In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Joshua Hollander speaks with Ali Azhar, Chief Business Development Officer at Hover, a leading prop-tech and insurtech company leveraging advanced AI and 3D spatial data to streamline property assessments and claims processes. Ali shares his remarkable personal journey—from childhood entrepreneurial efforts driven by "altruistic capitalism" to founding and scaling tech companies, including ScholarshipExperts.com , and his pivot into softw...
May 08, 2025•37 min•Ep. 187
What if insurance data weren’t just extracted—but earned? In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh Hollander sits down with Elan Nyer, CEO and Co-Founder of Ownli, to explore how policyholders can take control of their data and become active participants in the insurance value chain. Elan shares how Ownli enables consumers to share verified, first-party data—such as mileage, location, and vehicle condition—directly with insurers, creating a permissioned, transparent data ma...
Apr 07, 2025•35 min•Ep. 186
In a world where digital transactions are the norm, why are many insurers still processing paper checks for claims settlements? In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh Hollander talks with Shannon Elsea, founder of Settlement Done Easy, about bringing a faster, more secure approach to third-party claims. Drawing on his 30 years as a personal injury attorney, Shannon highlights the inefficiencies of traditional check-based settlements and explains how digital solutions can ...
Mar 21, 2025•28 min•Ep. 185
The insurance industry faces mounting challenges to simplify financial operations and deliver fast, seamless claim payments. In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Joshua Hollander talks with Curt Hess, U.S. Executive Vice President of Vitesse, about how the company’s treasury and payment platform helps insurers, managing general agents, and third-party administrators gain real-time visibility over funds and streamline claims payments. They explore how Vitesse’s technology add...
Mar 06, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 173
Commercial insurance is a billion-dollar industry—but behind the scenes, it’s a mess. Agents are buried in outdated processes, struggling to keep up with client needs and fighting to prove their value in a system that just isn’t built for efficiency. So, what if there was a better way? What if technology could finally give agents the tools they need to move beyond paperwork and actually reduce risk for their clients? In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Joshua Hollander sits...
Feb 27, 2025•34 min•Ep. 184
In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh Hollander welcomes Nakita Devlin, CEO and Co-founder of Ric, who shares how her company is democratizing parametric insurance products for everyday Americans. Unlike traditional catastrophe coverage, Ric's approach focuses on immediate, predefined payouts triggered by meteorological events rather than complex damage assessments. Devlin, drawing from her background as an insurance broker specializing in catastrophe coverage, explains ...
Jan 31, 2025•30 min•Ep. 183
How do today’s leaders navigate the fast-paced evolution of the insurtech space? What does it take to leverage cutting-edge technology while building sustainable and impactful businesses? From balancing innovation with operational rigor to fostering collaboration across diverse teams, leadership in insurtech requires vision, adaptability, and a relentless focus on solving customer challenges. This episode features Ben Jennings, CEO of Embroker, discussing his leadership journey and how Embroker ...
Jan 16, 2025•15 min•Ep. 182
What does it take to lead and innovate in the rapidly evolving insurtech space? How can companies leverage cutting-edge technology to address customer challenges while building sustainable and impactful businesses? This episode features Xing Xin, CEO and Co-Founder of Upfort, sharing how his company is redefining cyber resilience through the integration of advanced cybersecurity and insurance solutions. Xing discusses how Upfort reduces risk for small and mid-sized businesses by leveraging AI, f...
Jan 16, 2025•34 min•Ep. 181
Life insurance is being transformed through technology, streamlining processes and empowering agents and clients alike. This episode features Angus Dunn, Nick Bowman, and Xuejun Tao of Xcela, sharing how they are enhancing life insurance through AI. The conversation delves into overcoming legacy challenges, building trust through data security, and reshaping the role of agents to deliver value to clients efficiently. Key Insights: - Xcela’s mission to enhance life insurance sales and distributio...
Jan 10, 2025•33 min•Ep. 180
How can technology simplify life insurance sales and empower agents to deliver exceptional service? This episode features Hilliard Milner, Co-Founder of Optifino, discussing how AI and holistic solutions are modernizing the life insurance industry. Hilliard explores overcoming legacy challenges, fostering growth, and the importance of providing agents with the right tools to succeed. Key Insights: Optifino’s vision to streamline life insurance with AI. Empowering agents through user-friendly pla...
Jan 10, 2025•34 min•Ep. 179
How do traditional players in insurance leverage technology to modernize while maintaining their heritage? This episode features Steve Johnson, Founder of Insured.IO, discussing how user experience drives customer retention and supports digital transformation in the insurance industry. Steve shares insights into building a scalable SaaS platform, overcoming resistance to digital change, and fostering trust through seamless technology. Key Insights: The importance of user experience in customer r...
Jan 03, 2025•30 min•Ep. 178
How can established insurers innovate while staying true to their roots? This episode features Carlos Cendre, Scouting and Investment Lead at MAPFRE, discussing how global strategies, partnerships, and emerging trends like embedded and parametric insurance drive modernization. Carlos highlights MAPFRE’s approach to addressing challenges like climate change and cybersecurity through strategic collaborations. Key Insights: MAPFRE’s global strategy and its significant presence in LATAM markets. Bui...
Jan 03, 2025•26 min•Ep. 177
Is collaboration the key to modernizing the insurance industry? This episode features Dorothy Kelly, VP of Innovation at Verisk, sharing how her team fosters a culture of innovation through employee-driven ideas and customer-focused solutions. Dorothy dives into how Verisk integrates cross-divisional data to create impactful products and the role of data as the currency of the future. Key Insights: Fostering innovation through employee-generated ideas. Aligning innovation efforts with customer n...
Jan 03, 2025•29 min•Ep. 176
How is AI transforming the insurance industry? In this episode, Leandro DalleMule, Global Head of Insurance at Planck, shares insights into moving beyond buzzwords to implement AI solutions that solve specific business problems. Leandro discusses how Planck focuses on underwriting pain points and integrates actionable insights to drive meaningful outcomes in insurance operations. Key Insights: The evolution of AI in insurance from experimental to practical applications. Transitioning from data m...
Dec 24, 2024•29 min•Ep. 175
How can insurers deliver frictionless experiences using technology? This episode features Dennis Ellis, General Manager of Insurance at Credit Karma, discussing how his team integrates credit and behavioral data to simplify insurance processes. Dennis explores Credit Karma’s focus on creating seamless user experiences and overcoming integration challenges in the insurance industry. Key Insights: Creating frictionless insurance experiences through technology. Leveraging credit and behavioral data...
Dec 24, 2024•23 min•Ep. 174
How can AI enhance claims processing while maintaining the human element? This episode features Sean Merat, CEO of Owl.co, exploring the transformative potential of AI in claims management. Sean explains how Owl.co’s AI-powered solutions reduce mundane tasks, enabling claims professionals to focus on high-value decisions while ensuring compliance and ethical considerations. Key Insights: co’s approach to claims insights and automation. The importance of balancing automation with human judgment. ...
Dec 24, 2024•17 min•Ep. 173
How can technology simplify small commercial insurance delivery? This episode features David McFarland, CEO of Coterie, exploring how his team leverages technology to eliminate inefficiencies and empower distribution partners. David shares insights into creating “stupidly easy” solutions for small businesses, navigating the MGA market, and building strong relationships with reinsurers. Key Insights: Simplifying small commercial insurance with accessible technology. Evolution and future of the MG...
Dec 12, 2024•34 min•Ep. 172
How can automation address the insurance industry’s biggest operational burdens? This episode features Carl Ziadé, Co-Founder of Gaya, discussing how his company tackles inefficiencies like data entry while maintaining the human element in automated processes. Carl shares Gaya’s innovative approach to leveraging APIs and agent input to create scalable, user-friendly solutions. Key Insights: Addressing operational inefficiencies through sustainable automation. Importance of integrating technology...
Dec 12, 2024•31 min•Ep. 171
In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, recorded live at the InsureTech Connect (ITC) conference, host Josh Hollander sits down with Bobbie Shrivastav and Renu Ann Joseph to discuss the launch of their groundbreaking book series, Momentum . The first book, Makers and Builders Edition, showcases ten unfiltered stories from women making waves in insurtech, from bootstrapped founders to venture-backed entrepreneurs. Through personal narratives and powerful imagery, this series document...
Nov 27, 2024•15 min•Ep. 170
Is voice analytics the next frontier in insurance risk assessment and fraud detection? How can military-grade technology transform insurance operations? In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Joshua R. Hollander sits down with Manjit Rana, Executive VP for UK, EMEA & APAC at ClearSpeed, to explore how their innovative voice analytics technology is revolutionizing risk assessment across multiple industries. Key Insights: How ClearSpeed's military-derived voice analytics tec...
Nov 12, 2024•39 min•Ep. 169
Fresh from InsurTech Connect 2024, where the industry gathered to discuss insurance innovation's past, present, and future, host Joshua R. Hollander brings you a special episode revisiting our three most downloaded episodes of the last year: Tom Wilde, CEO of Indico - At the forefront of bringing AI and automation to insurance workflows Bhavan Suri, Managing Director, Technology at William Blair - A leading investment banker tracking where money is flowing in insurtech Michael Nadel, Senior Dire...
Oct 24, 2024•32 min•Ep. 168
In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh Hollander sits down with Bill Harris, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer of ITC Vegas, to discuss how the event has evolved to support the continued growth and development of the InsurTech industry. With the 2024 event just around the corner, Bill shares exclusive insights into what makes ITC Vegas a must-attend experience and why those still contemplating attending should register for the 2024 event. Key Insights: How ITC Vegas h...
Oct 03, 2024•38 min•Ep. 167
In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh Hollander sits down with Sachin Kulkarni, EVP and Head of Americas for Commercial, Specialty, and MGA at Xceedance. With a unique background that spans from IT strategy at Marsh to leading operations at a fast-growing insurance technology services provider, Sachin offers invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of insurance technology and operations. Sachin discusses Xceedance's journey as a domain-focused service provider, em...
Sep 19, 2024•34 min•Ep. 166
In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Joshua R. Hollander sits down with Roman Stepanenko, founder and CEO of RecordLinker, to explore the often-overlooked world of insurance data management. Roman shares his journey from writing software at age 13 to co-founding RiskMatch, and how that experience shaped his vision for RecordLinker. Discover how RecordLinker is addressing critical challenges in the insurance industry by focusing on the unsung heroes of data management - the d...
Sep 05, 2024•31 min•Ep. 165
How can UK insurtech companies successfully enter the complex US insurance market? In this episode, we explore the CT-UK Insurtech Corridor through the journey of Programmable.AI, showcasing how this initiative creates pathways for international growth and innovation. Host Joshua R. Hollander brings together John Blamire, CEO and co-founder of Programmable.AI; Mike Hendy from the UK Office of Business and Trade; and Gene Goddard from MetroHartford Alliance and the CT IFS. They discuss how the Co...
Aug 22, 2024•36 min•Ep. 164
In a world where technology drives daily innovations in industries from travel to health care to manufacturing, why should insurance be any different? How can innovators and insurers collaborate to create meaningful, sustainable change? In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh Hollander sits down with Stephen Brittain, Director and Co-founder of Insurtech Gateway, to explore their unique approach to incubating and investing in early-stage insurtech startups. Stephen, with h...
Aug 08, 2024•34 min•Ep. 163
Is there a future for insurance document delivery beyond mobile apps? Discover how Aerogami is revolutionizing the industry's digital experience and what it means for insurers and policyholders alike. In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Joshua R. Hollander sits down with Bradley Adams, co-founder of Aerogami, to discuss the innovative approach to digitalizing insurance documents. Bradley, with his unique blend of partnership expertise and product development skills, offers ...
Jul 25, 2024•31 min•Ep. 162
Is AI the future of P&C insurance? Discover how generative AI is revolutionizing the industry and what it means for industry leaders. In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Joshua R. Hollander sits down with John Loeber, co-founder and CEO of Limit, to discuss the transformative potential of AI in the insurance sector. John, with his unique blend of mathematical expertise and AI innovation, offers invaluable insights for industry leaders navigating this technological shift...
Jul 09, 2024•34 min•Ep. 161
In this episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh Hollander interviews Valkyrie Holmes, CEO and co-founder of Faura, a company providing climate and property analytics to help insurance companies and homeowners reduce natural disaster risk. During the conversation, Valkyrie discusses her company's innovative approach to reducing natural disaster risk for insurance companies and homeowners. With a background in data science and space technology, Valkyrie pivoted to sustainability aft...
Jun 25, 2024•38 min•Ep. 160
Have you ever wondered why financial operations within the insurance industry are notoriously complex? The intricate processes involved can be overwhelming, from data reconciliation to commission payouts. In this inaugural episode of the Insurtech Leadership Podcast, host Josh interviews Qiyun Cai, CEO and co-founder of Fintary, a financial operations platform tailored for the insurance industry. Qiyun shares her remarkable journey from technology investing and AI product development to the insu...
Jun 11, 2024•30 min•Ep. 159
