BrokerTech Ventures Made Us a First-Round Draft Pick.

When we first heard about BrokerTech Ventures back in September, we knew we wanted to be a part of it.

A new technology accelerator backed by some of the leading, independent, privately-held insurance agencies? That’s a great fit for us.

Co-founded by Holmes Murphy of Des Moines, IA, and M3 Insurance of Madison, WI, the goal of BrokerTech Ventures is to provide education, insight, and mentorship specifically to technology startups that are focused on helping agents work better.

Bottom line: we wanted in.

Of course, like a lot of good things, they don’t just let you sign up.

Broker Tech Ventures—Selection Series Days

We applied in October. In November, we learned we were among a small group that was selected to travel to Des Moines, a hub for insurance and the home of Broker Tech Ventures, to participate in the Selection Series days. After the presentations were over and the dust settled, we were awarded a spot in the Accelerator program.

Here's Sean Harvey, Chief Revenue Officer at Broker Buddha, talking about his experience at Selection Series days.

So far, about the only downside is that we don't get one of those giant checks like pro golfers do when they win a tournament.

But getting into the program means we’ll be partnering with some of the country’s leading independent, privately-owned agencies, drawing on their expertise to help us focus on features that will improve what we offer. For us, it’s an ideal setup—our technology minds get to meld with real world insurance expertise.

What’s the big idea?

Here’s how Mike Victorson, CEO and President of M3 Insurance, describes BrokerTech Ventures:

“The idea behind the alignment of BrokerTech Ventures as both an accelerator and an investment vehicle is that we, and our agency partners, have an opportunity to shape a product or solution alongside the startup. We intend on being active participants in the insurance technology space and offering a testing ground to benefit our customers.”

This announcement about the 2020 Accelerator offers more insight into the program. Read it and you'll understand why we're thrilled to have this opportunity, and can’t wait to get started.

Agencies currently involved in BrokerTech Ventures are:

Holmes Murphy—Co-Founder (Des Moines, IA)

M3 Insurance—Co-Founder (Madison, WI)

PayneWest Insurance (Missoula, MT)

ABD Insurance & Financial Services (San Mateo, CA)

Conner Strong & Buckelew (Camden, NJ)

Assurance (Chicago, IL)

InterWest (Sacramento, CA)

Graham Company (Philadelphia, PA)

Hylant (Toledo, OH)

Ohmmmmmmm...