Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, and his wife, Pam, established Omidyar Network based on the belief that every person has the potential to make a difference. Since 2004, they have worked with their partners to create opportunities for people to tap that potential, enabling them to improve their lives and make powerful contributions to their communities.  They support, scale, and champion the work of their partners in order to maximize social impact. As a philanthropic investment firm, they make both investments and grants, identifying like-minded organizations that they support, help scale, and collaborate with to help realize their full potential. Their efforts are organized around two investment initiatives Access to Capital, and Media, Markets and Transparency.

Omidyar Network

500 Global is a multi-stage venture capital firm with US$2.4 billion in assets under management that invests in founders building fast-growing technology companies. We focus on markets where technology, innovation, and capital can unlock long-term value and drive economic growth. We work closely with key stakeholders and advise governments on how best to support entrepreneurial ecosystems so startups can thrive. 500 Global has backed over 5,000 founders representing more than 2,800 companies operating in 80+ countries. We have invested in 35+ companies valued at over US$1 billion and 160+ companies valued at over US$100 million (including private, public, and exited companies). Our 190+ team members are located in over 25 countries and bring experience as entrepreneurs, investors, and operators from some of the world’s leading technology companies. (*as of June 30, 2023)

500 Global

Chicago Ventures partners closely with exceptional entrepreneurs building companies in undercapitalized high-potential ecosystems.

Chicago Ventures

At Commerce Ventures, they are building a new and different type of venture capital firm. Their investors are a unique and strategic blend of leading entrepreneurs, senior executives, and corporates from their focus sectors (mobile, retail/e-commerce, payments, fin-tech, insurance). In addition to providing capital, they are committed to helping their portfolio companies succeed in scaling their commerce-related innovations.

Commerce Ventures

M25 is a Chicago-based Midwest-focused venture capital firm run by Victor Gutwein and Mike Asem. Since the firm's inception in 2015, M25 has invested in 90+ early-stage tech startups in over 24 cities across 11 states in the Midwest. M25's objective, analytical model and collaborative, forward-thinking approach creates a large portfolio spanning several industries across the entire region, allowing them to establish M25 as a key node in Midwest startup ecosystem.

Service Provider Capital is a venture capital fund that co-invests in series A deals led by institutional venture funds. It was founded in 2014 and is based in Golden, Colorado.

Service Provider Capital

Founded in 2015, CSC Upshot Ventures is an early-stage venture fund focusing on providing seed capital to technology companies at scale. The firm seeks to invest in companies operating in the enterprise, artificial intelligence, healthcare, Fintech, and the marketplace. In close partnership with AngelList, CSC Upshot Ventures built a new model of venture investing based on the needs of founders, investors, and startup communities.

CSC Upshot

Picus Capital is an early-stage technology investment firm with a long-term investment philosophy. We work together with daring technology companies to build successful, global companies challenging the status quo and shaping tomorrow. We want to become the closest partner of our portfolio companies by working together on key strategic decisions and operative challenges. As a privately financed venture capital investor with long-term and flexible capital we are looking for exceptional founders who are committed to building category leaders throughout the next 5-10+ years. We invest in early-stage technology ventures with a focus on financial services, HR, energy & climate, healthcare, logistics & mobility, real estate & construction, crypto & web3, deeptech and e-commerce. Picus makes initial investments in pre-seed, seed and series A ventures thereby starting to work together with entrepreneurs in various stages of their companies ranging from ideation phase to initial traction. We follow a very long-term investment approach investing significant amounts throughout the lifecycle of the companies. We have invested in over 50 companies to date. At Picus we work in a culture combining the discipline of a financial investor with the creativity and pragmatism of an entrepreneur. We follow a comprehensive and well-structured investment approach in order to identify the most attractive and ambitious investment opportunities in our target industries and geographies. Within our core investment team every member has a distinctive industry competence and a functional or geographic focus. We are working closely together with our portfolio companies to develop large and successful market leaders. This comprises in particular leveraging our marketing & sales expertise and our global market perspective to provide strategic advice, providing HR management to grant access to top talent, connecting our portfolio companies with our broad B2B & investor network as well as supporting the fundraising process.

Picus Capital

Sandalphon Capital is a micro venture capital firm focused on early stage (Seed and Series A) investments.  Industry focus: B2B SaaS, FinTech, Real Estate Tech / PropTech, Tech-Enabled Healthcare Services / Healthcare IT, IoT / Hardware with Recurring Revenue  Geographic focus: Chicago, the Midwest, and other relatively underserved markets, NY (primarily for FinTech and Real Estate Tech), others opportunistically.  We are focused on finding strong management teams and problem-solving, tech-enabled business models that will scale into high margin, recurring revenue businesses.

Sandalphon Capital

Portage Ventures is a global fintech-focused venture capital investor. The firm makes early-stage investments in promising Canadian financial tech companies that have potential for global impact.

Portage Ventures

When many entrepreneurs begin their journey, no one knows who they are or what they are about to accomplish. Often, the people who back a startup and help drive growth stay behind the scenes. We believe great ideas deserve a start — even if they don't have a name yet.  We're an early stage (Seed to Series A) technology investor based in Chicago. We're entrepreneurs and investors who have helped start and operate dozens of startups, and we back our founders in every sense of the word.

Nameless Ventures

Flourish Ventures backs entrepreneurs whose innovations advance financial health and prosperity for individuals and small businesses. It is an early-stage, evergreen global venture fund that deploys patient capital with a long-term perspective.

Flourish Ventures

August Capital is an early stage venture capital fund focused on investing in companies differentiated by technical innovation and entrepreneurial excellence. Today, August Capital's six active investment professionals -- David Hornik, Eric Carlborg, Howard Hartenbaum, Tripp Jones, Villi Iltchev, and Lisa Marrone -- have more than a century of combined venture and operational experience. Together they manage $2.5 billion and have invested in hundreds of companies across the technology spectrum. From its inception, August Capital has funded an extraordinary group of entrepreneurs who have built significant, long-term value across the full range of information technologies. The companies that August Capital's partners have backed represent an aggregate market capitalization of well over $250 billion, generate in excess of $75 billion in annual revenue and employ a quarter of a million people around the world. This success is a testament to the entrepreneurs themselves, as well as the fundamental technologies they have created. They are proud to have supported these entrepreneurs and their companies as they have grown and prospered.

August Capital

Hudson Structured Capital Management is a privately owned investment manager. The firm invests in reinsurance and insurance-linked assets across all lines of business and all instruments to optimize relative value, as well as mezzanine-level risk. It pursues its strategies in the transportation sector through a focus on transportation equipment finance, favoring equipment types that serve basic economic needs with industry and regulatory frameworks that are creditor-friendly.

Hudson Structured Capital Management

Avanta Ventures is a venture capital that provides time, resources, and industry expertise for insurtech sector. The company was founded in 2017 and is based in Mountain View, California, United States. Avanta Studios’ 3 month program provides funding and a B2B engagement focused curriculum geared to meet participants where they are and help accelerate product market fit. During the program, participants will engage with curated subject matter experts, both internal from within CSAA and external, to put their learnings to the test.

Avanta Ventures

UChicago Startup Investment Program

Founded in 2000, Industry Ventures is an investment firm that focuses on making venture capital investments. The firm makes investments through secondary opportunities, primary fund investments and direct co-investments in venture-backed companies. The firm has $3.5B in AUM and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Industry Ventures

QED Investors is an investment firm that supports high-growth companies and businesses. The firm typically provides a combination of both capital and capability. But common to all the firm's partnerships is a shared conviction that information plays a decisive role in the success of the company, a mutual desire for a high degree of direct engagement, and a shared enthusiasm for experimentation and learning.

QED Investors

Alpha Edison is a venture capital firm that focuses on technology-driven innovation. The firm helps entrepreneurs to build a better world. Alpha Edison is an early-stage venture firm that partners with courageous entrepreneurs to build industry-changing technology platforms. It helps founders to create new markets, unlock latent demand, and scale businesses by sharing its research and expertise in business model innovation.

Alpha Edison

Allegis Capital

Senator Investment Group is a hedge-fund firm providing services to pooled investment vehicles. It specializes in the fields of financial services and investment management. It was formed in 2008 and headquartered in New York, United States.

Senator Investment Group

Symphony Ventures is a venture capital firm established to invest in emerging companies.

Symphony Ventures

PROOF invests in breakout high-performing companies in growth rounds across all VC sectors except life sciences. The firm works in partnership with early stage VCs and leverages their pro-rata rights in exchange for sharing part of the upside.

PROOF

Red Hook Capital today is a result of several generations of investors.  Today our hybrid fund of funds is active in more than 35 deals.  Investment within the last two years include Rising Tide VC, PROOF VC, Social Leverage, and other co-investment with funds (Accern, Kin Insurance, Mythical Games, ICON, Guild Education, BrightInsight, Equipment Share, Two Six Technologies, Carbon Health, Varo, Ovetime, and other confidential deals)

Red Hook Capital

Geodesic Capital is a venture capital firm that provides mid and later-stage investments to firms in the consumer technology industry. They assist entrepreneurs who are expanding into Asia, beginning with Japan. They provide unrivalled access to senior-level executives, partners, and government officials that portfolio firms require to prosper abroad.

Geodesic Capital

Long Journey Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on early and new investments. It was founded in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California, USA.

Long Journey Ventures

Kin Insurance

Kin Insurance is a direct-to-consumer digital insurer that focuses on the homeowners insurance market. The company's technology platform delivers a seamless user experience, customized options for coverage, and fast claims service that helps homeowners get a customizable policy that is suited for them.

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.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 July 2023, it operated through Kin Interinsurance Network in South Carolina, Mississippi, and Alabama. Additionally, the company had a presence in California, Florida, Louisiana and Arizona.In addition, Kin has acquired an inactive insurance carrier with licenses in 43 states in December 2021. This acquisition was part of Kin's plan to expand its operations to most US states.Key customers and partnershipsThe 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 financialsKin 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.In March 2022, the company raised <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8848">USD 82 million in Series D</a> funding led by QED Investors. The company was reported to have received commitments for an additional USD 18 million for a second close of this round. It completed an extended Series D funding round in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17249">March 2023</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21858">September 2023</a>, raising a further USD 15 million and USD 33 million, respectively. The funds were geared towards expanding its product portfolio and market share.In addition, Kin secured a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14132">USD 145 million credit facility</a> led by Runway Growth Capital and the Avenue Venture Opportunities Fund in October 2022, with the funds geared towards expanding its Kin Interinsurance Network.The company’s total managed premiums for 2022 amounted to USD 227.5 million (up 117% YoY), and its operating losses declined to USD 11.6 million (down 64.3% YoY).

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

Neo Insurance

<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 December 2021, Root held a carrier license in 48 states and offered automobile insurance in 32 states&mdash;most recently in Kansas.
 
 
 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 June 2021, the company&rsquo;s renters&rsquo; insurance product was available in eight states.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Root had 203,840 policies in force as of June 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>
 
 Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) launched its mobile-focused usage-based insurance (UBI) platform in 2012, enabling insurers to build their own UBI products. The company&rsquo;s product suite includes a white-label mobile app (DriveWell) and an Internet of Things (IoT) tag that collects telematics data that insurers can use to assess risk, incentivize behavioral change through gamification, and reconstruct crashes for accurate claims processing. The app also notifies insurers instantly during an accident, allowing them to dispatch help and begin the claims process. It also enables insurers to detect fraudulent claims based on telematics data.
 
 
 In June 2021, the company acquired TrueMotion, a developer of telematics solutions for auto insurance, for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2012, TrueMotion helps insurers develop their own usage-based insurance products by allowing developers to build mobile apps on top of its platform which collects information from smartphone sensors in relation to an individual's driving behavior. The platform also includes telematic data features to file claims using the app and other value-added services such as good driving incentives and quick accident responses following a crash. TrueMotion&rsquo;s telematics solution can also be used by fleet operators to monitor the driving patterns of its drivers. Through the acquisition, the two companies will combine their products to bolster CMT&rsquo;s offerings and expand the company&rsquo;s geographical reach. 
 
 
 In addition, CMT acquired Amodo, a turnkey usage-based auto insurance solutions provider based in Europe 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16753">
 in March 2023
 </a>
 , for an undisclosed amount. Following the acquisition, Amodo will operate under the CMT brand and will gain access to its advanced telematics solutions. Through the acquisition, CMT aimed to accelerate its global reach and strengthen its position in Europe.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 As of March 2023, CMT&rsquo;s technology-powered 95 enterprise programs across 25 countries including nine in continental Europe. In addition, its solutions are used by 21 of the top 25 insurers in the US, including insurers such as StateFarm, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive. CMT&rsquo;s solutions are also used by rideshare companies and large fleet operators.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 The company&rsquo;s last funding round was in December 2018, where it raised USD 500 million from SoftBank&rsquo;s Vision Fund, with plans to expand its platform.
 
</div>

Cambridge Mobile Telematics

<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

<div>
 
 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.&nbsp;
 
 
 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 March 2023, Clearcover offered its policies in 19 states in the US.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In 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&rsquo;s insurance comparison site 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18045">
 in April 2023
 </a>
 . This was part of Clearcover&rsquo;s strategy to expand its distribution channels.
 
 
 Fundings and financials&nbsp;
 
 
 In 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.&nbsp;
 
 
 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.
 
 
 
 
 
</div>

Clearcover

<div>
 
 Shift Technology, based in France, provides a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for insurers to automate claims and detect fraud during the underwriting and claims processing stages. The company’s platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) and a combination of internal and third-party data to flag potentially fraudulent claims. Furthermore, it provides a white-label mobile app that takes advantage of the company’s fraud detection capabilities and enables insurers to streamline their entire claims functions from First Notification of Losses (FNOLs) to disbursements. In addition to France, the company maintains regional offices in the US, Japan, the UK, Spain, and Singapore.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 As of May 2021, the company had a workforce of 350 people, and it claimed to have analyzed ~2 billion claims globally. It also worked with more than 100 customers across 25 countries, including insurance companies such as AXA, Generali France, and Mitsui Sumitomo. 
 
 
 Shift collaborated with big data provider Legentic in April 2022, through which it aimed to allow its customers access structured data to minimize fraudulent claims and improve claims processing times. It also formed strategic partnerships to integrate its product as part of other insurtech’s product offerings such as with Sapiens, providing the latter’s customers with alerts regarding fraudulent claims.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In May 2021, Shift Technology raised 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/2834">
 USD 220 million in a Series D 
 </a>
 funding in a round led by Advent International at a valuation of over USD 1 billion. The company expected to use the funding to expand its presence in the property and casualty market and also venture into other insurance verticals such as health. The funding was to also be channeled toward accelerating business growth in the US. In November 2021, the company received an undisclosed investment from Guidewire, as an 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6418">
 extension to its Series D
 </a>
 round. The company was to use the new funds to further develop its technology and support its go-to-market strategies.
 
</div>

Shift Technology

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

Infrastructure and embedded solutions are offered under a B2B SaaS model

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

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

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

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

Kin Insurance

Recent Updates

Kin raises USD 33 million in Series D extension round

Kin Insurance surpasses USD 100 million in gross premiums written in Q2 2023

Kin Insurance expands to Arizona

Home insurer Kin expands to Alabama

Kin Insurance reports select Q1 2023 earnings; records double-digit increase in gross written premiums

Kin Insurance expands to Mississippi

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