Early Life and Education
Jared Kaplan, a prominent figure in the artificial intelligence sector, was born and raised in the Midwest. His upbringing, marked by a competitive yet nurturing environment, instilled in him a strong work ethic. Kaplan pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from Stanford University, followed by a Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University in 2009. His doctoral advisor was Nima Arkani-Hamed.
Career and Rise to Success
Kaplan's career began with a decade in New York, where he worked at Goldman Sachs and Accretive, a private investment firm. His experience at Accretive motivated him to start an insurance business, Insureon, which became the fastest-growing agency in the property and casualty insurance sector. After leaving Insureon, he served as CEO of OppFi (NYSE: OPFI), an AI lending platform powering community banks, which went public in 2021. Kaplan also served as CEO of Cadre, a venture capital-based real estate startup. He is currently the Chief Science Officer and Co-founder of Anthropic, an AI safety and research lab.
Key Business Strategies
Kaplan's approach to leadership emphasizes autonomy, clarity, and transparency. He sets clear goals and encourages teams to set achievable milestones, fostering a culture of recognition and fair compensation. He also has experience with technology, and his team at Indigo set a standard for themselves to look forward to, rejecting some older, traditional insurance processes, which is now implemented at Indigo.
Philanthropy
While specific philanthropy amounts are unavailable, Kaplan serves on the Board of Trustees at Palmer Trinity School and the Investment Committee for the Legal Services of Greater Miami Foundation and regularly volunteers in initiatives that support the homeless community in Miami-Dade County.
