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July 2, 2025 56 mins

In this episode of Insurance VC, PE, and M&A, host Jeff Shi sits down with Dave Wechsler, Principal at OMERS Ventures, for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of venture capital and insurtech. Dave shares his unconventional path from launching startups to leading one of the most active fintech and insurtech investment portfolios. He offers founders a transparent look into the venture capital mindset, including how funds decide where to invest, the importance of matching stage and thesis, and why most pitches get rejected. Dave and Jeff explore insurtech’s journey from 1.0’s disruptive beginnings to today’s 2.0 and the emerging 3.0 wave driven by AI innovation. The episode is packed with tactical advice on how to make your startup VC-ready, understanding lead versus follow investors, navigating board dynamics, and the realities of raising capital. If you’re a founder looking to understand the venture capital world or an operator curious about where insurtech is headed next, this conversation is a must-listen.

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Listen to the Pod :

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insurtechs-io/id1775588982

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2jAGcKCT2v6rdWea3nvrYh

Pandora - https://www.pandora.com/podcast/insurtechsio/PC:1001094614


Jeff Shi :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffshiva/


Dave Wechsler :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davewechsler/

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