
Reframing the design challenge.
After organizing insights through affinity mapping, the core problem crystallized. Gen-Z doesn't have a time-management problem. They have an emotion-management problem. The barrier is psychological: lack of motivation when progress feels invisible, fear of rigid plan commitments, anxiety about using credit responsibly, and absence of immediate gratification.
This led to the opportunity:
How might we create a savings platform that aligns with Gen-Z's existing habits while encouraging sustainable growth in a way that feels natural, rewarding, and non-intrusive?
UI Elements
Last updated February 2026