(Image source: The Floow homepage.)
Otonomo Technologies Ltd. (Herzliya, Israel), a mobility intelligence provider, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire The Floow, a privately held company headquartered in Sheffield, U.K., in a cash and stock deal valued at approximately $69 million, including a performance based earnout of up to $37.5 million. Under the definitive agreement, the aggregate cash and stock consideration to be paid and issued upon closing is valued at $31.5 million based on a share price of $2.75, according to an Otonomo statement. Otonomo says that it may issue additional cash and stock of up to $37.5 million dependent upon achievement of certain business performance objectives. The acquisition is subject to approval by U.K. regulators and is expected to close within the second quarter of 2022. The Floow’s preliminary and unaudited revenue was between $6.5 million and $7 million for 2021.
Matteo Carbone, Founder, IoT Insurance Observatory.
“Insurers have recognized telematics as a necessary capability to compete in the auto business,” says Matteo Carbone, founder of the IoT Insurance Observatory. “The future of the industry lies in data-driven and proactive offerings where risk transfer and services are integrated. The combination of Otonomo and The Floow is a smart move. Together, they can provide insurers with a vision and mobility data assets capable of supporting their innovation journey.”
The Floow is a SaaS provider of connected insurance technology for insurance carriers globally. Otonomo sees the value of the acquisition enabling the combination of vehicle and mobile data from Otonomo and The Floow to enable innovative, usage-based and behavioral-based insurance products and to move from “detect and repair” to “predict and prevent” models to create safer, greener and smarter driving experiences for policyholders.
Otonomo pitches itself as building the preeminent mobility intelligence platform for powering the next generation of automotive, fleet, insurance, transportation, and mobility services. The company boasts a cloud-native platform using AI, sensor data and behavioral pattern mapping from more than 50 million accessible connected vehicles and more than 430 million accessible mobility end devices to provide the critical insights needed to optimize vehicle insurance, emergency services, mapping, traffic management, EV management, micro-mobility, predictive maintenance, and dozens of smart city solutions.
Ben Volkow, CEO and Co-Founder, Otonomo.
Over the last decade, The Floow has built a portfolio of connected insurance clients, alongside strategic partnerships with Munich Re and TransUnion, according to an Otonomo statement. The Floow’s data refinery platform enables world leading insurance carriers to introduce “connectivity” to their products and differentiate their offerings through a more precise understanding of risk in the context of personalized products and services, improved road safety through driver coaching and timely, accurate roadside assistance, the statement says.
With the acquisition, the two companies plan to integrate The Floow’s vehicle insurance tools, built in partnership with insurance companies, with Otonomo’s mobility intelligence platform built on OEM vehicle data. Together, Otonomo and The Floow say they will offer connected insurance solutions powered by the full spectrum of data sources (OEM, mobile and aftermarket devices), generating insurance-grade scores and user analytics regardless of data origin.
Aldo Monteforte, CEO, The Floow.
“Together, we believe Otonomo and The Floow will create the opportunity for both OEMs and insurance companies to accelerate the utilization of their data, create new products, improve customer experiences and accelerate business transformation,” comments Ben Volkow, CEO of Otonomo. “We are pleased to be joining forces with The Floow’s CEO Aldo Monteforte, a visionary in his field, and the entire team.”
Significant and Unique Set of Data Products, Tools & Resources
Joachim Mathe, Head, Global Consulting, Munich Re.
“I could not be prouder to announce we are joining the Otonomo team. This is a big, bold step that brings us closer to our vision of safer and smarter mobility for all,” says Aldo Monteforte, CEO, The Floow. “Our clients and partners, some of the leading insurers of the world, will have access to a significant and unique set of data products, tools and resources to help them compete and thrive in a connected new world ahead.”
“The Floow provides us with the technical underpinnings necessary to create superior, data-driven products,” comments Joachim Mathe, Head of Global Consulting at Munich Re. “Otonomo adds considerable data science heft to the Floow’s robust insurtech telematics technology. Their combined offering will strengthen our position for the tidal wave of innovation coming in the auto insurance space.”
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