Global Insurance Accelerator

Check the fit first

• The program is for early-stage insurtech companies (pre-seed to seed stage) that build a solution for the insurance industry.
• It is designed for one or two founders who can commit to the full program, including the in-person weeks in Des Moines at the start and end.

How applications work

• Applications run from late July to the end of September, through the contact form on the site.
• Applications for the 2027 program are closed, so the next window is the one after that.

How selection works

• Three stages: interviews with GIA staff, interviews with board members, and a final selection by insurance carrier investors.
• Before the interview with the selection committee, applicants are told the final key investment terms, which are not negotiable.

Before you apply

• Applicants from outside the US are welcome, but the program looks for firms with potential or current US operations on their roadmap.
• Use the program's themes as a guide, not a checklist.

The Global Insurance Accelerator is a mentor-led accelerator for early-stage insurtech startups, based in Des Moines, Iowa. It started in 2014 as a partnership between insurance carriers, innovation leaders and local government leaders in Des Moines, and its equity investment is backed by insurance company investors.

What they support

The program takes early-stage insurtech companies, usually at pre-seed to seed stage, that build a solution for the insurance industry, with one or two founders. Its stated themes are artificial intelligence, data intelligence, customer interaction and risk. Examples on its program page include agents for claims and underwriting workflows, real-time data platforms for providers and insurers, and approaches to risk pricing and selection. It says innovation does not always fit neatly into a category, so it encourages all promising startups to apply.

Founders outside the US can apply. The page says applicants "can come to us from anywhere", but it also says the program looks for firms with potential or current US operations on their roadmap, and that the US insurance industry is where a company will start or expand its customer focus.

Programs

The 100-Day Program runs for nearly 15 weeks in three phases. The opening phase, in person in Des Moines, lasts about three to four weeks, with onboarding, mentor speed meetings, a roundtable with investors and sponsors, and a welcome reception. The nine weeks after that are remote, with mentor matching, one-to-one mentor meetings, workshops, panels and pitch practice. The final three weeks are in person in Des Moines again, with pitch sessions, final presentations and a main-stage presentation at the Global Insurance Symposium. The remote phase is about eight hours of content a week, plus scheduled mentor meetings.

Selected companies also receive an equity investment from the GIA Fund. It converts to a 5% stake through a post-money SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity). Every selected company gets the same standard terms, which the page says are not negotiable, and final key terms are shared with applicants before the interview with the selection committee.

Facilities and support

Mentoring is the core of the program. Companies meet one-to-one with an average of 75 mentors during the first three weeks, either in person at the GIA office or over Zoom, and then work one-to-one with a small roster of mentors for the rest of the program. Mentors are insurance professionals, prospective clients, insurtech investors, alumni founders and regulators. Its mentor expertise list covers areas such as claims, life underwriting, P/C underwriting, reinsurance, MGAs, regulatory matters and raising capital. The site calls its ongoing alumni support Accelerator Plus, with dedicated resources after graduation.

Track record

The 2026 annual report text on its about page refers to 85 alumni companies receiving post-program support. Its 2026 cohort was its twelfth, with six founders from four countries across three continents, which it describes as its most international cohort. Its key facts block gives 26% of companies as international and says five continents are represented in its portfolio. It has published demo day pages for the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 cohorts.

Its pages give different counts of how many companies have taken part, so this page does not state one.

How to apply

The application period runs from late July to the end of September. Applications for the 2027 program are closed. Applicants go through a three-stage selection process: interviews with GIA staff and board members, then a final selection made by insurance carrier investors. Questions can be sent through the contact form on the site.