Brand:
Dave
Mission:
Focus:
Access to financial tools for all
IPO (2022)
Nasdaq Ticker: DAVE
Dave is a banking app on a mission to build products that level the financial playing field™.
Solving for:
Resulting in:
From underdog to sector leader
Dave became a purpose-built fintech leader in an industry often critiqued for performative action. Impact was no longer a silo—it was embedded in product strategy, hiring, and investor narratives. Employees gained tools to measure growth, belong more fully, and lead with equity. The Bank Desert map reframed Dave’s business value in clear social terms, capturing attention from media, partners, and regulators alike. And critically, the groundwork we laid shaped Dave’s journey to IPO—demonstrating to shareholders and the public that banking disruption only matters if it creates access, equity, and real change.
From fintech disruptor to purpose-built digital banking app
A purpose driven founding team
How does a fast-scaling fintech company root its explosive growth in something more meaningful than market share?
Dave was built to disrupt traditional banking, but as it moved toward IPO, the company needed to clarify its values—and build systems to ensure they scaled with it. Despite bold ambitions to serve the underbanked, there was no formal social impact strategy, no framework for equity, and no model for understanding the real human needs behind the product. We were brought in to architect a purpose division from scratch, embed impact across the business, and ensure that Dave didn’t just talk the talk—but became a real vehicle for financial inclusion.
Working with:
As the Founding Head of Social Impact, Lauryn worked across the entire executive leadership team, collaborating deeply with product, people, comms, compliance, and DEI. Through interviews, data analysis, and coalition-building, Lauryn helped define what social impact looked like at Dave—then hardwired it into the company’s infrastructure. We co-developed cross-functional programs, integrated impact KPIs into business goals, and laid the groundwork for long-term cultural transformation. Every initiative was data-informed and rooted in real user experiences, and every partnership was aligned with measurable outcomes, not marketing moments.
We delivered:
A meaningful impact narrative for a public market debut
Lauryn launched Dave’s first-ever Social Impact division and built its strategy from the ground up—including philanthropy, financial equity, impact storytelling, and ESG alignment. We used FDIC and USPS data to create the fintech industry’s first-ever “Bank Desert” map, visualizing banking access gaps and reinforcing Dave’s relevance to underserved populations. We also developed the company’s inaugural DEI measurement and engagement systems, with a 94% employee response rate in year one. In partnership with Decolonize Design, we introduced the Belonging, Dignity, Justice, and Joy (BDJJ) framework at the executive level—leading training, onboarding, and long-term implementation planning.