Early Life and Education
Chris Larsen was born in San Francisco, California, in 1960. He attended San Francisco State University, earning a B.S. in international business and accounting in 1984. He later obtained an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1991. These educational experiences provided a foundational knowledge base for his future entrepreneurial ventures.
Rise to Success
Larsen's career began in the mortgage lending industry. In 1996, he co-founded E-Loan, an online mortgage lender. E-Loan became the first company to offer consumers free access to their FICO credit scores. In 2005, Larsen co-founded Prosper Marketplace, a peer-to-peer lending platform. In 2012, Larsen co-founded Ripple Labs, Inc., which developed Ripple, a software for instant and direct money transfer between two parties.
Key Business Strategies
Larsen has consistently focused on leveraging technology to disrupt traditional financial systems. His strategy has involved identifying inefficiencies in existing processes and developing innovative solutions, such as online lending and blockchain-based payment systems. Furthermore, Larsen has been a proponent of open access to financial information. Larsen's approach has been marked by a focus on consumer empowerment and the democratization of financial services.
Philanthropy
Chris Larsen is involved in various philanthropic initiatives. In 2020, Larsen and Ripple each donated US$1 million to five San Francisco food banks for COVID-19 relief efforts. He has also contributed to various law enforcement initiatives. Larsen founded the Chris Larsen Scholarship Fund and is active as a board member in various non-profit organizations, demonstrating his commitment to education and social welfare.
