Inspiration## Inspiration
Investing apps make trading accessible, but understanding an investment can still feel overwhelming. We wanted to turn that learning process into something approachable and interactive: a swipe game that encourages users to explore the evidence before making a decision.
What it does
Apollo is an educational paper-investing game covering nine asset categories: stocks, ETFs, commodities, crypto, real-estate exposure, options, stablecoins, bonds, and portfolio strategies.
Users swipe left to pass, up to watch, right to review a simulated investment, or down to edit the amount and write their investment thesis. Orders require explicit confirmation.
Research panels include source-linked information, charts, and risks. Portfolio comparisons let users explore a proposed investment through three risk profiles. Demo data is labelled, and missing evidence stays unknown.
How we built it
We built the native iOS app in SwiftUI, connecting the discovery deck, research panels, watchlist, paper-order flow, and portfolio.
We added interactive charts, options payoff calculations, and distinct presentation of PRISM evidence, Nicrron analysis, and Apollo’s interpretation. The demo uses labelled fixtures and cached research while paid provider calls remain paused.
We also built a public marketing website, a working email-verification signup flow with persistent sessions, and narrated demo videos.
Verification combined calculation and persistence tests, simulator journeys, and physical-iPhone checks.
Challenges we ran into
Distinguishing intentional swipes from scrolling was a major interaction challenge. A late test caught scrolling a longer research card accidentally triggering Watch, holding the newer build for repair.
Supporting different asset types also required different rules. A fractional stock purchase, an options contract, and a portfolio strategy cannot use identical order mechanics.
Finally, signing, uploading, Apple processing, installation, and portfolio preservation each required separate verification. A successful build alone did not prove the complete experience was ready.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
- Tested all nine asset categories and four swipe directions in the simulator.
- Implemented paper-order review, watchlist persistence, portfolio comparisons, interactive charts, and options payoff calculations.
- Verified that an existing portfolio’s cash, holdings, and risk profile were preserved on the installed TestFlight version.
- Completed real email verification and confirmed that the website session persisted when reopened.
- Produced narrated demo videos and published our source code.
What we learned
A playful interface needs deliberate decision points. Discovery can be fast, while investing should include reviewing the amount, reasoning, and downside.
We learned to make uncertainty visible rather than manufacture confidence. Sources, interpretations, demo fixtures, and missing information should remain distinguishable.
We also learned that complete user journeys reveal problems that isolated component tests miss—especially gesture conflicts and data-preservation issues.
What's next for Apollo
Our immediate priority is completing verification and delivery of the latest consolidated iOS build, including the longer-card interaction fix.
Next, we want to strengthen research coverage, improve the learning feedback, and test the experience with more people. Live research execution, richer fund analysis, and portfolio-strategy exploration are areas for further development.
Apollo currently demonstrates simulated investing, not real-money trading or automatic portfolio copying.
What it does
How we built it
Challenges we ran into
Accomplishments that we're proud of
What we learned
What's next for Apollo
Built With
- arize
- hermes
