Renaud Laplanche

Overview

Renaud Laplanche is a French-American entrepreneur and business executive, best known as the co-founder and CEO of Upgrade, Inc., a leading fintech company offering mobile banking and credit products. Prior to Upgrade, he co-founded LendingClub in 2006, a pioneering peer-to-peer lending platform that became America's largest provider of personal loans. Under his leadership, LendingClub went public in 2014, marking one of the largest U.S.-based internet IPOs at that time. In 2016, Laplanche resigned from LendingClub following an internal review that found violations of company policies. He then founded Upgrade, aiming to provide consumers with responsible financial products that help them manage debt and build credit. Upgrade has since become one of the fastest-growing fintech companies in the U.S., delivering over $42 billion in affordable credit since its inception. Laplanche holds an MBA from HEC Paris and the London Business School, and a law degree from Montpellier University in France. He has been recognized on Bloomberg Markets’ Most Influential List and received the Economist Innovation Award for expanding access to affordable credit. Laplanche's investment focus includes financial services, technology, media and telecom, e-commerce, and mobile sectors. He has invested in companies such as Hiive, Highnote, and RentoMojo, demonstrating his commitment to supporting innovative startups in the fintech and technology spaces. His investment strategy emphasizes early-stage opportunities, particularly in seed and pre-seed rounds, reflecting his belief in nurturing emerging companies that can drive significant impact in their respective industries. Throughout his career, Laplanche has been recognized for his contributions to the fintech industry, including being named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young for Northern California in 2013. His leadership at Upgrade continues to influence the evolution of financial technology, focusing on providing consumers with accessible and responsible financial products that promote financial health and inclusion.

Investment Focus

• Innovative business models
• Scalable growth potential
• Strong management teams
• Clear path to profitability
• Alignment with investment focus areas

Portfolio Companies