HackZone Open Insurance Program is a 1-month marathon for startups aiming to pilot new products with Allianz, but more in “hacking” and design thinking. This year HackZone starts on 24 November 2022 and will last until the Demoday on 10 January 2023. Startups selected for the program will pass through 3 major phases of the Co-Creation Process with the Allianz team, culminating in Proof of Concept. More than 30 mentors from the Allianz team will be supporting entrepreneurs during this period in different areas, including the API and IT side. 

Online InsurTech Meetup, held on Zoom on 26 October 2022, aimed to bring together InsurTech ecosystem leaders and innovators in Turkey, raise awareness for the HackZone Open Insurance Program, and provide information about the rapidly changing insurance industry.

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The meetup started with the opening speech by Kaan Akın, Founder & CEO of Hackquarters. He outlined the mindset behind the program, its outcomes, and what will be next.

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“This is a unique POC-focused Open Insurance program. And are looking for commercially viable startups that want to emerge with new products and services. This is the 3rd year that we are running entrepreneurship programs with Allianz. Open Insurance Program is designed to enable entrepreneurs and Allianz to find new business models to build. ”

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Following Kaan’s speech, Onur Kırcı, CMO & Head of Digital Allianz Turkey, shared his perspective on Allianz’s Digital Transformation and Startup Collaborations. He highlighted that Allianz cares much about reshaping and improving customer experience to create more excellent value for the insurance ecosystem. He also underlined that this could only be possible with corporate and startup collaborations.  “We are open to all startup applications that could improve our current processes. This year, we focus on On-Demand Insurance Solutions For Micro-Mobility and Car Sharing in The New Mobility Ecosystem, New Business Opportunities, and Digital Solutions in Financial Consultancy and Asset Management and Combating Climate Change. All are significant needs of our ecosystem currently.”

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The next session was the panel discussion moderated by Kaan Akın. Kaan Toker, COO of Allianz Turkey, and Evren Ayorak, CIO of Allianz Turkey, discussed the InsurTech Ecosystem in #newnormal and Open Insurance. 

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“I have been working at Allianz Turkey for 14 years. Before Allianz Turkey, I was also an entrepreneur in the IT industry, so I am aware that today’s ecosystems require strong collaborations. The dynamics of the insurance ecosystem can change rapidly. A new approach to customer service in another country can become necessary in Turkey two months later. In these conditions, we strongly believe the power of collaboration.” Kaan Toker stated.

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Evren Ayorak added, “15 years ago, the sectors consisted of the firms. Today, the sectors are ecosystems. The insurance ecosystem includes regulators, corporates, and great insurtech startups. In the past, we could deliver innovation processes in the financial industry on our own. Today’s world requires combining great services to create better customer experiences. That’s why we see the engagement with startups so significant.”

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The last session was the fireside chat between Hümeyra Boztunç, Innovation Manager, Allianz Turkey, and 2nd Batch alumnus Tayfun Sungun, Co-founder and CFO, Diyetkolik.

They talked about the PoC Benefits and Program Outcomes of the HackZone Open Insurance Program.

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 “I decided to found the company when I had a problem with my diet. We had a chance to make a successful PoC with Allianz in the health sector. Healthcare data is the most sensitive part of the insurance sector. We somehow found our way and got invaluable insights from customers who tried our product. We are happy that most of them continued to use it. The support of Allianz professionals is also valuable.” Tayfun shared. 

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“Being open to feedback and taking action are highly valuable in the journey of entrepreneurship and startup-corporate collaboration. ”, Hümeyra added.

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Hümeyra lastly underlined, “Insurance sector touches far more points than you can imagine. We are open to every startup application that can improve our processes.” She hit the nail right on the head. 

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Applications for the Allianz HackZone Open Insurance Program continue until 11 November 2022. Don’t forget to apply if you run a relevant startup with the program expectations. Check the program website to learn more.

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