Building a secure financial platform to support U.S. military personnel
Seamless real-time data integration
100%Faster prototype delivery than the industry average
4 monthsReduced financial stress among military personnel
35%THE CHALLENGE
How to build a financial platform that combines real-time data access with military-grade security?
Founded by two Marine veterans, the startup set out to address a deeply personal and persistent issue within the U.S. military. Over the years of service, they saw how financial stress led to mental health challenges, reduced focus, and long-term setbacks that commanders often struggled to detect or resolve.
Poncho’s mission was clear: to build a unified financial platform that would help service members gain financial stability and give commanders a reliable view into unit-level financial readiness. The solution needed to process live account data securely, preserve user privacy, and meet the highest standards of military-grade compliance.
Relevant Software took charge of delivering a secure, fully functional platform within an ambitious 12-week timeline. While the client provided their own product design, we were responsible for every layer of development, architecture, and infrastructure.
Our team had to integrate a third-party financial data aggregator to enable uninterrupted access to real-time account information. This formed the backbone of Poncho’s core features: live budgeting tools, financial health scoring, and centralized dashboards for both service members and command leadership.
John P. BrownCo-founder at PonchoWorking with Relevant was a great experience – they had the capabilities we needed, and we learned a lot about our own product along the way.
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Book a free consultationTHE SOLUTION
A real-time financial insight and management platform designed for soldiers and military units
Financial health score
This feature provides users with an overall score based on their income, spending, debt, and savings. It offers a single metric that reflects financial health, guiding users to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Data aggregator integration
Secure, real-time synchronization with a financial data aggregator enables users to monitor and manage their financial accounts directly through Poncho, ensuring accuracy and up-to-date financial information.
Budget analysis
This feature tracks income and expenses, breaking down spending by categories. It helps users identify overspending and offers insights to optimize budgets and increase savings.
THE RESULT
Scalable architecture
Our team delivered a robust backend built on Nest.js, PostgreSQL, and AWS cloud infrastructure to ensure secure data processing, scalability, and high availability. Integrated Bitbucket workflows guarantee that each release meets strict security and performance benchmarks.
100% military-level security compliance
Advanced encryption, multi-factor authentication, and rigorous compliance protocols ensure complete adherence to military-grade data security standards, protecting sensitive financial data at every stage.
2x increase in commanders’ visibility into unit finances
The platform now delivers real-time access to individual and unit-level financial health data, including budgeting patterns, debt exposure, and savings benchmarks. This improved transparency allows commanders to identify financial stress early, support at-risk personnel proactively, and align operational readiness with financial resilience goals.
THE CLIENT’S REQUEST
- Develop a secure financial management platform tailored to military needs
- Provide seamless integration with third-party financial aggregators
- Ensure compliance with military-grade security and data protection requirements
- Rapidly deliver a prototype to validate the concept quickly
WHAT WE DID
✓ Delivered a secure, compliant financial management platform
✓ Integrated real-time data synchronization with financial data aggregators
✓ Implemented advanced encryption and robust authentication measures
✓ Accelerated MVP development, achieving deployment readiness in just 4 months
John P. BrownCo-founder at PonchoIf you’re a fintech looking to accelerate your development, I recommend Relevant.
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