We take in early-stage companies who are building solutions that support the insurance industry. We provide seed funding, networking with our mentors, 100-days of ongoing support and a final presentation to a large audience of insurance professionals.

This is not your typical accelerator. Our investors are insurance carriers, our mentors are primarily insurance professionals. Participating in our program is a highly strategic decision to find product-market fit and do customer discovery faster than you could ever do on your own. We are a strategic partner.

We run one 100-day program annually from mid-January to the end of April, to align with the Global Insurance Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa. Why is the accelerator based in Des Moines, Iowa? It’s an important insurance hub with the highest concentration of insurance employment among the metros in the United States.

The typical profile of a company who applies to the GIA’s accelerator program includes: 

The Global Insurance Accelerator's selection process is completed by representatives from each of the GIA's fund members. 

The GIA Fund, backed by insurance company investors, will make an equity-based investment of $50,000, converting to 5% of the company in the form of a post-money SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity). Each selected company will receive the same standard investment terms and amount. Final key investment terms will be communicated to all applicants prior to accepting an interview with the selection committee in November. Terms are not negotiable. 

Mentorship

The GIA’s mentor program is our secret sauce and we pride ourselves on this. It’s been proven that one of the single most important aspects of the success of our portfolio companies is the mentoring and connections they will receive from the experts in the insurance industry.

Mentors are involved in almost every activity and session we provide to our founders. Mentors raise their hands to help lead or co-lead workshops and panels, they step in to help shape pitch presentations for the founders, and also work closely with each founder on their business needs.

The 100 Day Program Phases

The hybrid program will be conducted in-person in Des Moines, Iowa (required) for a total of 5.5 weeks and virtually for 9 weeks. Housing will be paid for during the 5.5 weeks in Des Moines. Each founder has the option to stay in Des Moines for the entire program, however housing will not be paid for during the virtual 9 week period. We structure the nearly 15-week accelerator program in three phases to mindfully support the acceleration of your startup during that time.

In Des Moines: January 8 - January 24, 2025
Virtual: January 27 - March 28, 2025
In Des Moines: March 31 - April 18, 2025

Estimated time commitments for each Phase

Phase 1: Full-time Monday through Friday during these 3.5 weeks

Phase 2: 6-8 hours per week plus mentor meetings that you will schedule.

Phase 3: 6-8 hours per week plus mentor meetings that you will schedule.