By embedding artificial intelligence directly into the backbone of its advisor-facing systems, Savvy Wealth says it has already helped some of its advisors recover as many as 19 hours per week: time that would otherwise be lost to administrative tasks, compliance checks, and prep.
The New York-based wealth management platform is betting that embedding AI into the operational core of financial advisory can shift the economics of the industry. The company, which recently raised a $72 million Series B round led by Industry Ventures, has grown assets under management more than 500 percent since early 2024 and now reports over $2 billion in AUM.
CEO and founder Ritik Malhotra says the firm’s goal is to improve the efficiency and breadth of the advisor. This is a broader theme we’re seeing for now across fintech and professional services: AI as margin enhancement, not workforce replacement.
Roll-Ups Meet Software Infrastructure
Savvy Wealth’s growth strategy pairs organic advisor recruitment with an inorganic roll-up model, backed by venture capital firms like Thrive Capital and Canvas Ventures. This approach borrows from private equity playbooks, consolidating a fragmented sector and centralizing operations, but swaps debt and austerity for software and engineering talent.
“Highly fragmented businesses, like financial advisory or real estate, make sense for roll-ups,” Malhotra told the Financial Times. It’s a playbook increasingly favored by firms like General Catalyst and 8VC, which see consolidation paired with AI integration as a way to build durable operating leverage in slow-moving industries.
But while private equity has long relied on financial engineering to deliver returns, venture-backed roll-ups like Savvy are attempting to create value through systems integration: proprietary CRM tools, automated marketing and onboarding systems, and advisor-focused software that aims to unify rather than merely centralize workflows.
In this respect, Savvy resembles the operational thesis behind many AI-native service businesses: That is, the complex interplay of platforms, processes and people. The workflows themselves become infrastructure: defensible, difficult to replicate, and cumulatively impactful.
An AI Tech Layer
Savvy’s technology stack includes an AI-augmented CRM (“Co-Pilot”), digital onboarding tools, and a lead generation platform. Unlike fully automated robo-advisors, Savvy’s AI does not provide direct-to-client recommendations or portfolio management. Instead, it synthesizes and surfaces information to advisors, what Malhotra calls “getting 80 to 90 percent of the way” on tasks that can then be human-polished.
This is a recalibration in how AI is being deployed in finance, with the emphasis is on amplification and scale. Mark Casady, former LPL Financial CEO and now a board member and investor in Savvy via Vestigo Ventures, described the firm as a “tech-forward, human-led” platform.
There’s also a regulatory subtext. By keeping AI behind the scenes and out of direct client interactions, Savvy sidesteps the most complex compliance questions that face automated investment platforms. The firm’s RIA arm, Savvy Advisors, continues to rely on licensed professionals to deliver advice and maintain fiduciary standards.
Building a Platform Around Advisors
Savvy’s business model is built around serving the advisor first, not the client directly. That distinction shapes how the platform invests. In addition to AI, the company is expanding its advisory talent base, adding teams across the country, and recruiting from large broker-dealers. Recent senior hires include Eric Hurkman, the former founding CTO of Carta, as Chief Technology Officer, and David Weiner, formerly of Compass, as Chief Growth Officer.
This “advisor-first” idea is not new: it echoes models like Dynasty Financial Partners or Focus Financial, but Savvy is attempting to differentiate through vertical integration of software and services. The idea is to own more of the advisor workflow, from onboarding to portfolio rebalancing to communications, and in doing so, reduce reliance on legacy custodians or third-party tools.
Whether this stack becomes a durable moat remains an open question. But early momentum has drawn attention. The speed between Savvy’s Series A and B rounds places it in the top decile of venture-backed fintechs, according to Carta. And while comparisons to PE-backed aggregators abound, Savvy’s execution more closely mirrors the product-first mentality of venture-scale SaaS.
