Brian Curcio is the visionary behind Rapunzl, an EdTech game-changer reshaping financial education. Brian’s inspiring journey, from launching Rapunzl in a college dorm room to securing a 3 million dollar investment from the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, exemplifies his unwavering dedication to empowering students through financial literacy.

Your Why

I believe that students from underserved communities face an opportunity gap. With Rapunzl, we aim to fix that with educational content accessible to anyone. By ensuring that all of our programming remains permissionless, we can provide every student with equitable access to high-quality financial literacy materials that foster independent learning and outstanding student outcomes.

Your Background

I was raised in Chicago by two investment bankers who emphasized the importance of community and financial literacy at an early age. Throughout high school, I volunteered at a school for at-risk youth, tutoring students and gaining firsthand experience with the institutional and systemic barriers facing students from underserved communities. I began interning in finance in 2011, my junior year of high school, and it transformed my world. I was hooked. When I arrived at Amherst College in 2013, it was shocking to learn more about the disparity between what was being taught about finance in school and what I had learned at home and through various internships.

A fire had been lit: how could we make a high-quality financial education program equitable, sustainable, and accessible for all students? I reconnected with my long-time high school friend, Myles Gage, and Rapunzl was born in my senior year.



What Is Rapunzl?

https://rapunzlinvestments.com/ 

Rapunzl is a gamified education platform transforming how we teach kids about money. Rapunzl allows any school to implement a robust, standards-aligned financial education program. Students simulate real-time portfolios, access an integrated curriculum, and compete in a national scholarship competition. Rapunzl, recognized as a 2022 Yass Prize Finalist, has already impacted 100,000 high school students nationwide and distributed over $300,000 in scholarships. This past year, my partner and I were recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 and we’re rapidly growing to more schools.

The name Rapunzl, is an analogy borne from the reality that many people view the world of investing and the returns of Wall Street as something inaccessible. That’s where Rapunzl comes in: rolling down the hair and providing equitable access to financial markets and scholarship opportunities.



Your Ah Hah Moment!

When we launched Rapunzl, we spent a month driving to over 150 high schools, teaching more than 2,000 students during the day, and coding the app at night.

We knew we were onto something when our first scholarship winner, Destiny Davis, was invited to ring the opening bell at Nasdaq’s market site, received an internship on Wall Street, and enrolled in University instead of enlisting in the Army.



Why Is This So Important Right Now?

You can’t learn finance from a textbook. 27 states now require financial literacy to graduate high school, but curriculum options are extremely limited.