30 insurance innovators to watch

Insurtech is still a relatively young sector defining assumptions. Despite some light quarters for insurtech investment in late 2017 and early 2018, the segment roared back with back-to-back billion-dollar quarters of worldwide investment. This included some of the largest rounds ever, with rounds in the hundreds of millions for companies ranging from turnkey usage-based insurance provider Cambridge Mobile Telematics (from last year’s list) to health insurance disruptor Oscar (which appears on this year’s edition).

There’s a key reason for this: Insurers are getting more comfortable working with insurtechs as thesector has evolved and matured. Successful use cases across technologies like artificial intelligence, computer vision and even blockchain have popped up. The trepidation has largely worn off and insurers see insurtechs as their partners in transformation, not enemies to be feared. And insurance experts are finding their voice in being able to communicate a new vision for their industry.

In order to assemble the list on the following pages, Digital Insurance editors consult third party experts, including some who have previously been on the list, to identify the players representing the top level of the game as it stands this year. Their work will shape the conversation around insurance innovation and influence future editions.

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Meet Misty, an extensible robot empowered by Microsoft and Qualcomm technologies

Miscellaneous helper robots have been whirring, rolling, and bumping around for years. They generally take the form of something adorable, with big doe eyes and a chunky white plastic body that is friendly and completely non-threatening. Or they’ll go in the opposite direction, like Boston Dynamics’ agile robots that move in an uncanny valley way but lack things like faces. A robot called Misty falls squarely in the former category; even the name is cute. Misty Roboticsdesigned it to be extensible and flexible, with technologies like computer vision on board the robot itself, and ripe for iteration by enterprising developers. At Microsoft Build 2019, we got an extended demonstration of Misty and a long chat with the company behind it.

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Closing the Pay Gap Requires Transparency and Commitment

Many states have recently adopted laws that require companies of all sizes to close the gender pay gap. The principle underlying these laws is simple: Pay men and women based on their contributions to the work being performed without regard to gender.

However, for employers trying to comply with these laws—while acquiring and retaining top talent—the devil is in the details: Complying is not as straightforward as the principle behind the new requirements.

Research confirms men and women negotiate differently. And a persistent wage gap ensures that new hires arrive at the front door with expectations that differ from those of tenured employees. In a bullish market when wages inflate, how does a company both minimize differences with the external market—to keep up with the free agent market—and ensure it doesn’t do so in a way that favors external men or disfavors internal women?

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Lucid Sight partners with MLB to launch crypto collectibles game

Last year, Major League Baseball partnered with game developer Lucid Sight to launch a crypto collectibles game called "MLB Champions" that runs on blockchain tech. Lucid Sight CEO Randy Saaf spoke to Yahoo Finance's Dan Roberts, Akiko Fujita and Sibile Marcellus about the partnership and how the the deal may help boost attendance at ballparks nationwide.

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WhiteFox Expands to Los Angeles, Brings On President

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., May 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- WhiteFox, a global leader in drone airspace security, today announced it has appointed Mark Kula as President. WhiteFox's considerable growth in recent months has led to the launch of a second office location in Los Angeles, opening today. Kula will head the expansion.

Bringing more than 30 years of defense and aerospace experience to WhiteFox, Kula will oversee strategic growth, manufacturing and general business operations for the organization, and will report to CEO, Luke Fox. He previously held positions at defense contractors like Harris, Moog, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman.

"As our customer-base quickly grows, Mark's expertise is critical in supporting WhiteFox as we continue our mission to pioneer the safe integration of drones into society, keeping the sky open for responsible pilots and advancing drone technology for a better world," said Luke Fox, Founder and CEO of WhiteFox. "The longevity of Mark's career and his extensive background in design, development, production, and testing for a variety of land, sea, air, and cyberspace systems make him a perfect fit for WhiteFox."

Prior to WhiteFox, Kula was General Manager of Asia Pacific for Moog Aircraft, and previously held the positions of Vice President of Strategic Pursuits and Vice President of Tactical Airborne Systems at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. He recently graduated from being a mentor at Starburst, a startup accelerator enabling innovation for the global aerospace industry, specializing in space, defense, and aeronautics.

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