The Rise of Local Investing and Why Tech Is Playing Catch-Up

How a new generation of investors is turning to trusted, community-based platforms—and how we helped shape one of them.

In recent years, there’s been a powerful shift in how people think about investing. No longer limited to chasing the next unicorn in Silicon Valley, investors are turning their attention to something closer to home: their own communities. The “local investing” trend isn’t just a buzzword—it’s becoming a new standard for how we think about trust, growth, and impact.

According to Forbes (2022), this rise is fueled by a desire to support founders and companies we know personally, and to direct capital into places we care about. The numbers back it up. Across the U.S., more than $100 billion is now circulating through local investment networks, with the Southeast quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing regions for alternative investment platforms.

But here’s the thing:
Tech is only just beginning to catch up.

So what does local investing actually need?

A big part of this new investment movement is simplicity. Investors—whether they're supporting startups, real estate developments, or small-cap ventures—want:

• A clear view of their portfolio in one place

• Real-time updates, without friction

• A seamless onboarding process

• A platform that feels trustworthy, not transactional

The best platforms in this space aren’t just tools—they become part of how people think about money, risk, and community. And that means every design and architectural decision has to reflect something deeper: confidence.

The product we built

We recently helped bring one of these platforms to life for Vicinity Ventures, born from the merger of Vicinity Capital and VentureSouth. Their mission? Build the premier platform for local alternative investing, allowing users to invest in everything from early-stage startups to creative real estate projects, all in a single dashboard.

We designed a product that gives investors:

✔️ A clear, real-time overview of their investments
✔️ Personalized dashboards across different asset types
✔️ Confidence to explore new opportunities without friction
✔️ A sense of control—without the overwhelming complexity of traditional finance tools

This wasn't about adding dozens of features. It was about getting the right ones in front of users at the right time. We focused on performance, clarity, and backend architecture that can evolve alongside the market.

What founders often get wrong

When building fintech platforms—especially those tied to trust and capital—teams often default to complexity. Multiple user paths, layered permissions, or features for the sake of features. That’s where things break.

The truth is: a calm, intuitive product is a competitive advantage.

It builds trust with investors. It reduces internal support load. And most importantly, it allows your mission to take center stage—not the technology behind it.

That’s exactly what we focused on in this build. And it's why the platform gained traction from day one.

Why this matters to platform owners

If you’re a founder or product owner building a fintech solution, this trend isn’t one to watch from the sidelines—it’s a call to action. The market is evolving, and users expect tools that meet their emotional, social, and functional needs.

🧠 Build something that’s not only scalable, but deeply human.
🤝 Choose tech partners who understand nuance and care about impact.
💡 And don’t rush it—plan, audit, optimize.

We’re proud to play our part in this transformation. If you're building something bold in the space of investing, fintech, or community-driven platforms — we’d love to talk.

→ Let’s connect and explore how your vision can become a product that scales with trust.
📅 Book a free consultation