InsurTech Slopes: Fostering honest conversations in a nontraditional setting

InsurTech Slopes, a two-day conference and skiing event organised by the InsurTech Investor & Founder Forum, is designed to foster honest and candid discussions in an intimate setting, addressing topics often overlooked at larger conferences, says InsurTechNY co-founder and managing director David Gritz.

Gritz explained that at large conferences, “People don't actually talk about, you know, ‘this really terrible thing that happened at my job and I almost got fired’, or, ‘my co-founder and I couldn't get along’. People just aren’t honest and candid about things like that because there's a big audience.”

“Our whole thinking is, how do we create an environment where it's a small group of people who can talk about things that are generally not comfortable to discuss in a large conference setting?” Gritz added.

The InsurTech Investor and Founder Forum, co-led by David Gritz and InsurTech Hartford president Stacey Brown, debuted in 2022 and has since organised multiple events aimed at connecting emerging startups with investors in the InsurTech industry.

These gatherings focus on discussing key topics essential for startup growth while fostering connections to valuable resources and opportunities.

For InsurTech Slopes, which this year takes place at Antlers at Vail, a venue overlooking Vail Mountain in Colorado, Gritz wanted an event that blends valuable discussions with dynamic activities.

“Typically at a conference you're stuck in a room for two, three days, breathing in recycled air, in some hotel or conference center,” said Gritz. “We wanted it [this event] to be in an environment where people can enjoy the great outdoors.”

The event, scheduled for 4-5 February, is expected to host 20 to 30 attendees, primarily consisting of founders and investors, according to Gritz.

Gritz expressed a hope that the connections made at the event would extend beyond business: “Not just transactional but hopefully lifelong relationships with, you know, other peers or your investors.”

“We also consider investors part of the founders’ team, because they're investing in them. They own the company, so they're all part of that same universe that you actually want to do business with long term and can really get to know on a personal level. So that's the networking side,” Gritz said.

On the content side, Gritz noted, “We design the content around the needs of not necessarily a new fledgling founder, but someone who has an established business and is really trying to understand deeper topics.”

Brown emphasised that the event is more than just about skiing, highlighting its strong business focus.

"It's actually called the InsurTech Investor and Founder Forum," he explained. "We hold two events a year — one in winter and one in summer — but we nicknamed this one after the skiing activity, which is designed to help strengthen professional relationships."

He addressed misconceptions about the event, stating, "Some people see it as just a skiing trip, but there's actually a real business component to it. The agenda is intentionally designed to align with the interests of the target audience, and the attendees themselves are intentionally targeted."

This year’s agenda includes sessions on topics like how to get covered by the press, when to hire a professional CEO, breaking down a financial model, and understanding valuation: comparing carrier, MGA, and SaaS companies.

Brown shared that he prioritises introducing new topics at each event and ensures that investors feel they are gaining value beyond simply supporting startups.

Attendees come from around the globe, with participants from places such as Australia, Pakistan, Israel, and India, according to Brown.

Gritz offered a piece of advice to participants: “This is a type of event that you’ve got to be all in on. Be engaged, don’t be on your phone or your laptop, and really reserve the time to be there and be present for the two full days, because if you do, you’ll get the most out of it.”