Gilad Shai, Managing Director at BMI Capital International, reveals the harsh realities and hidden opportunities in the InsurTech ecosystem. From launching InsurTech LA with 10 people in 2015 to watching billion-dollar valuations evaporate 90% post-IPO, Gilad shares unfiltered insights on why most InsurTech startups are stuck in "purgatory" and what it really takes to succeed in insurance innovation.

In this episode, you'll learn:

[01:13] Building the InsurTech LA community

[05:26] The evolution of InsurTech over the past decade

[10:50] Are we early or late in InsurTech?

[15:01] Why innovation in insurance is harder than it looks

[19:43] Advice for founders entering InsurTech

[23:05] IPO failures and M&A realities

The nonprofit organization Gilad is passionate about: Gift of Life

Gilad Shai is a Managing Director at BMI Capital International. A Global InsurTech expert and lead advisor at BMI, Gilad has over 20 years of professional experience. He invests directly and is an active advisory board member in several organizations. Gilad's experience spans multiple industries and company sizes. He worked for large brands Intel, Hearst, Yahoo!, and Farmers insurance and has launched several startups. Gilad is a host, a speaker, and an author on the InsurTech subject. He has been organizing InsurTech LA events and hosting guest speakers since 2017. He has given keynote presentations and moderated panels at major global conferences in NYC, London, Chicago, Vegas, and Tel Aviv. Gilad co-authored The InsurTech book, published by Wiley, and featured in Financial Times and other media outlets and podcasts.

BMI Capital International is an investment firm focused on the intersection of insurance and technology. The firm specializes in identifying and supporting innovative solutions that transform how insurance products are created, distributed, and managed. BMI Capital provides strategic capital and industry expertise to help portfolio companies navigate the complex insurance ecosystem and achieve meaningful scale.

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