Willis Towers Watson expands partnership with Plug and Play

Willis Towers Watson PLC is expanding its partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center, an insurtech investor and developer that helps enable startup firms, Willis Towers Watson said in a statement Monday.

The expanded agreement allows Willis Towers Watson access to Sunnyvale, California-based Plug and Play’s entire global platform, including Beijing, Munich, New York, Silicon Valley, Singapore and Tokyo, the statement said.

“Our prior relationship entailed the Plug and Play Sunnyvale platform only. We now have access to their global insurtech platform, which is a much better match for our footprint and clients’,” a Willis Towers Watson spokeswoman said in an email. “In addition, we can now provide easier access for our clients to access the Plug and Play platform through us.”

As part of the agreement, Willis Towers Watson will assist in qualifying, assisting and collaborating with insurtech start-ups associated with Plug and Play, the statement said.

Plug and Play works with large corporate enterprises, venture capitals and startups, the statement said, and provides them with “a platform to collaborate,” the spokeswoman said in the email.

Willis announced its initial collaboration with Plug and Play in September 2017.

Willis Towers Watson and Plug and Play also partner on innovation platforms across health and wellness, the statement said.

“We believe better ideas come through collaboration inside and outside our company,” Todd Jones, head of corporate risk and broking for Willis Towers Watson, said in the statement.