In this edition of Bright Founders Talk by Temy, 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. During our conversation, Vincent shares the story of how he found the right co-founder after a two-year search across Europe, emphasizing the importance of complementary skills in AI and business. 

He also explores the challenges of building transparent, compliant AI solutions in a highly regulated industry. As Figen AI rapidly scales, already reaching 1,000 B2B clients in just one year, Vincent reflects on the company’s mission to bring clarity and intelligence to investment decisions. Join us as we uncover how this visionary leader is bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI and the real-world needs of financial professionals.

“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.

Of course, building a startup—especially in a regulated industry like finance—hasn’t been a walk in the park. Vincent shares that his biggest challenge was finding the right co-founder: someone with deep tech chops and an understanding of business. “I traveled across countries looking for the right match,” he says. “You meet AI geniuses who can build large language models, but they don’t always get the product side.” After two years, he found Nicolas—his ideal partner—and the rest is history. With 1,000 B2B users onboard in under a year and a global expansion on the horizon, Vincent’s frustration has turned into a fast-growing company that's changing how wealth is managed.

“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.

When it comes to AI, Vincent is no starry-eyed dreamer. He’s quick to push back on the hype, especially in finance. One major misconception? That AI is about to wipe out human advisors. “AI will change a lot,” he says, “but not everything.” In his view, tools like Figen AI don’t replace the human touch—they enhance it. Wealth management, at its core, still hinges on trust and nuance, things machines can’t fully replicate (yet). The best advisors will be those who combine intuition with intelligent tools. As Vincent puts it, the future belongs to the humans who know how to work with machines, not against them.

Still, the learning curve has been steep—for everyone. Vincent recalls how, at the start of the year, many stakeholders didn’t quite “get” AI. But in just a few months, that changed. “They’ve tested products. They've seen what LLMs can do,” he says. “Now they’re more pragmatic, aware of the limits and the opportunities.” The real blind spot? People still struggle to imagine how fast this tech is evolving. “What GPT-4 is today is not what GPT-6 will be in six months,” he warns. In the fast-moving world of AI, yesterday’s limitation could be tomorrow’s feature. And that’s exactly the pace Vincent and his team are building for.

“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.

It’s not all about hype and hustle, though. Vincent is quick to draw a line between throwing a chatbot into an old tool and building something truly AI-native. He sees a lot of companies going the easy route—retrofitting AI into existing platforms. That’s fine, he says, but the real game-changers are building from the ground up, weaving AI into every interaction, every process, every layer. “AI-native software is a whole new category,” he explains. These tools don’t just wait for user input—they anticipate needs, act proactively, and learn as they go. Think Gmail that knows your next move before you do. That’s the direction Vincent believes the entire SaaS world is heading—and Figen AI is already walking that path.

So what’s next for those curious to join the ride? Vincent keeps it simple: just reach out. Whether you're an investor, asset manager, or just deeply interested in the space, Figen AI starts every relationship with a conversation. “We listen first,” Vincent says. Then they tailor their tools from a growing catalog of AI assistants built to tackle real-world financial challenges. That personal, flexible approach—combined with bold tech and a laser focus—might just be what’s allowing a small team of ten to shake up an entire industry.

“Imagination Is My Superpower”: Vincent Aurez on Creativity, Zero Admin Dreams, and Building Teams That Dare

When asked what problem he’d solve with a snap of his fingers, Vincent doesn’t even hesitate: eliminate every dull, time‑eating administrative task. In his perfect world, financial professionals would spend zero minutes filling out repetitive forms and 100% of their time actually helping people. “Rules are necessary,” he says, “but you don’t need humans to execute them.” It’s a simple thought, but one that reveals a lot about Vincent—he wants technology to remove the friction, not the humans. His vision is all about giving people space to think, dream, and make better decisions instead of getting buried under paperwork.

That hunger for imagination also defines how Vincent leads. He laughs when asked if he’s the pragmatic type. “I’m much more the poetic, romantic guy,” he admits. He talks about metaphors, new worlds, even writing poetry—hardly what you’d expect from someone challenging financial giants. But that’s exactly why it works. His creativity pushes boundaries, while his co‑founder provides the grounding logic. It’s a balance built on trust and contrast: vision paired with precision. Together, they keep Figen AI inventive without drifting off into the clouds.

And for anyone looking to follow in his footsteps, Vincent’s advice is surprisingly welcoming. “There’s space for everybody,” he says—yes, even future competitors. In his view, the industry is wide open, and collaboration often beats rivalry. His second piece of advice? Start now. Don’t wait for the perfect moment, perfect idea, or perfect credentials. The field is moving fast, and the builders are the ones shaping the definition of software in real time. At Figen AI, he looks for people who embody that spirit—those with agency, curiosity, and the courage to launch ideas without permission. Diplomas matter far less than initiative. As he puts it, they want people who create, not people who wait.