Nicole Gunderson joins ViClarity Board of Advisors

Nicole Gunderson, managing director of the Des Moines-based Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA), has been named to the Board of Advisors for governance, risk and compliance firm ViClarity, part of PolicyWorks LLC. ViClarity was acquired by PolicyWorks in 2020 and has office locations in Des Moines, Boston and Ireland. Prior to…

Continue reading

Global Insurance Symposium canceled; pitch event moved online April 22

The 2020 Global Insurance Symposium scheduled for April 21-23 is canceled, organizers announced this morning. The GIA will host a virtual pitch event for accepted insuretech startups April 22 from 3:30-5 p.m. CST. More information and attendee registration for the pitch event is available online. Participants in this year’s Global…

Continue reading

Global Insurance Accelerator announces 2020 cohort

The Global Insurance Accelerator’s sixth cohort will welcome eight insurtech companies to Des Moines for the 100-day term beginning Jan. 14, the accelerator announced this week. The cohort features Caregiven (Oregon), Denscore (Michigan), Gerald Tech (New York), InsureVite (Singapore), Kiwi (New York), Summary Medical (Wisconsin), TCARE (Missouri) and UDoTest (Massachusetts)….

Continue reading

GIA announces new seed funding of $75,000 for 2020 cohort

Startups joining the Global Insurance Accelerator’s 2020 cohort will be the first cohort experiencing a newly revamped funding structure and a recently raised investment.  Startups will receive an investment of $75,000 through a post-money Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE), which converts to 5% of the startup. It’s an increased…

Continue reading

October marks announcements of three major accelerators coming to Central Iowa

Kerty Levy (standing), newly named managing director of Techstars Iowa, at Tuesday’s launch announcement with Jainen Thayer, chief investment officer for Grinnell College, and Claudia Reuter, managing director of the Stanley + Techstars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator. Photo provided Tuesday was a good day for Mike Colwell in Des Moines. It…

Continue reading

Global Insurance Accelerator announces new funding structure

The Global Insurance Accelerator announced changes to the funding structure affecting startups that are accepted to the 2020 cohort, which is now accepting applications. The GIA will increase the seed investment to $75,000 in the form of a post-money Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE), which converts to 5% of the company….

Continue reading

Global Insurance Accelerator to host 17 companies for InsurTech Week 2019

The Global Insurance Accelerator will host 17 startups participating in the fifth annual InsurTech Week, scheduled for Oct. 14-18. The featured startups are: Bell Analytics, MakuSafe, Aerialytic, HazardHub, Relay, Talage, Avolanta, BOUND, Breathe Life, DeepVisionAI, EasySend, InDoW Technology Co., KASKO, Optimity, Protosure, Relativity6 and UDoTest. This year’s event schedule includes a Women in…

Continue reading

Predictive Health Partners seeks to slash health care prices

Predictive Health Partners, with founder Jim Lewis, is the only local startup represented in the Global Insurance Accelerator’s 10-member cohort for 2019. It’s also one of only three Iowa startups that have participated among 36 since the GIA’s first cohort in 2015.  Based now in West Des Moines, Lewis, a serial…

Continue reading

Global Insurance Accelerator announces Nicole Cook as next managing director

The Des Moines-based Global Insurance Accelerator has hired Nicole Cook as the next managing director, to take over full time after current director Brian Hemesath steps down from his role on May 1, following the conclusion of the 2019 cohort. Cook begins with the GIA today and will work along…

Continue reading

Global Insurance Accelerator announces new investment at cohort launch

Global Atlantic Financial Group announced a $100,000 investment in the Global Insurance Accelerator, a Des Moines-based 100 day program aiding up to ten insurtech startups in financing and industry connections. The investment joins Global Atlantic with the GIA’s 12 other existing private company investors, which support the accelerator’s mentor networks…

Continue reading