Startup

This was supposed to be the first year Ukraine would send an official delegation of startups to South by Southwest, the annual technology and arts festival in Austin, Texas. The plan was, of course, disrupted by a war at home.

As this booming market evolves, the value of innovation by insurtech startups is becoming clear. These companies drive change by meeting customer demands, as consumers increasingly demand insurance is delivered in a way that suits them – digital services that are quick and easy to use.

The company is preparing to begin operations in seven new markets in 2022 -- Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica –- using the proceeds of its Series C round, according to founder and Chief Executive Officer Eduardo della Maggiora.

In 2020, American Family Insurance launched a partnership with the Creative Destruction Lab and the University of Wisconsin-Madison that provides support and mentorship to start-up founders in their companies’ early stages. A year into the partnership and there are truly inspiring to learn from the startup founders.

Insurtechs are everywhere, covering every sector and raising money at record-setting clips. But the legacy insurance businesses, from carriers to agencies, have already been here and have the deep pockets to remain. So naturally the story has become about competition for market share.

ProNavigator, a purpose-built SaaS knowledge management platform, has a goal to provide accurate information in seconds.

Amplify, a digital life insurance platform, is focused on helping customers build wealth through permanent life insurance.

The fintech startup is working with advisers on a potential deal and is in early talks with Catcha Investment Corp., the special purpose acquisition company set up by internet entrepreneur Patrick Grove, said the people, who asked not to be named as the process is private.

During, “The View from Venture Capital,” at the Digital Insurance DIGIN conference, Dec. 10, three experts involved in venture capital firms discussed what they look for when funding a company and what’s ahead for the industry.

There’s no denying that working with startups entails risk. Plenty of newer insurtechs have technology that’s too underdeveloped, a value proposition that’s too undefined or leadership that’s too inexperienced to overcome the gauntlet of obstacles that stands between startups and success.

Chubb Ltd. is joining with insurance-tech startup Betterfly for offerings in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina as the companies seek to tap into under-served Latin American markets.

Today’s clients are looking for financial guidance and product recommendations that account for their entire financial lives. Unfortunately, because of legacy technology in place, most insurance advisors can’t credibly weigh in on the whole picture.

The acquisition is a win for Lemonade’s recently launched car insurance product. Metromile has a decade of driving data based on its usage-based model and it operates licenses in 49 states, all of which will be merged into a single company, if the deal goes through.

Addition Capital, Coatue Management and serial entrepreneur Elad Gil led the funding round in the Mountain View, California-based company, now worth $3.6 billion -- nearly triple the valuation from another round last year.

The funding round was led by AIA Insurance Inc. as Tiki looks to expand into life insurance and plans a U.S. initial public offering.

Lemonade Car, a telematics auto insurance product, is now live in Illinois and will roll out across the U.S. soon.

Marshmallow, a car insurance app which recently became the U.K.’s second black-founded firm to reach a billion-dollar valuation, won’t be working from its current Old Street digs for much longer. It’s moving to a nearby office with triple the space after headcount grew more than threefold during the pandemic and as it plows ahead with expansion plans into Europe.

In other news: Allstate closes $400M sale of New York life, annuity business; USAA partners with Blink by Chubb; Zurich North America implements Chisel AI.

The Palo Alto, California-based company is now valued at $900 million, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Australian insurance startup Cover Genius Pty Ltd. boosted its valuation to A$1 billion ($729 million), after raising A$100 million from investors including G Squared and Japanese insurer Sompo Holdings Inc.