The Global Insurance Accelerator is a mentor-driven accelerator designed to foster innovation in the insurance industry through startups targeting the global insurance markets. With support and funding from seven Central Iowa insurance companies, the accelerator welcomed a class of 6 companies in February 2015. The startups were given access to over 80 mentors through a speed-dating-like process that resulted in the startups selecting 3-8 Lead Mentors to help them during their time in Des Moines and beyond.

Global Insurance Accelerator

Techstars is a global platform that provides investment and innovation. Through the Techstars Worldwide Entrepreneur Network, founders and their teams connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners who will help their companies grow. Techstars operates four divisions: Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Program supercharges success and Techstars Startup Programs inspire, educate, and connect entrepreneurs. Techstars Venture Capital Fund invests in innovative and disruptive companies. Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships help brands create products and services. Techstars' accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,000 companies with a market cap of $8.1 billion.

Techstars

ManchesterStory Group is an early-to-growth stage venture capital firm focused on InsurTech, FinTech, and HealthTech sector. It was founded by Dave Miles and Matt Kinley in 2017 and is based in West Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

ManchesterStory Group

Bridge Investments is a Chicago-based venture capital firm focused on early to mid-stage companies. We seek out talented management teams of companies with clear growth potential, apply a disciplined and analytical approach throughout the transaction and portfolio management processes, and work in collaboration with management throughout the investment horizon. We understand and have experienced the unique challenges that businesses face during their various stages of development. We have found that certain fundamental principles from mature businesses can be applied to venture-stage opportunities to more quickly achieve profitability. Conversely, the progressive and innovative qualities of venture businesses can be applied to later stage enterprises to help ignite growth. We focus on industries where we have direct experience and relationships: tech-enabled services, SaaS, and consumer/digitally native brands, among others.

Bridge Investments

The insurance industry has so many barriers to entry, founders often run out of energy and money just trying to get in.  The Gateway is a one-stop-shop for founders, where they can get underwriting paper, investment capital and advice on how to design and build their startup, all surrounded by great insurance partners. The Gateway fund supports the portfolio post incubation, to Series A and beyond. “The Gateway are our insurance sherpas, guiding us through the wilderness of insurance” Mark Musson, co-founder, Humn.ai (Gateway portfolio company) Insurers often struggle to innovate within their own businesses, the Gateway enable insurers to do this in a safe environment. They facilitate insurers, technology partners and insurtechs to get to know each other and work together, over the whole duration of building a business. The Gateway would like to meet early-stage founders with game-changing ideas or products, and progressive (re)insurers who are interested in collaboration.

Insurtech Gateway

Seaplane Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm in Austin, TX. Seaplane invests in tech-enabled US startups with early commercial traction and business models geared around network effects and recurring revenues. The firm takes a conviction approach in order to provider founders with more capital and support.

Seaplane Ventures

Rainwalk Technology

Rainwalk is a pet insurance MGA partnered with Allianz. We help insurers build retention and fill this coverage gap by providing them a turn-key white labeled pet insurance product. Our platform allows our partners to control the user/agent experience and deliver this increasingly popular product without needing to implement a pet insurance program themselves.  Rainwalk is founded by two insurance professionals who have spent their entire careers working with the largest carriers on their digital transformation and technology projects. Rainwalk combines its proprietary policy and claims management technology stack with the pet insurance product expertise of Allianz to deliver service across the entire insurance life cycle. Long term we will use our established distribution channels and our partnership with Allianz to identify and scale other emerging insurance products in the US market that are ready to achieve meaningful premium at scale.

Rainwalk Technology offers its partners a white-label solution, enabling them to provide insurance coverage to their customers. Additionally, it directly sells insurance to consumers through Rainwalk Pet Insurance. Customers can obtain pet insurance and file for claims directly through its mobile app and online portal.

New insurance models are disrupting a centuries-old industry with a focus on personalization and convenience

InsurTech: Personal Lines

InsurTech: Infrastructure

Jason Gross on LinkedIn: Congratulations Joshua Snead and Rainwalk Technology!

Rainwalk Technology offers its partners a white-label solution, enabling them to provide insurance coverage to their customers. Additionally, it directly sells insurance to consumers through Rainwalk Pet Insurance. Customers can obtain pet insurance and file for claims directly through its mobile app and online portal.In addition to insurance coverage, Rainwalk's policies provide valuable benefits such as free virtual vet visits, exclusive pet brand discounts, caring pet parent support, and hassle-free reimbursements within days via Venmo or direct depositKey customers and partnershipsThe company’s policies are underwritten by Incline Casualty CompanyFunding and financialsIn May 2024, the company raised USD 4 million in seed funding led by ManchestorStory. It had planned to use the new capital towards people, product, and technology improvements, with the aim of fostering partnerships and initiatives that further differentiate Rainwalk’s pet health ecosystem in the marketplace.

<div>
 
 Root Insurance is a full-stack insurance provider focusing on usage-based automobile insurance. The company offers a mobile app that collects data on driving speeds, braking patterns, and driving times using smartphone sensors, and applies artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive models to offer a personalized premium to the customer. The company claimed that the latest model utilizes double the proprietary data, demonstrating 17% greater predictive capabilities than the previous model. Moreover, the app incentivizes safe driving by providing greater insight into one&rsquo;s driving patterns and issuing additional discounts for improved driving behavior. Root allows customers to file claims directly through the mobile app. As of January 2024, Root held a carrier license in 48 states and offered automobile insurance in 31 states.
 
 In July 2019, Root launched its renters&rsquo; insurance product and expanded to homeowners insurance in May 2020. The homeowners&rsquo; insurance is provided through a partnership with Homesite Insurance, a Boston-based property and casualty insurer that will underwrite any homeowners insurance policies issued by Root. As of January 2024, the company&rsquo;s renters&rsquo; insurance product was available in 18 states.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Root had 259,522 policies in force as of September 2023.
 
 
 Root entered into a partnership with Carvana in July 2022, to offer usage-based auto insurance policies on the latter&rsquo;s used-car online platform.
 
 
 In addition, it had also collaborated with other players in the insurance space to optimize and digitize its insurance services.In January 2021, Root partnered with Tractable, a UK-based provider of AI-based solutions, to leverage its AI Subro solution to optimize Root&rsquo;s end-to-end claims process, starting with subrogation, where two insurance carriers negotiate the division of expenses when multiple parties are involved in a claim. It also partnered with CCC Intelligence Solutions in February 2023, to use its first-party casualty solution to streamline and digitize first- and third-party casualty claims through a single digital workflow.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In October 2020, Root sold 26.8 million shares in its initial public offering (IPO), raising USD 724.4 million in the process at a valuation of USD 6.8 billion. In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8089">
 January 2022
 </a>
 , Root received a five-year term loan of USD 300 million from BlackRock Financial Management (BlackRock) to extend its debt maturity and improve its liquidity position.
 
 
 For the full year of 2022, Root reported total revenue of USD 310.8 million (down 10.0% YoY), while its net losses improved to USD 297.7 million from a loss of USD 521.1 million in 2021. Its gross loss ratio improved to 82.1% from 86.0% in 2021.
 
</div>

Root Insurance

<div>
 
 Hippo is a digital homeowner insurance provider. The company offers its homeowner policies online, with each policy accompanied by a complementary smart home monitoring system that will help identify risks proactively. It provides coverage using a combination of machine learning, satellite imagery, and other public records and actively reviews for any changes to the property overtime.
 
 
 Hippo also provides home insurance to buyers of newly built homes that is directly integrated to the digital mortgage and title process through its Builders business. Further, it launched 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16051">
 Hippo Builder Insurance Agency (HBIA)
 </a>
 in January 2023, to allow builders of all sizes to partner with HBIA to send leads of homeowners in return for a fee.
 
 
 The company also offers an on-demand homecare and maintenance app (Hippo Homecare) which it launched in 2019 following the acquisition of Sheltr, a home maintenance platform, during the same year. It also launched &ldquo;Book a Pro'' feature within its mobile app in Q4 2022, which allows homeowners based in Texas to connect to home improvement professionals as well as message its Hippo&rsquo;s own home care experts to get advice. Hippo also plans to roll-out this feature to other states in the future.
 
 
 In June 2020, Hippo entered into an agreement to acquire long-time insurance partner Spinnaker Insurance Company, which is a property and casualty insurer registered in all 50 states, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was expected to help the company expand its geographical reach. The company&rsquo;s homeowner offering was available in 40 states as of January 2023.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Hippo had 332,000 customers as of September 2022, and it claimed nearly 75% of its new customers were Gen B.
 
 
 The company partnered with property and casualty risk intelligence company, 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17629">
 Opterrix in April 2023
 </a>
 , to leverage its real-time data on severe weather events to identify at-risk policyholders and improve its claims management capabilities.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In November 2020, Hippo raised USD 350 million from Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance company. The company expects to use this funding to support its national expansion plans and also evaluate acquisition opportunities to grow inorganically.
 
 
 For FY2022, the company recorded total generated premiums of USD 811.1 million, which was up 33.8% YoY. Its gross loss ratio improved 62 percentage points to 76% during the year, while its net loss improved 10.2% YoY to USD 333.4 million.
 
</div>

Hippo Insurance

Clearcover is a fully digital automobile insurance provider that offers insurance coverage and claims filing using online channels along with other value-added services such as roadside assistance. The company leverages AI and machine learning models to provide personalized pricing to its customers and validate claims. The company states that it can handle 96% of all claims virtually. Clearcover also launched a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27767">GenAI-powered claims intake tool</a> to navigate a conversation-driven experience after First Notice of Loss (FNOL) to collect information about an accident. The tool available through its mobile app includes a claims assistant and a real-time customer question resolution feature. It plans to incorporate the tool into its agent portal and website in the future.Clearcover also uses an application programming interface (API) to offer embedded car insurance. This powers <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21232">Choice, </a>an end-to-end embedded auto insurance solution that allows brands to provide auto insurance policy options from various carriers to their customers.As of January 2024, Clearcover offered its policies in 19 states in the US.Key customers and partnershipsIn May 2020, Clearcover partnered with claims management solution vendor Snapsheet to fully digitize its own claims function from First Notification of Losses (FNOLs) to disbursements. Moreover, it collaborated with Experian to offer car insurance on the latter’s insurance comparison site <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18045">in April 2023 </a>. This was part of Clearcover’s strategy to expand its distribution channels.Fundings and financialsIn April 2021, the company raised USD 200 million in a Series D funding round, led by Eldridge, at a valuation in excess of USD 1 billion. The company expects to use the funding toward product development and increasing headcount.For FY2022, the company generated total direct premiums written of USD 140.7 million (up 79% YoY) and recorded USD 61.4 million in net premiums earned. Its net losses amounted to USD 38.7 million for the year, while its loss ratio and combined loss ratios stood at 115% and 158%, respectively.

Clearcover

<div>
 
 Kin offers digital homeowners insurance with personalized policies featuring premiums determined based on an assessment of the property that includes more than 10,000 data points from sources such as property records, government records, and satellite imagery.&nbsp;
 
 
 The company launched its insurance carrier, the Kin Interinsurance Network, in 2019, which operates as a reciprocal exchange (a form of insurance where underwriting profits are shared with customers). As of May 2024, it had a presence in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Virginia, and Texas.
 
 
 In December 2021, Kin acquired an inactive insurance carrier with licenses in 43 states. This acquisition was part of Kin's plan to expand its operations to most US states.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 As of February 2024, it served over 115,000 policyholders.
 
 
 The company has partnered with Kangaroo, a smart home tech provider, to offer its customers free home security solutions. Additionally, it has collaborated with Cape Analytics, a property analytics provider that utilizes geospatial imagery for property intelligence, and Snapsheet, a claims management platform provider, to automate their internal processes.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 Kin Insurance was set to go public through a merger with Omnichannel Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in a transaction that valued the company at over USD 1 billion. However, this was terminated in January 2022, citing unfavorable market conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp;
 
 
 In February 2024, the company received USD 15 million 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26317">
 investment
 </a>
 from Activate Capital, with the funds earmarked to accelerate growth by expanding into new markets and developing new products.
 
 
 Kin Insurance recorded gross written premium (GWP) of USD 344.1 million in 2023 (up 50.7% YoY), and generated operating income of USD 5.0 million compared to an operating loss of USD 11.6 million in the prior year.
 
 
 
</div>

Kin Insurance

Ladder is a startup that provides personalized term life insurance online, with coverage ranging from USD 100,000 to USD 8 million. The company uses multiple publicly available data points to determine a customer’s eligibility and in most cases does not require a medical checkup. Ladder provides a home visit medical test for free if required. Ladder’s dynamic approach to life insurance allows policyholders to increase or decrease insurance coverage based on changing life circumstances. Ladder also provides an application programming interface (API) which allows onboarded partners such as other insurance companies, investment firms, and lenders to issue policies from Ladder digitally. The company is licensed to operate in all 50 states. More than 80% of its customers represented first time insurance buyers.Key customers and partnershipsThe company sells its own life insurance policies in California through its carrier, Ladder Life Insurance Company. In New York policies are underwritten by Allianz Life Insurance, and in all other states by Fidelity Security Life Insurance, Amica Life Insurance Company, Lincoln Financial and USA LIfe Insurance.Ladder had collaborated with many financial service institutions to extend its product offering. It partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25889">Envestnet | MoneyGuide</a>, AmeriSave Mortgage, and Halo Investing, to deliver its digital life insurance to customers through the advisors of the latter.Funding and financialsIn October 2021, the company raised USD 100 million in Series D funding co-led by Thomvest Ventures and OMERS Growth Equity, at a valuation of USD 900 million. The new funds will be directed towards further developing its products and expanding its workforce. As of the same date, the company also reported that its revenue grew by over 4x year-over-year (YoY).

Ladder

Startups in the automobile insurance space, predominantly providing usage-based insurance using telematics devices and/or smartphone sensors.

Startups that offer homeowners and renters insurance using artificial intelligence (AI) and smart home devices to issue policies and validate claims.

Startups that provide life insurance through digital channels personalized to an individual’s circumstances and replacing traditional practices, such as medical tests, with data-driven underwriting.

Companies that offer personal line covers for travel and pets through digital channels and use technologies such as flight tracking and online claims processing.

Providers of comparison websites and tools for carriers, agents, and insurers to compare and purchase policies.

Companies that provide personalized health insurance to consumers via digital channels and use technology such as wearable medical devices to monitor health and improve user experience and underwriting.

Companies that offer digital-only insurance for personal belongings (bicycles, mobile phones, laptops, and cameras), providing protection against theft, loss, or damage, with financial reimbursement or replacement.

IoTs used to proactively mitigate risks and offer usage-based insurance

Used for underwriting and claims; infrastructure providers offer AI/ML products to traditional insurers

Uses personal data to underwrite and price personalized policies such as usage-based insurance for vehicles

Limited number of life insurers use genetic/epigenetics to underwrite life insurance

<div>
 
 AgentSync powers growth for insurance carriers, agencies, MGAs, and producers by offering modern tools for producer and compliance management. With a customer-centric design, seamless APIs, and automation, AgentSync's products reduce friction, increase efficiency, and maintain compliance, ultimately helping to improve the broker onboarding, contracting, licensing, appointing, and compliance processes.
 
</div>

AgentSync

Artificial is an insurance software business offering an algorithmic underwriting, data extraction and machine learning platform to commercial insurers, empowering them to write better risks, faster. We provide solutions to partners across the London and global markets, including Convex, Chaucer and more. Our platform specialises in instantly and accurately capturing data at the point of entry for use in downstream applications. We enable clients to augment this data through effortless integrations and use it to write risks algorithmically, build contracts and plug into other systems. Behind the platform is decades' worth of experience in engineering, insurance and analysis. We do more than just provide software; we work with you every step of the journey to make sure our technology drives growth, improves efficiency and reduces costs across your business.

Artificial Labs

Bambi Dynamic, based in Israel, is a SaaS insurance platform that provides vehicle insurance solutions for car OEMs, mobility providers, insurers, and the mobility ecosystem. As a white-label, cloud-based integrated platform, Bambi Dynamic provides an end-to-end solution that includes onboarding, underwriting, user identification, pricing, policy operations, and loss notice. The platform creates insurance products by measuring usage, events, and behavior, using data collected from various sources including smartphones, connected cars, and smart sensors. Bambi Dynamic’s products include personal auto, personal connected auto, fleet insurance, shared and micro-mobility, MaaS for mobility app providers, and autonomous vehicle insurance.

Bambi Dynamic

CLARA Analytics improves claims outcomes in commercial insurance with easy-to-use AI-based products. The company’s product suite applies image recognition, natural language processing, and other AI-based techniques to unlock insights from medical notes, bills and other documents surrounding a claim. CLARA’s predictive insight gives adjusters “AI superpowers” that help them reduce claim costs and optimize outcomes for the carrier, customer and claimant. CLARA’s customers include companies from the top 25 global insurance carriers to large third-party administrators and self-insured organizations. Founded in 2016, CLARA Analytics is headquartered in California’s Silicon Valley. For more information, visit www.claraanalytics.com.

CLARA Analytics

Coterie Insurance is an InsuranceTech company that applies an API-based approach and modern technology to commercial insurance. It looks to integrate insurance with platforms and processes that businesses, contractors, and gig workers use every day. The company also streamlines the insurance process for its clients. Its core focus remains on small business insurance. Products that it offers include business owners policy, general liability insurance, and professional liability insurance. Coterie Insurance is privately held and a licensed insurance producer in all 50 US states.

Coterie Insurance

Providers of general, yet comprehensive, end-to-end solutions for insurance companies, covering various aspects of their operations. This includes core systems for policy administration, underwriting, claims processing, billing, and customer relationship management

Specialized platforms that offer lead generation and management services and tools for insurance providers. Tools can include telemarketing, internet, and social media lead generation, referrals, and lead analytics

Underwriting platforms that evaluate risks related to life insurance, health insurance, and related products such as disability and critical illness coverage. They may utilize medical underwriting criteria, genetic information, lifestyle factors, and demographic data to assess applicants' insurability

Platforms that specialize in assessing risks associated with property and casualty insurance, including home, auto, commercial property, and liability coverage. They may incorporate data sources such as property valuations, historical claims data, telematics, and weather patterns to evaluate risk factors accurately

Specialized platforms that streamline and automate claims processing workflows, from initial claim submission to settlement. They may offer software for claims intake, adjudication, fraud detection, and communication with policyholders and third-party service providers

Policy administration systems that focus on managing policy lifecycle activities, including policy issuance, endorsements, renewals, and cancellations. They provide insurers with tools to configure and manage policy rules, coverage options, and premium calculations. Platforms can also have additional functions for commission and performance tracking

Reinsurance technology providers offer a range of innovative tools and services to support reinsurers in managing their operations, assessing risks, and optimizing their reinsurance strategies. These solutions may include advanced analytics, catastrophe modeling, risk assessment tools, portfolio management systems, and underwriting platforms specifically designed for the reinsurance industry

<div>
 
 Rainwalk Technology, a white-label pet insurance provider, has raised USD 4 million in a seed funding round. The funding round was led by ManchesterStory and saw contributions from Insurtech Gateway, Bridge Investments, Seaplane Ventures, among others.
 The company plans to use the acquired capital to improve its human resources, further product development, and strengthen its technological infrastructure. These enhancements aim to boost partnership initiatives and fortify Rainwalk Technology's position in the pet health market.
 Established in 2018, Rainwalk Technology utilizes white-label pet insurance technology to foster market reach through novel, tech-led distribution channels. In addition, it offers inclusive pet insurance coverage penned by Incline Casualty Company, which covers accidents and illnesses. The coverage also includes perks like complimentary virtual veterinarian consultations and discounts on various pet brands.
 
</div>

Rainwalk Technology

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