Research & Data Science
Understanding the unique needs of our customers
About FINCA’s Research
At FINCA, research is about more than data — it’s about people. Our team works to deeply understand the root challenges and barriers of the communities we serve and identify solutions that will empower them to reach their goals. Combining deep personal relationships with cutting-edge technology, we perform thousands of surveys and analyze millions of data points to track financial and social impact, refine our product and service offerings, and ensure we’re driving meaningful change.
How FINCA is Leveraging AI to Tackle Poverty
AuRa
AuRA, FINCA’s Automated Research Assistant, developed in collaboration with AWS, is an innovative AI platform designed to streamline our research and accelerate the identification of evidence-based poverty solutions. Unlike conventional AI models, AuRA is specifically trained on emerging anti-poverty strategies, women’s issues, and data from other underrepresented segments of the global population. While it is still in development, early results reveal the tremendous potential of using generative AI to advance financial inclusion and social impact at scale.
“When we talk about FINCA using generative AI, they’re doing it for impact and purpose, and to reduce the time it takes to deliver essential research to aid their relentless commitment to ending poverty. It’s exciting to see how FINCA has been so intentional about making sure human expertise is utilized. Because generative AI is so powerful, it can give those humans more time to focus on the research and scale their output.”
– Allyson Fryhoff, Managing Director, Nonprofit & Healthcare, AWS
AI and the Art of Listening to Customers
At FINCA, we strive to listen to our customers through surveys and day-to-day interactions, but listening is only useful if we are taking the time to understand what they mean. Our research and data science team share their experience using AI to process recorded interviews with our customers and lessons learned in listening beyond structured questions and paying attention to what our customers emphasize.
ValiData
ValiData is FINCA’s proprietary research platform for gathering and analyzing field data in the world’s most challenging environments. The platform improves the reliability of results by rigorously cross-checking survey responses using robust statistical criteria and customized validation rules, and monitoring surveyor behavior to eliminate inconsistencies. Ultimately, ValiData gives our researchers the confidence to make decisions based on the highest-quality, most accurate data available.
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FINCA’s customer research offers a powerful and cost-effective approach to uncovering the needs, experiences, and behaviors of emerging-market consumers as they progress through the customer journey and product life cycle. From study design to implementation, FINCA provides a tailored end-to-end research solution.
If you are interested in market-based solutions to end poverty, let’s talk. Our user-led approach can help you identify and interpret demand-side insights to shape responsible, inclusive products for low-income populations.
