Portage

Portage Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Toronto, Canada, established in 2016 as the corporate venture capital arm of Sagard Holdings. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage, growth-stage, and later-stage companies within the financial technology sector. Portage Ventures is dedicated to identifying and supporting promising Canadian fintech companies that have the potential to achieve significant global impact. Through its strategic investments, the firm aims to foster innovation and development in the financial services industry.

Jake Bodanis

Partner, Portage Ventures

Ross Darwin

Principal

Adam Felesky

Co-Founder and CEO

Ricky Lai

Partner

Victoire Lavigne

Principal, Portage Ventures

Leo Liu

Senior Associate

Gabi Makari

Associate

AJ Okereke

Principal

Juliette Souliman

Principal

Alex Tung

Associate

Jonathan Tétrault

Managing Partner and Member of the Management Committee

Past deals in Insurance

Marshmallow

Series C in 2025
Marshmallow Financial Services Limited, known as Marshmallow, is a London-based insurtech company that specializes in motor vehicle insurance. Founded in 2017, it focuses on providing car insurance products for residents relocating to the United Kingdom. Marshmallow aims to simplify the insurance process through technology, offering features such as instant policy management, personal support, and no administrative fees. The company controls the entire value chain, from sign-up and pricing to claims, which enhances the customer experience. While it began with car insurance, Marshmallow plans to expand its offerings to include various insurance products across multiple regions.

Walnut Insurance

Series A in 2024
Walnut Insurance is a technology company specializing in embedded insurance infrastructure for retailers, financial services providers, and consumer platforms. The firm enables businesses to seamlessly integrate insurance offerings into their products, addressing previous barriers to incorporation. By providing a core infrastructure and a wide array of insurance products, Walnut allows partners to deliver simple and convenient digital-first purchasing experiences. This approach enhances accessibility across various insurance types, including life and property & casualty, and empowers customers to secure coverage in minutes, thereby transforming the way insurance is integrated into everyday consumer experiences.

Faye

Series B in 2024
Faye is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travelers, including health, trip, personal belongings, and even pets. The company utilizes advanced technology to enhance the travel experience, providing consumers with real-time solutions and support through a user-friendly app. Faye's automated platform focuses on resolving flight disruptions and ensuring quick claims processing and reimbursements. With 24/7 customer service specialists, Faye aims to turn travel mishaps into manageable experiences, allowing travelers to navigate unforeseen challenges with ease. The company's innovative approach redefines traditional travel insurance by prioritizing customer-centric solutions and seamless assistance throughout the journey.

CoverTree

Series A in 2024
CoverTree is an insurance technology company that specializes in providing digital insurance solutions for residents of manufactured homes. Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, the company aims to enhance access to manufactured home insurance through digital distribution, automated underwriting, and data-driven pricing. CoverTree's insurance products are currently available in several states, including Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Illinois, and Tennessee. By focusing on specialty personal lines of insurance, CoverTree seeks to offer clients improved and tailored insurance options for their unique housing needs.

Ansel

Venture Round in 2024
Ansel Health is a developer of a health insurance platform designed for employers to improve employee benefits through a straightforward supplemental health benefits plan. The company provides insurance services that offer cash payouts to individuals diagnosed with various conditions, including those related to COVID-19. This support helps alleviate financial burdens associated with serious health issues, ensuring that employees have access to necessary resources for recovery.

Orus

Series A in 2023
Orus is an online insurance platform dedicated to providing simple, affordable, and tailored insurance coverage for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Europe. The company aims to offer a seamless user experience that allows SMBs to easily modify their insurance policies with full transparency and fraud prevention measures. By focusing on protecting businesses' premises, contents, and civil liability, Orus enables its clients to concentrate on their core operations without the stress of complex insurance issues. Through its mission, Orus strives to deliver peace of mind to SMBs, ensuring they have the necessary coverage to thrive.

Orus

Seed Round in 2022
Orus is an online insurance platform dedicated to providing simple, affordable, and tailored insurance coverage for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Europe. The company aims to offer a seamless user experience that allows SMBs to easily modify their insurance policies with full transparency and fraud prevention measures. By focusing on protecting businesses' premises, contents, and civil liability, Orus enables its clients to concentrate on their core operations without the stress of complex insurance issues. Through its mission, Orus strives to deliver peace of mind to SMBs, ensuring they have the necessary coverage to thrive.

Faye

Seed Round in 2022
Faye is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travelers, including health, trip, personal belongings, and even pets. The company utilizes advanced technology to enhance the travel experience, providing consumers with real-time solutions and support through a user-friendly app. Faye's automated platform focuses on resolving flight disruptions and ensuring quick claims processing and reimbursements. With 24/7 customer service specialists, Faye aims to turn travel mishaps into manageable experiences, allowing travelers to navigate unforeseen challenges with ease. The company's innovative approach redefines traditional travel insurance by prioritizing customer-centric solutions and seamless assistance throughout the journey.

TheGuarantors

Series C in 2022
TheGuarantors is a FinTech company that provides risk and financial solutions tailored for the real estate sector. Its platform offers an innovative rental coverage service that allows tenants to replace traditional security deposits with a small annual fee, thereby making renting more affordable and accessible. This solution not only helps tenants free up capital but also offers landlords the protection they require during the leasing process. By leveraging data and industry expertise in real estate and finance, TheGuarantors enhances the efficiency of leasing transactions, benefiting landlords, brokers, and renters alike. The company has received recognition for its growth and impact within the industry, appearing on notable lists such as The Inc. 5000 and Forbes' Best Startup Employers.

Socotra

Series C in 2022
Socotra, Inc. is a technology company that specializes in providing a cloud-based platform tailored for the insurance industry. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Socotra offers a comprehensive software solution for policy administration, underwriting, claims management, billing, and reporting. The platform is designed to support both property and casualty as well as life insurance businesses globally. By utilizing modern technologies, Socotra aims to deliver a reliable and flexible core system that enhances the speed and efficiency of insurance operations. Its platform features standardized public APIs, allowing insurers to easily adapt to changing regulations and streamline product development. This innovative approach not only reduces maintenance costs but also improves the overall customer experience, making it a valuable resource for insurers looking to modernize their operations.

Hellas Direct

Venture Round in 2021
Hellas Direct is a Cyprus-based digital-first insurance company that leverages advanced technology and artificial intelligence to transform the insurance industry. The company offers a range of insurance products, including car, motorcycle, and home insurance, by utilizing algorithms and advanced analytics to provide competitive pricing. By focusing on operational excellence, Hellas Direct aims to streamline the insurance process, making it simpler and more accessible for clients. With a mission to disrupt the traditional insurance value chain, Hellas Direct adopts a customer-centric approach, ensuring that clients receive the best possible offers tailored to their needs.

Socotra

Venture Round in 2021
Socotra, Inc. is a technology company that specializes in providing a cloud-based platform tailored for the insurance industry. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Socotra offers a comprehensive software solution for policy administration, underwriting, claims management, billing, and reporting. The platform is designed to support both property and casualty as well as life insurance businesses globally. By utilizing modern technologies, Socotra aims to deliver a reliable and flexible core system that enhances the speed and efficiency of insurance operations. Its platform features standardized public APIs, allowing insurers to easily adapt to changing regulations and streamline product development. This innovative approach not only reduces maintenance costs but also improves the overall customer experience, making it a valuable resource for insurers looking to modernize their operations.

Clark

Series C in 2021
Clark is a Berlin-based insurance platform founded in June 2015 by Dr. Christopher Oster and Steffen Glomb. The company aims to simplify and enhance the insurance experience by providing transparent and affordable coverage options. Through its digital platform, available via iOS and Android applications as well as a website, Clark allows users to assess their insurance status and identifies opportunities for optimization by comparing tariffs from various insurance providers. By leveraging technology alongside insurance expertise, Clark offers customer-centric advice, enabling users to manage their insurance needs efficiently and cost-effectively. The company is supported by the FinTech incubator FinLeap and the Institute for Transparency, further enhancing its commitment to promoting clarity and fairness in the insurance industry.

Socotra

Series B in 2020
Socotra, Inc. is a technology company that specializes in providing a cloud-based platform tailored for the insurance industry. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Socotra offers a comprehensive software solution for policy administration, underwriting, claims management, billing, and reporting. The platform is designed to support both property and casualty as well as life insurance businesses globally. By utilizing modern technologies, Socotra aims to deliver a reliable and flexible core system that enhances the speed and efficiency of insurance operations. Its platform features standardized public APIs, allowing insurers to easily adapt to changing regulations and streamline product development. This innovative approach not only reduces maintenance costs but also improves the overall customer experience, making it a valuable resource for insurers looking to modernize their operations.

Qover

Venture Round in 2019
Qover is an insurtech company that specializes in providing a modular embedded insurance orchestration platform, which allows businesses and insurance providers to deliver seamless, technology-driven insurance experiences. The platform features a digital infrastructure that facilitates managing insurance services, including obtaining quotes and handling claims and contracts through an application programming interface (API) adaptable to various products, countries, and insurers. This approach has enabled Qover to serve over 4 million users across 32 European countries, partnering with notable companies such as Revolut, Monzo, Deliveroo, and NIO, among others.

Hellas Direct

Series C in 2019
Hellas Direct is a Cyprus-based digital-first insurance company that leverages advanced technology and artificial intelligence to transform the insurance industry. The company offers a range of insurance products, including car, motorcycle, and home insurance, by utilizing algorithms and advanced analytics to provide competitive pricing. By focusing on operational excellence, Hellas Direct aims to streamline the insurance process, making it simpler and more accessible for clients. With a mission to disrupt the traditional insurance value chain, Hellas Direct adopts a customer-centric approach, ensuring that clients receive the best possible offers tailored to their needs.

Multiply

Venture Round in 2018
Multiply is a London-based company founded in 2016 that leverages artificial intelligence to provide personalized investment advice. The firm aims to address the "advice gap" by offering free financial plans accessible to individuals who may not have significant assets, thus making financial guidance available to a broader audience. Working in collaboration with the Financial Conduct Authority's Advice Unit, Multiply is pursuing full regulation to become one of the first automated financial advice solutions. Their platform allows users to create an account, answer questions about their financial situation and goals, and receive tailored recommendations across various financial areas, including savings, pensions, investments, and insurance. Multiply prioritizes user security through encryption, ensuring that personal information remains confidential and is never shared or sold. This innovative approach provides a fast, easy, and impartial way for individuals to enhance their financial decision-making.

Clark

Series B in 2018
Clark is a Berlin-based insurance platform founded in June 2015 by Dr. Christopher Oster and Steffen Glomb. The company aims to simplify and enhance the insurance experience by providing transparent and affordable coverage options. Through its digital platform, available via iOS and Android applications as well as a website, Clark allows users to assess their insurance status and identifies opportunities for optimization by comparing tariffs from various insurance providers. By leveraging technology alongside insurance expertise, Clark offers customer-centric advice, enabling users to manage their insurance needs efficiently and cost-effectively. The company is supported by the FinTech incubator FinLeap and the Institute for Transparency, further enhancing its commitment to promoting clarity and fairness in the insurance industry.

Alan

Series A in 2018
Alan is a digital health insurance provider that simplifies and streamlines insurance services for businesses. It offers tailored health insurance solutions, easy claim handling, and access to medical professionals via video calls, enabling users to conveniently manage their health and wellness.

Hellas Direct

Series B in 2018
Hellas Direct is a Cyprus-based digital-first insurance company that leverages advanced technology and artificial intelligence to transform the insurance industry. The company offers a range of insurance products, including car, motorcycle, and home insurance, by utilizing algorithms and advanced analytics to provide competitive pricing. By focusing on operational excellence, Hellas Direct aims to streamline the insurance process, making it simpler and more accessible for clients. With a mission to disrupt the traditional insurance value chain, Hellas Direct adopts a customer-centric approach, ensuring that clients receive the best possible offers tailored to their needs.

Limelight Health

Series B in 2017
Limelight Health, Inc. specializes in developing a cloud-based platform designed to streamline quoting, underwriting, and proposal processes within the employee benefits sector. The platform supports health insurance carriers, general agents, and brokers by automating manual workflows, enhancing sales efficiency, and facilitating plan distribution. It offers a suite of configurable microservices, including quoting, rating, proposal generation, renewals, and data analysis, which enable users to manage their operations more effectively. Additionally, the platform features an integrated API to ensure seamless connectivity with various industry systems, allowing for comprehensive integration across different functions. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Limelight Health operates additional offices in Redding, California, and Des Moines, Iowa, and is a subsidiary of FINEOS Corporation Holdings plc.

Kin Insurance

Seed Round in 2017
Kin Insurance, Inc. is a digital insurance agency specializing in homeowners insurance and related products, including mobile home, condo, flood, manufactured home, landlord, umbrella, hurricane, wildfire, and second home insurance. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in St. Petersburg, Florida, Kin Insurance operates payment processing offices in Palatine and Chicago. By eliminating external agents, Kin Insurance offers a direct-to-consumer model that enhances the convenience and affordability of homeowners insurance. The company's technology platform provides a seamless user experience, personalized coverage options, and efficient claims processing. Kin leverages extensive property data to deliver precise pricing and improve underwriting outcomes.

Clark

Private Equity Round in 2017
Clark is a Berlin-based insurance platform founded in June 2015 by Dr. Christopher Oster and Steffen Glomb. The company aims to simplify and enhance the insurance experience by providing transparent and affordable coverage options. Through its digital platform, available via iOS and Android applications as well as a website, Clark allows users to assess their insurance status and identifies opportunities for optimization by comparing tariffs from various insurance providers. By leveraging technology alongside insurance expertise, Clark offers customer-centric advice, enabling users to manage their insurance needs efficiently and cost-effectively. The company is supported by the FinTech incubator FinLeap and the Institute for Transparency, further enhancing its commitment to promoting clarity and fairness in the insurance industry.

Zensurance

Seed Round in 2016
Zensurance Inc. is an online commercial insurance brokerage based in Toronto, Canada, that specializes in providing insurance solutions for startups and small businesses. Founded in 2016, the company offers a variety of insurance products, including business, contractors, technology, and tenants insurance. By utilizing data and analytics, Zensurance identifies common risks within various industries to create tailored insurance packages that meet the specific needs of its clients. This approach allows small business owners to navigate the insurance process more efficiently, enabling them to learn about their requirements and purchase insurance online within minutes, without the hassle of lengthy forms or phone calls. Zensurance collaborates with leading insurance companies and industry experts to deliver advanced insurance solutions, enhancing the user experience and making insurance more accessible to its clients.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.