Listen Here

| |

Conversation
Highlights

 

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from the tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Vincenz Klemm, CEO and co-founder of Baobab, a cyber insurance startup that has raised more than $4 million in pre-seed funding.

  • From Gabi to Baobab: After founding Gabby, an online insurance broker in the Bay Area, and its subsequent sale for $320 million, Vincenz returned to Europe to start Baobab, focusing on cyber insurance for businesses.
  • Cyber Insurance’s Critical Role: Baobab addresses the increasing threat of cyber attacks on companies, offering not just insurance but also crisis management and preventive measures against such attacks.
  • Baobab’s Educational Mission: Beyond offering insurance, Baobab aims to educate the market on cyber threats and risk management, enhancing the overall resilience of businesses against cyber attacks.
  • The Importance of Cyber Risk Management: Vincenz emphasizes the need for companies to understand and mitigate cyber risks, a service Baobab uniquely provides through its insurance solutions.
  • Broker-Driven Go-to-Market Strategy: Baobab leverages insurance brokers across Europe to reach its target market, providing them with the tools and knowledge to competently advise on cyber risk.
  • The Future of Cyber Insurance: Vincenz envisions Baobab becoming the market leader for SME cyber insurance in Europe, emphasizing the importance of data-driven risk models for more accurate and effective coverage.

Actionable
Takeaways

Identify Underserved Market Needs:

Recognizing the underestimated threat of cyber attacks on businesses, Baobab addresses the need for comprehensive cyber insurance. This demonstrates the value of creating solutions for critical, underserved market needs.

Incorporate Comprehensive Services Beyond Core Offerings:

Offering more than just insurance, Baobab provides crisis management and prevention measures. This approach of adding value beyond the core product can differentiate a startup in a competitive market.

Utilize Strategic Go-to-Market Channels:

Baobab's strategy to reach SMBs through insurance brokers highlights the effectiveness of leveraging existing industry channels for distribution, especially in regulated sectors.

Focus on Specialization and Expertise:

By specializing in cyber insurance and prioritizing cybersecurity expertise, Baobab aims to lead in its market. Specialization can be a key differentiator, especially in industries where deep technical knowledge is essential.

Plan for Scalability Across Markets:

While starting in a familiar market, Baobab's strategy to expand across Europe, despite regulatory and language barriers, showcases the importance of planning for scalability and localization in your expansion strategy.

Recommended Founder
Interviews

Mark Morissette

CEO and Co-Founder of Foxquilt

Mark Morissette, CEO and Co-Founder of Foxquilt: $25 Million Raised to Build the Future of SMB Commercial Insurance

Max Bruner

CEO and Founder of Anzen Insurance

Max Bruner, CEO and Founder of Anzen Insurance: $10 Million Raised to Build the Future of Executive Risk Insurance

Martin J. Gylfe

CEO and Co-Founder of Insurely

Martin Gylfe, CEO and Co-Founder of Insurely: €22 Million Raised to Power the Future of Open Insurance

Dirk Doebler

Founder and CEO of Parento

Dirk Doebler, Founder and CEO of Parento: $4.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Paid Parental Leave

Sergey Litvinenko

CEO & Co-Founder of Koop Insurance

Sergey Litvinenko, CEO & Co-Founder of Koop Insurance: $7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Insurance for Tech Companies

Michael Konialian

Co-Founder and CEO of Modern Life

Michael Konialian, Co-Founder and CEO of Modern Life: $15 Million Raised to Build the Tech-Enabled Insurance Brokerage of the Future

Harry Croydon

Co-Founder of MIC Global

Harry Croydon, Co-Founder of MIC Global: $13 Million Raised to Build the Future of Embedded Microinsurance

Martha Dreiling

Co-Founder & COO of Reserv

Martha Dreiling, Co-Founder & COO of Reserv: $28 Million Raised to Build the Future of AI-Powered Insurance Claims

Cole Riccardi

CEO and Founder of Authentic

Cole Riccardi, CEO & Founder of Authentic: $16 Million Raised to Build the Future of Insurance Technology

Jeff Radke

CEO of Accelerant

Jeff Radke, CEO of Accelerant: Over $500 Million Raised to Empower Underwriters to Deliver Better Insurance

Paul Monasterio

CEO and Co-Founder of Kalepa

Paul Monasterio, CEO and Co-Founder of Kalepa: $16 Million Raised to Power the Future of Insurance Underwriting

David Wald

President and Co-Founder of Aclaimant

David Wald, President and Co-Founder of Aclaimant: $30 Million Raised to Build the Future of Active Risk Management

Douglas Ver Mulm

CEO of Stable

Douglas Ver Mulm, CEO at Stable: $3.7 Million in Funding to Insure Rideshare Drivers

Harleen Singh

Director of Marketing of Flow

Harleen Singh, Director of Marketing at Flow: The Importance of Deep Customer Understanding in B2B Marketing