In an era where fintech innovation often prioritizes speed over human connection, Madhura Sekar stands as a beacon of change. A New York-based award-winning product designer and UX strategist, Sekar has carved a niche in crafting luxury digital experiences tailored to high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and fintech startups. Over nearly five years, her work has redefined how affluent users engage with financial technology, transforming complex systems into intuitive, human-centric journeys. From wearable technology integrations to AI-powered wealth management platforms, Sekar’s designs close the gap between algorithmic accuracy and empathetic storytelling, demonstrating that technology can empower without eclipsing human expertise.
At the heart of Sekar’s success is a philosophy that unites bleeding-edge technology with deep empathy. “Fintech moves fast, but trust and usability must never be compromised,” she asserts. This is the principle she follows when creating platforms that don’t so much feel like tools, but more like old friends. For Sekar, innovation isn’t disruption—it’s evolution.
Her vision for a revamped Razorpay mobile app is the best example. She made a clean design that brought cash flow summaries to the forefront while hiding detailed analytics behind gesture-based menus. The outcome was a great boost in user engagement and a reduction in user abandonment.
“It’s not about prettifying the app,” she explains. “It’s about respecting the user’s journey and empowering them without overwhelm.” This balance carries over to her innovation in wearable technology.
With her role as a designer of the watch from the iconic fruit-branded company integration for Razorpay, Madhura Sekar revolutionized financial tracking for busy founders. With glanceable screens and haptic alerts, she created a hands-free experience in which users are notified of payout activity with gentle vibrations.
“Design isn’t about problem-solving—it’s about creating moments of delight,” she states. The feature not only increased app usage but also reinforced her conviction that luxury is in simplicity.
madhurasekar.com/apple-watch-banking
Her portfolio is a testament to her ability to turn logistical challenges into emotional opportunities. At Sandbox Wealth, a turnkey banking platform for independent advisors and family offices, Madhura Sekar was tasked with enhancing the user experience of the platform’s wireframes. She collaborated to understand their workflows and concerns about technology replacing human expertise. Her approach emphasized creating a transparent, collaborative system where wealth managers could approve automated portfolio adjustments and customize alerts, ensuring that technology complemented their expertise rather than replacing it. “When users see their needs reflected in the design, automation becomes a partner rather than a replacement,” she explains. This approach not only garnered positive feedback from users but also deepened her appreciation for innovation that respects human narratives.
Equally transformative was her work on the Dextra Box project for Cornell Tech Studio with Danial Ahmed, Parren Chen, Jiahang Wu, and Runze Zhang, which converted surplus e-commerce inventory into curated “surprise” boxes. Sekar injected playful pragmatism into the UX, designing a drag-and-swipe feature that mimicked unwrapping a physical package. By reframing sustainability as exclusivity, she drove a 40% increase in repeat engagement. “Even inventory clearance can become an emotional opportunity,” she explains, “when UX respects both the user’s desire for novelty and the business’s needs.”
Apart from luxury interfaces and AI, Madhura Sekar’s expertise also outshines in the understated domain of growth design, where commercial objectives converge with human empathy. One of the best examples of such a scenario exists in her excellent effort on Razorpay’s referral program, a project that changed the dynamics of how fintech platforms grow user acquisition while promoting organic engagement. Most referral models are transactional, with an emphasis on rewards and not emotional connection. Sekar turned this on its head by building a program based on trust and reciprocity.
By building a system that prioritized mutual value and authentic engagement, she made the referral experience more human and meaningful. This strategy fueled growth. Moreover, it also created a sense of community among the users, demonstrating that even growth strategies can be founded on empathy and trust.
“Referrals are inherently social—they’re about relationships, not just rewards,” she explains. Her research revealed that small business owners, Razorpay’s core users, valued community endorsement over monetary perks. Leveraging this insight, she crafted a referral experience that mirrored the collaborative spirit of entrepreneurship.
The MVP (Minimum Viable Product) of the program focused on ease and clarity. Users were able to invite friends through customized links inserted right within the app’s dashboard, taking away tedious gestures. Sekar introduced a two-sided reward scheme: referrer and referee were rewarded; in that it engendered an exchange of value. Yet maybe the most salient feature of her design was real-time feedback indicating progress towards rewarding the user. A dynamic visualizer notifies the user how close they are to releasing rewards, so making it a game without obscuring the interface.
“It’s about creating a sense of shared achievement,” she says.
To amplify virality, Madhura Sekar embedded subtle social proof into the UX. When users shared their referral link, the message auto-populated with context like “Join me on Razorpay— it’s helped me save 10+ hours monthly on payouts.” This tailored approach turned referrals into authentic testimonials, resonating deeply with entrepreneurs who trust peer recommendations over ads. The result? An amazing increase in organic sign-ups within the first quarter, with referred users demonstrating higher retention rates than non-referred counterparts.
The success of the program was in its unseen sophistication. Under the simple interface was a system in the background that monitored user behavior to find “micro-influencers”—very active business owners with large networks. Sekar’s team collaborated with these users, providing special early access to features in return for feedback, which further cemented loyalty. “Growth design isn’t just about numbers; it’s about nurturing advocates who feel seen,” she notes.
This initiative is a prime example of Sekar’s skill at juggling scalability and closeness. By redefining referrals as a community-building tool, she took a common growth strategy and turned it into a pillar of Razorpay’s user-first philosophy. The program’s success also reaffirmed her belief that fintech’s future lies in human-centered systems—where every interaction, from a referral to a wealth management suggestion, is intimate and significant.
For HNIs, Sekar’s solutions go beyond form to provide tailored, high-touch experiences. She substitutes generic sign-up sequences with advisor-guided onboarding protocols, replicating the one-on-one service of a private banker.
“Exclusivity isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about respect for the user’s time and uniqueness,” she asserts.
Her systems anticipate needs, such as surfacing tax optimization strategies during quarterly reviews or highlighting real estate opportunities aligned with portfolio histories. One customer compared it to “a sommelier suggesting the right wine without describing the whole vineyard.” Such implicit personalization is carried over to AI software that justifies its decisions like a wise counselor. For example, if an AI recommends rebalancing portfolios, it puts the decision into context with market trends or future objectives. “Transparency transforms AI from a black box into a collaborator,” Sekar says.
Her influence extends far beyond individual projects. As a speaker at global conferences and a published researcher, she champions ethical AI and anticipatory UX, challenging the industry to ask: How can technology amplify human expertise rather than overshadow it? Her vision for the future includes expanding anticipatory design principles into sectors like healthcare and education, where empathy-driven innovation could redefine user experiences. “The future of fintech isn’t just bright—it’s deeply human,” she says.
Madhura Sekar’s professional life is a masterclass in harmonizing ambition with compassion. By turning AI into a confidant, wearables into unobtrusive integrations of everyday existence, and excess stock into edited pleasure, she demonstrates that technology’s highest potential is in making human narratives more beautiful. Her designs don’t merely serve people—they honor them, building trust through openness and joy through restraint.
madhurasekar.com/referral-program
As fintech evolves, Madhura Sekar’s philosophy offers a blueprint: innovation thrives when human narratives take center stage. Whether redefining luxury for HNIs or democratizing access to financial tools, her work invites us to rethink not just how we design but why. In a world racing toward automation, Madhura Sekar reminds us that the most impactful designs are those that honor the individual behind every interaction.
