Global Insurance Accelerator to Host 17 Companies for InsurTech Week 2019
DES MOINES, IA – September 10, 2019 – The Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA), a Des Moines-based InsurTech accelerator focused on innovation for the insurance industry, is pleased to announce 17 companies will participate in the fifth annual InsurTech Week, being held October 14-18.
Designed to amplify the industry outreach and startup support activities the GIA delivers during the annual 100-day program, InsurTech Week’s networking and education opportunities deliver interactions with insurance company professionals, early-stage investors, program mentors and cohort alumni. This year’s InsurTech Week participants provide solutions for all segments of the industry, including:
- Life, Annuity & Health: Bell Analytics, Inc., MakuSafe
- Property & Casualty: Aerialytic, HazardHub, Relay, Talage, inc
- Multi-Line: Avolanta, BOUND, Breathe Life, DeepVisionAI, EasySend, InDoW Technology Company, KASKO, Optimity, Protosure, Relativity6, UDoTest Inc
“Since joining the GIA as managing director in February 2019, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to meet with hundreds of insurance professionals from GIA investor companies, mentors, and our ever-growing network,” said Nicole (Cook) Gunderson, managing director for the GIA. “It’s been refreshing to hear that InsurTech Week offers an intimate opportunity to connect and collaborate with a diverse set of emerging insurtech companies and others in the industry who believe in the need for innovation. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the companies that we will be hosting in Des Moines for this year’s event. They join us from eight U.S. states, Argentina, Canada, Israel and the U.K. InsurTech Week offers these companies a unique opportunity to get in front of contacts that are willing to help them accelerate their position in the U.S.”
The full InsurTech Week agenda is now available on the GIA website, and there are a number of new events which will provide additional opportunities for engagement. Highlights include the ability to schedule 1:1 networking meetings via Brella, a morning walk/run to the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, and conversations over coffee for women in insurance at the popular Scenic Route cafe. Tuesday, October 15 is planned as a full day of educational sessions with presenters representing insurer investor companies, program mentors, and cohort alums from Cowbell Cyber, everydaylife, FindBob, Insurmi, Pablow, and ViewSpection. And, on Wednesday, October 16, there will be a spotlight session featuring a chance to see each of the 17 InsurTech Week startups present from 2 to 5 p.m., followed by a networking happy hour at Mainframe Studios from 5 to 7 p.m.
The activities scheduled during InsurTech Week in Des Moines (#InsurTechinDSM) are open to invited guests, professional mentors with the GIA program, and insurer investors in the GIA.
The GIA’s InsurTech Week caters to an audience of more mature startups than the early-stage companies typically a part of the regular, 100-day cohort which runs from January through April each year. Other major differentiators between the regular GIA program and InsurTech Week include the fact that the GIA does not provide any funding element for InsurTech Week participants, and the GIA also takes no equity.
“InsurTech Week was a great event for us,” said Jake Tamarkin, founder of everydaylife, a past participant in InsurTech Week, and a 2019 cohort alum. “As an early stage startup, it provided a tremendous platform to not only promote our work to an influential audience, but also to access networking and workshop opportunities that in five days delivered about six months worth of relationships, feedback, and learning.”
For information on both GIA InsurTech Week 2019 and the GIA’s annual cohort, please visit www.globalinsuranceaccelerator.com
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About the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA)
Launched in 2015, the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA) fosters innovation in and for the insurance industry via a mentor-driven, 100-day program. GIA supports an annual cohort by providing each graduate company $40K of seed money in exchange for six percent equity. During the program, cohort members get insurance-specific mentoring via 1:1 meetings with industry executives, as well as basic business infrastructure assistance, coaching on garnering investments, and product-specific insights into strategies for increasing applicability to and feasibility for the insurance industry. The GIA extended network includes insurance company investors, startups and mentors from across the global business and insurance communities. For more details please visit www.globalinsuranceaccelerator.com.