Douglas Loots

At kmōdo, we lead life insurance innovation with patented technologies that deliver unique, flexible solutions tailored to individual needs. Our modern user interface empowers consumers to create optimal solutions for their ever-changing insurance needs.

The Global Insurance Accelerator is a mentor-driven business accelerator designed to foster innovation in the insurance industry through startups targeting the global insurance industry. We take in early-stage companies who are building solutions that support the insurance industry. We provide seed funding, networking with our mentors, a desk in our beautiful office in Des Moines, 100-days of on-site support and time on stage at the Global Insurance Symposium with hundreds industry executives in attendance. This is not your typical accelerator. Our investors are insurance carriers, our mentors are primarily insurance executives. Startups participating in our program find product-market fit and do customer discovery faster than they could ever do at any other accelerator. We are a strategic partner. -The Deal- Investment with founder-friendly terms: $50k in the form of a post-money SAFE that converts to 5% of the company; no board seat Curated meetings with 75+ insurance-focused mentors in program; dozens more after Final presentations @ Global Insurance Symposium (~600 attendees in 2019) Additional exposure at industry conferences One-bedroom, residential-style suite at the Staybridge Suites, with amenities including daily breakfast, nightly dinner, gym, pool, and laundry (in-person nights / 2-minute walk from GIA) Office space for your entire team Typical accelerator perks (deals on hosting, marketing tools, etc) Stocked fridge at the GIA office Founders need to be in Des Moines during the program, business-related travel is supported

Metro Waste Authority (MWA) is an independent government agency comprised of 16 member communities, one county and six planning members. Established in 1969, MWA was designated to manage the landfill for the Polk County area after state law required all Iowa communities to properly dispose of their solid waste in a sanitary landfill. Now nationally recognized as a leader in environmental stewardship and cost-effective waste management, MWA operates five facilities, including the largest landfill in the state and serves more than 145,000 households. The annual operating budget is in excess of $25 million. Metro Waste Authority provides answers for safe and smart waste disposal and recycling. Whether it is garbage, recyclables, yard waste, hazardous waste or special waste, we know where it should go and have the resources to help. Serving Central Iowa, Metro Waste Authority manages Metro Park East Landfill, Metro Park West Landfill, Metro Hazardous Waste Drop-Off, Metro Compost Center, and Metro Transfer Station. We also provide recycling programs such as Curb It! and Compost It! for our member communities. A government agency, Metro Waste Authority is self-funded through fees charged to those who use the landfill and its other services; we do not receive tax dollars.

At kmōdo, we lead life insurance innovation with patented technologies that deliver unique, flexible solutions tailored to individual needs. Our modern user interface empowers consumers to create optimal solutions for their ever-changing insurance needs.

Holding Ground Decision Intelligence provides candid and independent strategic technology assessment & diligence services for investment companies, CEOs, Boards, CIOs, and other C- levels. Holding Ground is often brought in at the time when critical questions are on the forefront, for example, "would this company's technology support my investment thesis", "should this technology strategy continue, and if so, how can it be more successful", "why is the digital transformation program underperforming and what should be done to set it back on course", "why is this vendor/partner relationship not working and what steps are needed to improve". At the conclusion of an assessment, a thorough and very direct set of observations and recommendations are provided ensuring executives are equipped to make well-informed, appropriate, and practical decisions for any particular business-technology critical situation. Holding Ground's partners are career technology executives - not career consultants. Each project is undertaken as if the partners themselves were to assume the technology executive role; the evidence-based assessment outcome reflects how they would research the situation and approach the crucial decisions at hand. Holding Ground does not bid for follow-on implementation or management consulting work, which might cause a conflict of interest. The focus is solely on providing solid Intelligence in the face of challenging Decisions - a Holding Ground for executives while charting their next course of action.