Des Moines, IA – January 20, 2020 – BrokerTech Ventures (BTV), the industry’s first broker-led investor group and accelerator program, is pleased to announce the hiring of John Jackovin as its new accelerator executive director.

“John brings with him a unique skillset, which we believe will add tremendous value to our BTV Accelerator Program as we embark on our inaugural year,” said Susan Hatten, BTV interim executive director. “His lens into the startup world, including his own first-hand experience going through the Techstars Accelerator, will prove invaluable in creating the kind of experience we hope to deliver through the BTV Accelerator.”

Over the years, Jackovin’s companies have produced millions in revenue and have serviced thousands of customers. In 2014, he took a company through Techstars, one of the most prominent and successful technology accelerators in the world. Since then, Jackovin has consulted for many organizations in the world of Fintech and InsurTech, most recently Des Moines-based Dwolla, where he managed the Growth and Internal Services Product teams.

“The need for an agent-broker-specific accelerator at this time is clear,” said Jackovin. “To be able to help shape the first program specifically for investors and innovators building the next generation of tech solutions for insurance agencies and brokerages is truly a dream.”

Jackovin’s hiring comes as BTV’s top 20 selected broker-centric, early-stage startups prepare to descend on Des Moines on February 4. These top 20 startups will be pitching to BTV’s nine super-regional owners and partners during “Selection Series Days” at Holmes Murphy’s headquarters. 

The startups, who are based all over the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, cover an expansive amount of technology needs that serve the property and casualty (P&C), employee benefits, and clinical solutions spaces, and include:

• Agentero, Oakland, CA
• Briza, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Broker Buddha, New York, NY
• Careignition, LLC, Chicago, IL
• ChalkBites, Inc., Davenport, IA
• CogniSure, Warrenville, IL
• ConsumerOptix, Dayton, OH
• Equal Health, Detroit, MI
• Goldfinch Health, Austin, TX
• HazardHub, San Diego, CA
• InsuranceMenu, Canton, MA
• Kwema, St. Louis, MO, and Mexico City, Mexico
• Loss Run Pro, LLC, Missoula, MT
• MakuSafe Corp., West Des Moines, IA
• OnRisk, Princeton, NJ
• ProNavigator, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
• Serious Social Media, Inc., Des Moines, IA
• Talage, Inc., Reno, NV
• TRUSTLAYER, INC., San Francisco, CA
• Wunderite, Inc, Boston, MA

When the Selection Series is complete, BTV will select the top firms to take part in the first BTV Accelerator cohort. In addition to access to BTV Partners and distribution platforms, each of the selected startups will receive $50,000 in the form of a convertible note.

“This is an exciting time for the InsurTech movement, and especially for Central Iowa, as we now call home to the BTV Accelerator, the Global Insurance Accelerator, the AgriTech Accelerator, and Techstars,” said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy chairman and CEO and BTV co-founder.