Ex Uber Leaders Join Fintech Startup Origin to Reimagine Financial Wellness

New Chief Product Officer and VP Marketing worked side by side at Uber; now reunited to help Origin democratize access to financial planning


BOSTON, June 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Origin, the startup reimagining financial wellness in the workplace, announced today that two ex-Uber leaders have joined to company: Atul Kakkar, former Head of Membership Product for Uber and Alex Lavian, formerly Head of Membership Product Marketing at Uber have joined Origin as Chief Product Officer and Vice President of Marketing respectively.

Working closely together during their extensive 4+ year tenure leading Product & Marketing for both Uber Rides and Uber Eats, Kakkar and Lavian and their teams successfully launched Uber One globally, helping Uber build a meaningful subscription business with millions of members.

At Origin, Kakkar guides product development, helping the company expand its solution set to better meet the needs of both employers and consumers. Lavian is tasked with growing Origin into a household brand and driving adoption of the product.

“Atul and Alex are well regarded in the tech community and both have proven track records building best-in-class subscription products and helping startups succeed in fast-moving consumer markets,” said Matt Watson, co-founder and CEO of Origin. “We’re excited to have them both on board as Origin enters this next phase of growth.”

Kakkar was most recently Director, Product Management at Chime, where he led the company’s activation team, responsible for finding Chime's next incremental user and building an experience that encourages people to build a primary relationship with Chime. Prior to that, he held senior product management roles at Uber, Eventbrite and Amazon. He started his career in consulting roles with Accenture.

“Origin has an extraordinary social mission and compelling market opportunity ahead of us," said Kakkar. "Our vision extends far beyond offering features like mere subscription monitoring; we're wholeheartedly committed to delivering a comprehensive solution that infuses everyday finances with long-term planning."

Lavian was most recently Global Head of Product Marketing at Spotify where she led a team of Product Marketers building products that unlock new revenue streams for artists and new ways for fans to connect with the artists they love. Prior to that, she was a product marketing leader at both Uber and Mixpanel. Lavian started her career as a consultant at Deloitte before moving to the tech startup realm.

“Americans rank finances as the number 1 stressor in life - I want to help close that gap by expanding access to financial services for all,” said Lavian. “Matt and team have created something very special in Origin, and I’m excited to help spread the word.”

73% of Americans rank money as the #1 source of stress - more than jobs, health, and relationships combined. That stress is exacerbated in the current economic environment, which is presenting people with once-in-a-generation financial challenges. Origin is tackling this problem head on by expanding access to wealth management for those who have historically been boxed out due to high barriers to entry. The Origin platform simplifies finances for individuals making it easy to track spend, get expert advice, manage investments, and take action to hit financial goals.

Today Origin is offered to individuals as an employee benefit to help employees alleviate financial stress and help them be happier and more productive. Origin members are matched with a certified financial planner to discuss their finances, goals, and develop an action plan. The planner provides personalized advice that helps them make smarter money decisions and prepare for life’s biggest milestones from buying a home, starting a family, paying off student debt, exercising stock options, or planning for retirement to name a few. Individuals can also use the Origin platform and mobile app to track and visualize all their finances – connecting accounts, and then creating budgets, managing investments and retirement savings.

About Origin
Origin is reimagining financial wellness in the workplace, with the most comprehensive all-in-one financial planning platform. Combining proprietary technology with Certified Financial Planners, Origin is an all-in-one software based financial management platform that enables people to track spend and income, get expert advice, take action, and manage their money confidently and with ease. Origin is offered by hundreds of innovative employers including Lattice, Roku and Udemy. Learn more about Origin at useorigin.com.

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