i2c Inc Concept

i2c Inc Vision Starter Kit

Independent Project 2025 | Design Manager, Spec ideation presentation | Tools: AI toolset, Figma, Figjam

🏦 Who is i2c Inc.?

Founded: 2001, headquartered in Redwood City, California
Type: Private fintech company with a global reach
Core Focus: Provides highly configurable banking and payment solutions
Clients: Banks, credit unions, fintech startups, and large enterprises
Reach: Supports programs in 200+ countries and territories
Revenue (2025 est.): ~$750 million annually (self-funded, profitable)

💼 What Does i2c Offer?

Card Issuing: Credit, debit, prepaid, virtual cards – with full lifecycle control
Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS): Includes account creation, payments, compliance
Payments Platform: Supports real-time transfers, rewards, and loyalty programs
Core Processing: Enables core banking functionality for digital-first institutions
Highly Configurable APIs: Clients can tailor offerings without coding from scratch
Global Capabilities: Multi-currency, multi-language, fraud tools, tokenization
Integration Flexibility: Works with leading platforms like Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay
White-Label Ready: Powering branded experiences for fintechs and neobanks

🔍 Competitive Analysis (Key Players in i2c’s Space)

Marqeta

Offers: Modern card issuing, tokenization, real-time data
Strengths: Clean APIs, developer-first experience, sleek UI
Weaknesses: Limited direct-to-consumer UX

Galileo (a SoFi company)

Offers: Banking infrastructure, fraud prevention, ACH tools
Strengths: Robust dashboards, real-time data
Weaknesses: Visual branding inconsistencies

Unit

Offers: Banking-as-a-service with white-labeled onboarding
Strengths: Great for startups, modern UX, modular design kits
Weaknesses: Limited international reach

Bond

Offers: Embedded finance APIs and dashboard customization
Strengths: Beautiful UIs, mobile-first approach
Weaknesses: Less flexibility for highly complex customizations

Stripe Issuing

Offers: Card issuing with Stripe-level design and developer support
Strengths: World-class developer docs and UI/UX
Weaknesses: Focuses narrowly on card-based products

📲 Visual Examples (Initial Exploration Ideation)

Modern mobile app screens: accounts, transfers, actions
Intuitive onboarding flows: light & dark mode
Responsive web dashboard mockups: sidebar layout and cards
Clean wireframes: low and medium fidelity across all platforms

Wireframes: Starting the process

Low and Medium Fidelity wireframes of basic consumer standard elements, both web version and mobile app concepts

🎯 Why I Chose the Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS)

Trusted Enterprise Standard
SLDS is used by leading financial and enterprise platforms, ensuring scalability and credibility for high-stakes environments like fintech.
Design Consistency at Scale
Offers a robust set of UI components and patterns that ensure a cohesive visual and interaction language across mobile and desktop products.
Built-In Accessibility
SLDS prioritizes WCAG 2.1 standards, making inclusive design a default—not an afterthought.
Speed to Market
Predefined components and grid systems speed up design and development handoff, ideal for companies looking to scale globally, like i2c Inc.
Enterprise-Ready Interactions
SLDS supports complex use cases (multi-step forms, modals, data tables, etc.) often required by i2c’s clients, including banks and credit issuers.
Mobile + Desktop Parity
Components adapt seamlessly across breakpoints, enabling consistent user experiences regardless of device.
Well-Maintained and Open Source
Actively maintained by Salesforce with frequent updates, community support, and thorough documentation.
Future-Proof Flexibility
The system integrates well with component-based front-end frameworks and backend logic—future-proofing for growth and customization.

Medium Fidelity Concept Explorations

Basics are there, a start but need to develop the idea further, lets see how it might look in light mode.

Now, we might need a sidebar to navigate to different type of functions or accounts

Playing around with a Version 2

Sticking with V1, lets think of what the Accounts tab might show for the user

A basic preliminary table for what elements and actions the transactions tab might have to contain

Reports grid might be different depending on different clients and use cases

Power users might require an Admin Control panel for access management

Ok but how about the Mobile App Experience?

Start with some onboarding app walkthroughs

How it may look in Dark Mode

Exploratory Designs poses the question... what should i2c app do?

1. Account Management

View balances (checking, savings, credit, rewards)
Track spending by category or merchant
View/download statements
Manage account settings (alerts, limits, linked accounts)

2. Payments & Transfers

Send money (peer-to-peer, Zelle-style)
Schedule bill payments
Transfer funds between accounts or to external accounts
Request money from others

3. Card Management

Activate/deactivate cards
Report lost/stolen card
Lock/unlock card instantly
Set spending limits
Manage virtual cards for online purchases
Change PIN

4. Credit & Lending

View available credit or loan balances
Request a credit line increase
Make loan payments
Apply for new products (credit card, installment loan, etc.)

5. Security & Alerts

Set up notifications (spending alerts, login alerts, balance thresholds)
Manage 2FA/multifactor authentication
View active devices
Instantly freeze/unfreeze accounts

6. Rewards & Offers

Track rewards points or cashback
Redeem points for statement credit, gift cards, travel, etc.
View personalized offers or discounts
Opt into merchant promotions

7. Personal Finance Tools (in modern setups)

Spending analysis and budgeting tools
Subscription management
Goal tracking (e.g., saving for a vacation)
Credit score monitoring (via partners like Experian)

Exploring more inital basic design ideas in Figma...

💡 UX Best Practices in Fintech Apps

Personalized dashboards with recent transactions and key metrics
Modular cards layout for accounts, credit, loans, and alerts
Real-time notifications and spending insights
Easy-access floating action buttons (Transfer, Lock Card, etc.)
Full parity across mobile and desktop platforms
Dark and light mode support
Accessible, consistent design systems (Salesforce Lightning, Material, etc.)

🧰 How I Can Help i2c Inc.

Immediate (First 90 Days):

Conduct a full UX/UI audit across mobile and desktop
Establish a consistent design system using SLDS or a custom library
Improve onboarding, money movement, and card management flows
Launch usability tests to gather early feedback
Align design and engineering teams on component libraries

Strategic (Mid-Term Goals):

Introduce a scalable DesignOps model
Build a centralized research repository
Launch a customizable Client Design Toolkit for i2c partners
Develop a future vision prototype for i2c’s client-facing platforms

📈 Long-Term Value: How Hiring Me Helps i2c Inc. Thrive

Bringing me on as Director of Digital Design isn’t just a hire—it’s an investment in elevating i2c’s product, perception, and performance at the highest level.

✅ 1. Instant Industry Credibility
Hiring a fintech UX veteran with leadership experience at BNY Mellon and JPMorgan immediately signals to clients, partners, and investors that i2c is committed to world-class product quality. It communicates that the company is no longer just a backend processor—but a design-forward platform ready to compete with the biggest players.

💡 2. IPO & Valuation Impact
If i2c plans to go public or attract additional investment, product experience and design leadership can be critical to valuation. Industry investors recognize that platforms with intuitive, scalable user experiences command higher market confidence.

Elevating the product to JPMorgan/Goldman Sachs/BNY -tier UX can boost IPO positioning
My presence as an industry veteran enhances executive optics and shows a readiness to scale

🤝 3. Executive-Grade Leadership
With 15+ years in fintech and enterprise product design, I bring more than tactical execution—I bring:

Executive-level storytelling and influence
DesignOps frameworks to scale design and research teams
A track record of aligning with CPOs, CTOs, and CEOs on strategy

🌐 4. Built-In Network & Industry Access
I have a deep professional network of over 3,000 connections, cultivated over 15 years in fintech and financial services.
This includes senior product, tech, and design leaders from:

BNY Mellon, JPMorgan, Citi, Mastercard, Visa, and Amex
Fintech startups, growth-stage companies, and top UX agencies
Influential recruiters and design hiring leads

This network helps i2c:

Hire top-tier designers, researchers, and product talent faster
Get early signals on industry trends, partner innovations, and competitor shifts
Strengthen the company’s visibility and credibility in design-forward communities

🚀 5. A Strategic Partner for i2c’s Next Chapter
My goal isn’t just to “improve the UI.” I’m here to:

Set a bold product design vision
Build a scalable, research-driven design team
Position i2c as a fintech UX leader, not just a backend provider
Help drive revenue, adoption, and reputation through elegant, human-centered design