InsureTech Connect is less than a week away and the Appian Insurance team is gearing up for a great conference. Although the conference is only a few years old, it has quickly become the largest insurance event in the world.
This year they are expecting more than 7,000 attendees from over 60 countries, and for a few days in September, Las Vegas will become the center of the insurance universe. But with that being said, I'd like to also talk about some other cities are actively involved in insurance all year long.
A Tale of Three Cities
Hartford, CT is one of the original insurance hubs in the United States. Many of the largest established insurers have offices there, including The Hartford, Travelers, Voya, and Hartford Steam Boiler, with the state holding top ranks for insurance employment, payroll, and job creation. Additionally, Hartford now has several organizations focused on building a robust InsurTech ecosystem, including InsurTech Hartford, Startupbootcamp and Upward Hartford. These initiatives are positioning the city for future growth in today's rapidly evolving insurance landscape.
Columbia, SC is where insurance technology was invented, and is the place I call home. The city has a mix of insurers ñ including Colonial Life, Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC, and Aflac ñ with a healthy dose of insurance technology in the mix, due to the concentration of experience in the industry. The convergence of these factors is one of the reasons that Columbia Insurance and Technology and Services Cluster (iTsSC) was formed more than 10 years ago, focused on the industry's growth through collaboration and innovation, industry connections, and workforce development. I recently attended a Startupbootcamp hosted by the Columbia Insurance Collective at IToLogy, and had the opportunity to listen to pitches from a dozen entrepreneurs who are looking to be the change in insurance.
Des Moines, IA ñ home to more than 60 insurance companies ñ also hosts The Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA), a mentor-driven organization that has emerged as a force for innovation by supporting InsurTech startups targeting the global insurance industry. This October they will be hosting their fifth-annual InsurTech Week, October 14-18, where 17 start-up companies will have the opportunity to engage, connect, and collaborate with insurance company professionals and early stage investors, along with mentors and alumni from the GIA program. Des Moines is a natural home for this program, since the density of companies and workers create a strong insurance ecosystem.
Visit Appian at InsureTech Connect 2019
I'm looking forward to being immersed in insurance while I'm at InsureTech Connect. It is a very interesting, and dare I say ñ exciting ñ time to be part of insurance right now, because whether it is new technology, new products, or new ways of delivering services, people are not just thinking about the art of the possible ñ they are making changes that are directly impacting the industry. These innovators are the future of insurance.
The Appian insurance team recently had the opportunity to congratulate two of our customers ñ CNA Insurance and Munich Reinsurance Americas ñ who were named finalists in two categories for the 2019 Insurance Nexus Awards. It was exciting to see the innovative solutions that are being powered by the Appian low-code platform ñ and to celebrate the insurance leaders at these organizations who are making art of the possible a reality.
If you are going to be in Las Vegas for InsureTech Connect, please come by booth 825 and say hello, or schedule a meeting. It will be good to see everyone in Las Vegas next week!
Eileen Potter
Industry Marketing, Insurance
