Working with marketing and web technology, I come across a ton of new start-ups, applications, and new web tools pretty much every day. Much of what I see is a spin-off of something that has been done already; a new type of social network, another app for the iPhone, a video platform that promises to be different and better than the rest, or something along those lines. Refreshingly, LearnVest is a tool that addresses an audience that has been largely ignored by a topic that is hugely important for them to be educated on: women and finance.

A presentation given at this year’s TechCrunch 50 Conference explains just how LearnVest plans to help. By quizzing women about their financial knowledge and “learning” more about them every time they log in, the site will be able to offer the most applicable advice for that person’s unique situation – all from an expert. The website hosts a vast library of resource articles from experts on ten major financial areas, and emails are sent to members which are designed to be read in under two minutes.

So, why women? Alexa von Tobel, LearnVest’s founder and CEO says they focus on helping women because they are “an audience that has been historically ignored and under-served in this topic”. Women graduate with more consumer debt than men, are commonly unskilled in negotiating salaries, and earn 75% less than men for similar work. While the site says they can be helpful to men or women, it’s no secret why they chose to focus on the latter.

With the U.S. now the largest debtor nation in the world, LearnVest could not have come onto the scene at a better time. While they are still in Beta, I have already received one of their “2-minute” emails, and must say I am excited to dive in deeper. I encourage anyone wanting to get a hold of their finances to sign up to be able to experience what TechCrunch calls, “the online version of financial planner Suze Orman.”