Jubilee Group and FSD Africa’s BimaLab accelerator have partnered with seven insurtech firms to design low‑cost insurance products for small businesses, informal workers, farmers and low‑income households, with pilot programmes slated to start in November 2026.

The eight‑week co‑creation sprint will focus on digital distribution, bundled and embedded insurance, and linking coverage to health‑and‑wellness services before the pilots move to real‑world testing.

The selected companies – Dukatech Solutions, Aura Insure Technologies, Inclusivity Solutions, DPE, Fiinovate, Agrails and Ibisa Network – were chosen through a competitive process that drew on alumni of the BimaLab Africa Insurtech Accelerator.

Each firm will bring a distinct capability: Dukatech will test bundled insurance via its Shopokoa platform for waste pickers and refugees; Aura will supply SaaS underwriting APIs; Inclusivity will enable embedded sales through its ASPin platform; DPE will use its Interch SMS/WhatsApp service for health engagement; Fiinovate will explore credit‑linked coverage; Agrails will apply generative‑AI climate data for parametric products; and Ibisa will use satellite‑based AI analytics for automated payouts to farmers and renewable‑energy operators.

Jubilee’s deputy group chief executive officer, Juan Cazcarra, said many Kenyans who work and run businesses lack insurance and that the partnership aims to deliver affordable, relevant products that meet people where they are.

FSD Africa’s principal for sustainable insurance, Elias Omondi, stressed that the real challenge is ensuring products reach the intended customers at prices they can afford through familiar channels.

The initiative targets a severe coverage gap: small and medium enterprises account for over 70 % of jobs in East Africa, yet insurance penetration among them averages about 1 %, according to the partnership announcement.

Jubilee will coordinate the effort through its J‑Hub innovation arm, which will evaluate the co‑created products and distribution models before deciding which solutions can be scaled, potentially extending successful offerings to other East African markets.