How a global friendship is shaping the next era of insurance innovation.

‍

Over the past several years, the partnership between InsurTech Israel and BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) has grown into far more than a strategic alliance. What began as a collaboration rooted in shared interests has become a global friendship — one grounded in trust, mutual values, and a shared vision for advancing innovation across the insurance ecosystem.

“The partnership between InsurTech Israel and BrokerTech Ventures has grown into a true friendship and strategic alliance,” said Kobi Bendelak, CEO of InsurTech Israel. “What makes this partnership so special is that it goes far beyond formal cooperation — it’s based on shared values, mutual trust, and a genuine commitment to advancing global insurtech innovation together.”

A Year Defined by Global Collaboration

Throughout 2025, this relationship has expanded through joint accelerator efforts, mentorship exchanges, and ecosystem-building across continents. Together, the two organizations have widened the pathways through which startups, insurers, and investors can access new markets and innovation opportunities.

“Without a doubt, the Global Accelerator Program has been one of the highlights,” Bendelak said. “Co-led by InsurTech Israel and BTV, it has brought together startups, investors, and insurance leaders from around the world.”

Startups benefit not only from structured programming but from the ongoing interactions with BTV’s broker, carrier, and wholesaler partners — connections that lead to pilots, investment opportunities, and long-term commercial traction.

“Working with BTV and other international partners has reinforced our belief that innovation must be borderless,” Bendelak said. “It has encouraged us to build stronger local-global bridges, enabling startups from different regions to access not only funding and mentoring but also meaningful commercial connections.”

Expanding Innovation: A New Hub in Guatemala

This borderless philosophy now shapes InsurTech Israel’s expansion strategy. In 2025, the organization launched the InsurTech Guatemala Hub, its first innovation hub in Latin America, developed with universities, insurers, and investors across the region.

“The InsurTech Guatemala Hub opens the door for startups across Central and South America to connect with international insurance leaders and gain global exposure,” Bendelak explained. “For insurers, it provides direct access to innovative solutions tailored to regional challenges such as financial inclusion, digital distribution, and climate risk.”

Guatemala joins a growing network of hubs with additional European and African locations planned for 2026–2027. Each hub serves as a gateway — enabling talent and technology to move fluidly between local markets and the global insurance community.

“Guatemala is part of our vision to establish regional innovation hubs that act as gateways between local ecosystems and the global insurance community,” Bendelak said.

Lessons From Scaling Globally

Building a global network has revealed both challenges and opportunities. Insurtech innovation is not one-size-fits-all, and the work of adapting solutions across regulatory environments and cultural contexts requires balance and insight.

“Every region has its own regulatory landscape, customer behavior, and cultural dynamics,” Bendelak noted. “But that’s also the biggest opportunity — diverse perspectives spark creativity and lead to more resilient innovation.”

With hubs now spanning multiple continents, InsurTech Israel is increasingly able to share best practices and insights across markets — strengthening its programs and preparing startups for the realities of global scale.

The Dual Power of the BTV and InsurTech Israel in the Global Accelerator Program

At the center of the partnership’s success is the Global Accelerator Program, Bendelak’s brainchild and championed by BTV. The model blends Israel’s entrepreneurial intensity with BTV’s deep U.S. broker and carrier expertise — a combination that accelerates both innovation and adoption.

“The co-leadership with BTV creates a unique mix of perspectives: the entrepreneurial spirit of the Israeli ecosystem combined with the deep industry insight and broker expertise of BTV’s network,” Bendelak said. “Startups benefit from mentorship by leading U.S. brokers, insurers, and VCs while also accessing global exposure through our joint events and demo days.”

One standout example is Ravin, an AI-driven vehicle inspection startup that leveraged the accelerator to secure partnerships with global insurers — including several inside the BTV ecosystem.

For Bendelak, these success stories reflect the accelerator’s core mission. “We want every startup to leave the program with three key assets: a sharper business model, a stronger international network, and a clearer go-to-market strategy,” he said. “Just as important, we want them to feel part of a lasting global community — one that continues to support them long after the program ends.”

Looking Ahead: Deepening the Global Network

As InsurTech Israel and BTV look toward 2026 and beyond, strengthening these global bridges remains a shared priority.

“Our joint priority is to deepen the ecosystem connection between Israel, the U.S., and our growing network of hubs around the world,” Bendelak said. “We’re planning more focused collaboration between our startup portfolio and BTV members, joint research on emerging technologies, and continued development of the global accelerator.”

InsurTech Israel plans to expand thematic programming around AI, sustainability, and regulatory innovation, while exploring growth opportunities across Africa and Eastern Europe.

“These areas are transforming the industry and offer enormous potential for innovation that delivers real social and economic value,” Bendelak said.

A Model for the Future of Global Partnership

Ultimately, Bendelak sees the relationship with BTV as a blueprint for how global collaboration can accelerate the pace of industry transformation.

“We see our partnership as a living example of how collaboration drives progress,” he said. “Together, we’re building a model that connects ecosystems, accelerates innovation, and inspires trust between startups and the insurance industry.”

As insurtech continues to evolve, the partnership between InsurTech Israel and BTV stands as a reminder that innovation moves fastest when ecosystems — and people — move together.

“As we move forward, we believe this collaboration will continue to set a global standard for how partnerships can shape the next era of insurance innovation,” Bendelak said.

‍