Ethical Capital Labs

1 Overview

Ethical Capital Labs is an experimental platform for values-aligned finance education, deployed client-side on Cloudflare Pages. Each tool maintains transparency, educational classification, and clear regulatory compliance as an informational resource provided by a registered investment adviser.

⚖️ Regulatory Classification: Educational and informational tool (not direct advisory service) 🔍 Compliance Status: Pre-launch compliance verification completed September 2025

Platform URL: labs.ethicic.com Repository: ~/dev/labs Deployment: Cloudflare Pages with automated build pipeline

2 Active Experiments

2.1 Dryvestment (`/divestment/`)

Tagline: “Where values and valuations meet”

Purpose: Identity-first brief builder that translates activist conviction into institutional language, recasting moral imperatives as material risk considerations.

Functionality: - Builds printable, role-aware divestment briefs - Targets specific decision makers and investor identities - Provides evidence-backed talking points - Includes counterargument responses - Generates model resolutions and next steps

Technical Architecture: - Pure client-side implementation - Deterministic outputs (same inputs = same brief) - No data collection or personalization - Content loaded from content/bds_pack.json

2.2 Portfolio Time Travel (`/simulator/`)

Purpose: Monte Carlo withdrawal simulator with accumulation/decumulation phases, tax-aware toggles, and deterministic scenario presets.

Functionality: - Interactive portfolio strategy simulation - Withdrawal rate analysis and safe withdrawal calculations - Tax-aware modeling capabilities - Deterministic scenario presets for reproducible exploration - Monte Carlo analysis for retirement planning

Technical Architecture: - React-based interactive interface - Client-side Monte Carlo calculations - Chart.js for data visualization - No backend dependencies or data persistence

3 Technical Infrastructure

3.1 Architecture Overview

graph TB
    A[Cloudflare Pages] --> B[Static Assets]
    B --> C[Dryvestment Tool]
    B --> D[Portfolio Simulator]
    B --> E[Email Signup Widget]
    E --> F[Buttondown API]
    E --> G[LACRM Integration]
    F --> H[KV Storage - Anonymized Metrics]

3.2 Development Stack

Frontend: React, Tailwind CSS, DaisyUI theme system
Build: Babel transpilation, ESLint/Prettier linting
Deployment: Cloudflare Pages with npm run build
APIs: Cloudflare Functions for signup processing
Storage: KV namespace for anonymized telemetry

3.3 Design System

Theme: Custom “labs” DaisyUI theme (data-theme="labs")
CSS Framework: Tailwind with shared token system in /assets/css/labs.css
Typography: Outfit + Raleway font pairing
Components: Consistent DaisyUI primitives across experiments

4 Data Handling & Privacy

4.1 Educational Architecture & Compliance

Client-Side Processing: All calculations happen in-browser for core functionality
Educational Purpose: Hypothetical scenarios only, not personalized investment advice
Transparent Data Practices: Email collection for educational newsletter (disclosed)
Regulatory Compliance: Meets Utah RIA advertising and educational content requirements

4.2 Email Signup Integration

Endpoint: functions/api/signup.ts

Data Collection:

{
  "email_hash": "SHA-256 hashed email (anonymized)",
  "timestamp": "signup_timestamp",
  "source": "tool_or_page_identifier",
  "tags": "optional_campaign_tags",
  "user_agent": "browser_info",
  "referer": "source_page"
}

Integration Flow: 1. Buttondown API: Subscribe to newsletter (if BUTTONDOWN_API_KEY present) 2. LACRM Integration: Create/update contact (if LACRM_API_TOKEN configured) 3. KV Storage: Store anonymized metrics regardless of upstream availability

Privacy Controls: - Emails hashed before storage (irreversible anonymization) - No personal data persisted in KV storage - Optional integration - tools work without signup

5 Content Architecture

5.1 Dryvestment Content Management

Content Pack: content/bds_pack.json contains all narrative components
Structure: Openers, talking points, counterarguments, resolutions, sources
Identity Model: CFA-style investor categories with thumbprint customization
Citations: All claims backed by linked sources and evidence

5.2 Simulator Configuration

Scenario Presets: Deterministic configurations for common use cases
Parameter Ranges: Validated input boundaries for realistic modeling
Calculation Engine: Monte Carlo methodology with configurable iterations

6 Security & Compliance

6.1 Educational Disclaimers & Regulatory Compliance

All tools prominently display required disclaimers: - “Educational Use Only” - Tool output is hypothetical and for educational purposes - “Not Investment Advice” - Does not constitute investment advice or recommendations - “No Security Recommendations” - Tool does not recommend buying or selling specific securities - “Consult Professionals” - Users advised to consult qualified professionals before acting - “RIA Disclosure” - Platform provided by Ethical Capital, a registered investment adviser

6.2 Conflict of Interest Disclosure

Lead Generation Purpose: Email signups may result in solicitation for advisory services
Educational vs. Advisory Separation: Free tool distinct from paid advisory services
No Client Relationship: Tool usage does not create investment advisory relationship

6.3 Code Security

Static Analysis: ESLint security rules active
Dependency Management: Regular updates and vulnerability scanning
Content Security: No dynamic code execution or unsafe operations
API Security: Function-level authentication for external integrations

6.4 Compliance Framework

Utah RIA Compliance: Meets educational content requirements under Utah Administrative Code R164
Investment Advisor Act: Educational classification maintained through disclaimers and non-personalized content
Advertising Rules: Content reviewed for compliance with anti-fraud provisions
Data Protection: Privacy policy accurately discloses data collection and processing
Record Keeping: All platform content archived per SEC Rule 204-2 requirements

7 Operational Procedures

7.1 Development Workflow

# Local development
npm install
npm run lint          # ESLint + Prettier
npm run build         # Transpile and build
npx serve public      # Local preview

# Deployment
git push origin main  # Triggers Cloudflare Pages build

7.2 Content Updates

Dryvestment: Update content/bds_pack.json with new talking points or sources
Simulator: Modify presets or calculation parameters in component
Design System: Extend shared tokens in public/assets/css/labs.css

7.3 Monitoring & Maintenance

Usage Analytics: KV namespace provides signup metrics without personal data
Error Monitoring: Cloudflare Pages provides build and runtime error reporting
Performance: Client-side architecture eliminates server-side bottlenecks
Updates: Regular dependency updates and security patches

8 Integration with Main Site

8.2 Lead Generation

Email signups feed into main marketing automation
LACRM integration provides sales pipeline visibility
Optional campaign tagging for source attribution

8.3 Content Syndication

Experiments may inform blog content or client education
Successful tools may be integrated into main platform
Research insights contribute to thought leadership

9 Future Development

9.1 Planned Enhancements

Additional educational tools for portfolio construction
Enhanced mobile responsiveness and accessibility
Integration with main site’s content management system
Advanced analytics for content effectiveness

9.2 Experimental Pipeline

Risk tolerance assessment tools
Ethical screening simulators
Investment committee decision frameworks
Client education modules

This Labs platform serves as ECIC’s innovation sandbox while maintaining strict privacy standards and educational focus, supporting the firm’s thought leadership and client education objectives.