A World’s First: Gateway Launch

On the 29 November 2017, the InsurTech Gateway launched as the world’s first FCA authorised insurance incubator.

The headlines:

  • We are the first FCA authorised insurtech incubator to provide funding, insurance capability and a complete testing environment for startups to dramatically reduce time and cost to proof of concept.
  • Startups can focus on product, market fit and go-to-market strategy vs the regulatory and capital overhead normally required.
  • We have underwriting capability in place supported by a panel of reinsurers across multiple lines of business.

The detail:

InsurTech Gateway is the world’s first InsurTech incubator authorised as an insurance broker by the Financial Conduct Authority. Removing the most significant hurdles that thwart entrepreneurs in this sector. We streamline and accelerate the process of building an insurtech startup.

The three main hurdles insurtech startups face are regulatory and capacity barriers, the funding gap and big insurers’ slow behaviour. That means there is little innovation happening in the sector because it is too difficult to get past the roadblocks. The InsurTech Gateway will change all of that.” Robert Lumley, co-founder of InsurTech Gateway and an insurance entrepreneur.

InsurTech Gateway is a co-investment from Hambro Perks and Robert Lumley from the Lumley insurance family, and is supported by a panel of reinsurers and angel investors from the insurance sector. The combined expertise and resource behind our team will dramatically reduce the time and cost it takes to prove an insurtech concept enabling entrepreneurs to have the best possible chance of creating and launching a viable business.

InsurTech Gateway will reduce the time needed to get to proof of concept from 2 years to 3–6 months, and costs by 75%

We are seeking talented individuals who have ideas that could disrupt the insurance market, prioritising innovative products that change customers’ lives and meet their desire for greater flexibility in the way in which they select and buy products.

In addition to securing the Financial Conduct Authority, we have also arranged underwriting capability. A network of other insurers who will support the primary reinsurer as companies achieve growth stage, will also be in place. Now, insurtech startups can quickly achieve delegated regulatory authorisation, with funding and underwriting from a single team, for a very efficient new way to pilot an idea.

We provide startups with the entire environment they need for proving their idea: in addition to insurance and funding, we provide full compliance, back-end technical platforms and GDPR procedures. We also have ready-made partnership agreements with key capital providers, distributors and infrastructure, such as IT and payment platforms.

“The team behind the InsurTech Gateway has formidable breadth of knowledge when it comes to getting startups off the ground. They understand the opportunity for tech-enabled insurance, and their services and network will allow startups to leap ahead when developing their product for market.” Adam Rimmer, co-founder of FloodFlash.

Three portfolio companies are already in place: InMyBag, specialist insurance and data recovery for freelancers; By Miles, telematics-based car insurance for low mileage drivers; and Floodflash, a provider of tech-enabled flood insurance; with five more expected to have joined by the end of 2018.

GET IN TOUCH

If you have founded a pre-seed or seed insurtech and are looking for support and funding – or maybe you just have an idea that you would like to chat through – we have the experience and the tools to help you get to market faster. Check out our incubator and venture fund or get in touch.