French American entrepreneur Renaud Laplanche has cemented his position as a titan in the fintech industry. He ranked No. 23 in Bloomberg (News - Alert) Markets’ 2015 Most Influential List. He earned recognition at the Clinton Global Initiative from President Bill Clinton for expanding access to affordable and responsible credit. And he was named Finovate Fintech Executive of the Year in 2020.
Over the years, the innovation-focused CEO has discovered the secret to launching one successful company after another: a focus on recruiting and employee satisfaction and constantly driving product innovation. His fintech company, Upgrade Inc., recently received an award as Best Place to Work in the Bay Area and is named a best company for diversity, women, and perks and benefits by Comparably. Laplanche also won a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award in 2015 after receiving a 97% approval rate from his employees. The company is now valued at over $6 billion, and the Financial Times (News - Alert) named it one of the fastest-growing companies in the Americas in 2021.
Upgrade Inc. Offers Customers Unique Products and Services
While employee satisfaction may be a cornerstone of the serial entrepreneur's philosophy, Upgrade Inc. has taken the fintech world by storm with its unique offerings. The company provides accessible and responsible credit solutions to the broader consumer base through its credit cards and personal loans, empowering individuals with affordable financial options. Working toward the democratization of finance, Upgrade also offers free credit monitoring and educational tools to help consumers gain a deeper understanding of their finances and enhance their financial management skills.
When asked by IdeaMensch what excites him the most about the future of finance, the Upgrade founder and CEO replied, “The convergence of payment and credit products, driven by fintech companies like Upgrade.” He added, “We feel we can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives by giving them the tools they need to make good decisions that will help them move in the right direction with their finances and their life in general. Combining payment and credit helps bring better context and better tools to purchase decisions.”
Laplanche, an alumnus of the prestigious HEC Paris and London Business School, kick-started his career as an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, where his focus was securities law. Having become aware of the remarkable potential present at the intersection of finance and technology, he left to launch his first startup, New York-based TripleHop Technologies Inc., a maker of information search, retrieval, and classification software. The company witnessed rapid growth and was soon acquired by Oracle (News - Alert) Technologies, where Laplanche joined to lead its product management division.
While working for his brainchild, TripleHop Technologies, Laplanche stumbled upon a burning problem affecting borrowers and investors alike. He found that while his credit card carried an 18% interest rate, banks were only offering 1.5% on high-yield certificates of deposit. With a desire to help borrowers save more and for investors to earn more, Laplanche decided to cut banks out of the equation by forming the Lending Club, a company that revolutionized the financial world by directly connecting borrowers to investors. The Lending Club cemented Renaud’s name as one of the most influential individuals in the world of fintech.
Upgrade Card a Game Changer in the Credit Card Market
Fast-forward to 2023, and Laplanche’s latest brainchild is revolutionizing the way consumers interact with personal loans and credit. Using the latest advancements in technology, Upgrade is focused on providing innovative solutions that benefit consumers. “It’s all about the customer experience. When we work on new product ideas, we picture our customers using the product, including every minute detail of that experience and the value our customers will expect and derive from the product, and how it’s going to make a positive impact in their lives,” Renaud Laplanche explained.
“For example, when we created Upgrade Card, we specifically designed the product for larger, occasional purchases (buying furniture, appliances, a bicycle, etc.) and visualized every step of that process. This really helped shape both the product experience and marketing campaigns and Upgrade Card became the fastest-growing credit card in the U.S. over the past two years.”
During 2021 and 2022, Nilson Report recognized Upgrade Card as the fastest-growing credit card in America. This achievement also positioned Upgrade as the only fintech company to be ranked among the top 25 U.S. card issuers. While the Upgrade Card has experienced remarkable success in the U.S. market, Laplanche, the company's leader, remains steadfast in his commitment to a trusted strategy of continuous product innovation, aiming to further expand its market presence.
One of its latest offerings is the Upgrade OneCard, an innovative addition to it suite of services. This new card combines the immediate payment convenience of a debit card with the added benefits of a credit card, including rewards and fraud protection. It also integrates the structure of a personal loan with fixed monthly payments, providing customers with a comprehensive and flexible financial tool.
With the banking sector’s fall from grace still fresh in the minds of consumers, both banks and consumers are turning toward fintech companies like Upgrade to bridge the gap between a lack of trust on one end and depleting deposits on the other. “For me, it’s all about having an impact,” Laplanche said. “The most satisfying moment is when our customers tell us what our products mean to them, and what a difference it made in their life. Fintech firms like Upgrade have a unique opportunity to change people’s lives for the better because credit and other banking products are so meaningful.
“Affordable credit can make all the difference in the world for a family and help them thrive, while irresponsible credit products like traditional credit cards can send them into a revolving debt spiral.”
