Key takeaways on global collaboration, speed to value, and the evolving role of brokers in innovation

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In a world where innovation can often feel fragmented by geography, regulation, and legacy systems, the recent Global Insurtech Program in London offered a different reality: one where borders matter less and collaboration matters more.

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Now in its fourth iteration, the Global Insurtech Program was built by Kobi Bendelak with InsurTech Israel and partners with local insurtech hubs to engage international cooperation. Previous years' engagements were in Tel  Aviv, Israel; Des Moines, Iowa; and Munich, Germany. 

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“The Global Insurtech Program was created to connect innovative startups, insurers, brokers, investors, and ecosystem leaders from around the world into one collaborative international platform. The London activities once again demonstrated how powerful global collaboration can be in accelerating innovation across the insurance industry," Bendelak shared.

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Bringing together insurtech startups from 22 countries, this year’s program was more than a showcase of emerging technology — it was a real-time glimpse into how innovation is accelerating globally. For Susan Hatten, Chief Marketing Officer of Holmes Murphy and Chief Operating Officer of BrokerTech Ventures, the experience reinforced a powerful idea: “Our world is incredibly small, and through collaboration, you can break down barriers.”

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Her perspective offers a grounded view into where insurtech is headed next and what brokers, carriers, and innovation leaders should be watching closely.

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Global Collaboration Is Moving from Concept to Execution

For years, “global collaboration” has been a commonly cited goal in insurtech. In London, it was clear that it is now becoming more than just conceptual — it’s becoming operational and executed upon.

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“What stood out most was the diversity of perspectives,” Hatten noted. “To bring together startups from 22 countries, each with their own journey, was remarkable.” More importantly, those differences weren’t barriers — they were accelerants.

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The global composition of the cohort created a dynamic where startups weren’t just sharing ideas, but actively pressure-testing them across markets. Many came with a clear focus on the U.S. market, prepared with specific questions about fit, distribution, and regulatory considerations.

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“You could tell participants had really thought through how their business might translate into the U.S. insurance marketplace,” Hatten said.

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At the same time, the experience flowed in both directions. Exposure to how insurance is transacted and delivered globally offered valuable perspective for U.S.-based stakeholders. It highlighted alternative models, new approaches to risk, and different paths to client engagement.

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Speed to Value Is the New Benchmark for Innovation

While innovation has long been a focus in the industry, the Global Insurtech Program London reinforced a shift toward collaboration. 

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The most compelling signal? Startups aren’t just building independently — they’re building together.

“Throughout the week, I witnessed collaboration in action between startups,” Hatten explained. “There was real discussion around how their companies could partner to accelerate their original business roadmaps.”

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This willingness to collaborate, even among early-stage companies, reflects a growing focus on speed to value. Instead of developing solutions in isolation, startups are identifying opportunities to integrate capabilities, reduce friction, and reach deployment faster. For brokers, this shift matters; it means solutions are increasingly designed with implementation in mind and not just innovation for its own sake.

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Hatten described this as “the power of the pivot” — a recognition that achieving adoption often requires flexibility, partnership, and a willingness to rethink the path to market if it makes business sense. In practical terms, this signals a new expectation: innovation must move quickly from idea to impact. And those who can collaborate effectively will win.

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Broker-Centric Innovation Continues to Differentiate

Amid all the technological advancement on display, one constant remained clear — the enduring importance of the broker. 

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“The broker holds the most valuable relationship in the insurance value chain — the relationship with the client,” Hatten said. That reality continues to shape where innovation gains traction. Solutions that are designed for and with brokers that enhance their ability to serve clients, identify risks earlier, and deliver value more efficiently are the ones seeing the strongest momentum.

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Programs like the Global Insurtech Program play a critical role in surfacing these opportunities. By connecting startups directly with brokers, they enable a level of alignment that is difficult to achieve in isolation.

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“If we can unearth solutions that help identify our clients’ risks sooner or drive down their costs faster, we are enhancing the client experience and enriching the human relationship,” Hatten explained.

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Looking Ahead: Technology as an Enabler, Not the Endpoint

One of the most visible themes throughout the Global Insurtech Program London was the integration of AI across many of the participating startups. But notably, it wasn’t positioned as the end goal.

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“It would be amiss not to mention the use of AI,” Hatten said. “But it was clear that AI was a technology catalyst supporting their business thesis and not replacing the core of what we do.” That core, she emphasized, remains deeply human. “The heart of understanding and relationships will continue to define our industry.”

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This balance between technological advancement and human connection is where the next phase of insurtech will be defined. Programs like the Global Insurtech Program and the broader BrokerTech Ventures ecosystem sit at the center of that evolution. By convening startups, brokers, and carriers in a collaborative environment, they accelerate not just innovation but meaningful, deployable progress.

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“Having BrokerTech Ventures as part of the Global Insurtech Program is extremely meaningful for us. Their deep connection to the broker and carrier ecosystem, together with their innovation-driven mindset, brings tremendous value to the startups and to the broader international collaboration we are building through the program," added Bendelak.

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For industry leaders, the message is clear: the future of insurtech will be shaped by those who can move quickly, collaborate globally, and stay relentlessly focused on delivering value where it matters most — at the client level.

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