Keeping track of which companies are under investigation, which invest in fossil fuels and which dodged taxes can be tough for a new investor.。

Shape, a new iOS app founded in the United Kingdom, wants to help new people navigate the complex ethical terrain of investing. 。

Founded by an investment banker and a computer science alum, the app allows potential investors to look up companies they're interested in and see what ethical quandaries those firms are involved in.。

Investors can opt to avoid altogether companies that have ties to tobacco, alcohol, weapons and nuclear projects. Other firms have a short description that outlines any other parts of that company's history that may be of interest to ethically-minded investors. That includes information about environmental harm, stances on foreign policy and tax schemes or economic bailouts. 。

The Shape app.Credit: screenshot/shape app 
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The app also includes an educational component with basic information about investing and tells users when companies actively support social good. 。

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Thanks for signing up!。 "We wanted to see if we could create something that helps new investors get to grips with the basics and give curated insight into what companies are doing," Shape co-founder Will Shimidzu told
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Other apps, like Grow, have launched with similar aims.。

Shape's staff inputs this information manually from company reports and journalism. Users can submit information about companies that isn't already included in the app, which Shimidzu hopes will help keep the app up to date. 。

Shimidzu said he created the app after seeing the proliferation of apps like Robinhood and Bux that made investing more accessible but didn't provide much context.。

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"Our concern was that two things are happening. You have huge numbers of new investors hitting the stock market, but they may not know necessarily a decent strategy or time horizon, how to look at diversification or the risk involved," Shimidzu said.。

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Shimidzu and co-founder Sam Payne started developing the app six months ago, and it reached the app store in beta in October. So far, ahead of a full launch, it's had a modest 1,000 downloads. 。

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