BNPL is not a winner-takes-all game

Insurtech

Inclusive insurtech is reshaping the insurance landscape by leveraging big data to offer more equitable rates. Natasha Mascarenhas highlights Marshmallow, a UK-based startup, which recently achieved unicorn status by focusing on inclusivity and affordability in car insurance 1. Mary Azevedo notes that Marshmallow's approach, which avoids traditional biases like credit scores and marital status, is gaining traction in the UK and mirrors similar trends in the US 1.

It's one of the few UK startups with black founders to become a unicorn.

--- Mary Azevedo

This shift is crucial as it addresses long-standing biases in the industry, offering fairer options to a diverse customer base.

   

Fintech for Gig Workers

Innovative fintech solutions are emerging to support gig workers with financial benefits. Mary Azevedo discusses Lean, a company founded by Tilak Joshi, which partners with marketplaces to provide benefits directly to gig workers 2. This approach bypasses traditional consumer contracts, making it easier to implement and potentially more impactful 2.

If you can get the gig economy on board with a way to help workers, that is like badass.

--- Natasha Mascarenhas

The revenue model, based on transaction fees, mirrors that of neo banks, providing a sustainable business framework while enhancing worker benefits.