Verbond van Verzekeraars and Plug and Play Insurtech launch an exclusive open innovation program
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, July 20, 2022 - Plug and Play together with the Verbond van Verzekeraars (The Association of Dutch Insurers, "the Association" or "VvV") are launching an Insurtech program in the Netherlands to address the local ecosystem and innovation needs with customized program elements and servicing. This program complements the existing platforms in Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, and Munich and connects global innovation trends with local strategy.
“Today’s partnership with Plug and Play aligns with the industry’s innovation strategy by addressing industry-wide challenges through long-lasting and sustainable solutions,” said Richard Weurding, General Manager of the Association. “Through the partnership, we want to help Dutch insurance companies, from small to large, to get in touch with Insurtech startups in order to strengthen their own innovation activities. This ambition fits in seamlessly with the MLT 2023-2024. Both customers and the insurance industry will benefit from this intensified collaboration.”
Plug and Play and the Association launch this program exclusively for members of the VvV, where the focus will be on an open innovation approach to connect partners with their industry peers and counterparts to address industry-wide challenges that often require collaboration to find viable and long-lasting solutions.
The VvV and Plug and Play have a long standing history of collaboration within the Insurtech vertical and we aim to expand this together; with a purpose to become more accessible to Dutch insurance companies, of all sizes, looking to explore and engage with startups to strengthen their own innovation activities.
The program, designed jointly and specifically for members of the Association, will consist of two main scopes, an open innovation collective program and private servicing. The former where partners will explore industry trends, learn best practices and new frameworks to engage with startups and to find the most disruptive technologies in the Insurtech space with a clear focus on knowledge sharing and thought leadership. The private servicing will focus on the innovation journey of partners, where Plug and Play will support with their specific challenges, to create value through tailored servicing.
Themes and focus areas for the program will include, but are not limited to, open insurance, embedded insurance, regtech, sanction, fraud and risk, sustainability, and more. Apart from exploring Insurtech trends at both a local and global level, Plug and Play will also support in exploring cross-industry challenges and technologies, for example in mobility or sustainability, that can be applicable in the Insurtech field.
David Neef: “We are very proud to form part of this project alongside VvV and its members, who have clearly shown a strong commitment to innovation, and are open to the ideas and contributions of third parties, with a focused objective to grow and improve the Dutch Insurtech ecosystem. Plug and Play has an extensive experience in Insurtech and related ecosystems such as for example Health, Mobility, IoT, and Sustainability amongst others and through this program we believe we will bring tangible value and knowledge to our partners.”
To join the program, or for more information, reach out to David Neef (david@pnptc.com) or Harold Mahadew (h.mahadew@verzekeraars.nl).
About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we're present in 40+ locations across 5 continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we've invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/
About Verbond van Verzekeraars
As a trade association, the Dutch Association of Insurers represents the interests of private insurers in the Netherlands. Almost all Dutch insurers and Dutch subsidiaries of foreign insurers are members of this association. The Association also maintains contacts with national and European politicians and ministers, ministries and sector organizations and representatives in the Netherlands and sometimes beyond. Every three years the Association draws up a medium-term plan with the focus for the coming years.