InsurTech America Announces 2026 Making Waves Award Honorees

InsurTech America Announces 2026 Making Waves Award Honorees, Celebrating Innovation and Leadership Across the Insurance Industry

Hartford, CT, March 24, 2026 — InsurTech America is proud to announce the 2026 honorees of the prestigious Making Waves Awards, recognizing leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who are driving meaningful change across the insurance ecosystem.

Each year, the Making Waves Awards spotlight individuals who are pushing boundaries and redefining how the industry approaches risk, technology, and customer experience. This year’s honorees represent a powerful cross-section of leaders shaping the future of insurance.

2026 Making Waves Award Honorees

Industry Thought Leader

• Amber Wuollet, Director of Product & Life Cycle Marketing, Cowbell
• Awais Farooq, Chief Claims Officer, Venbrook
  
• Bob Frady, CEO and Co-Founder, Property Lens
  

Most Innovative Entrepreneur

• Aman Gour, CEO and Founder, FurtherAI
  
• Arvind Sontha, CEO and Founder, Kyber
  
• Ngozi Nnaji, Founder and Managing Partner, Ako Insurance Consulting
  
• Scott Sutter, President, Strategic Risk Transfers
  

Innovation Excellence

• Colby Tunick, CEO and Founder, ReFocus AI
  
• Samuel Broomer, President, Parametric Solutions, NormanMax
  
• Alex Martin, CEO, Clearspeed
  

“The insurance industry does not need incremental change. It needs disruption, speed, and people willing to challenge everything we have accepted for decades,” said Stacey Brown, President, InsurTech America. “The Making Waves Awards recognize the builders, operators, and thinkers who are actually moving the industry forward. This year’s honorees are not simply talking about the future. They are creating it.”

“Being recognized as a Making Waves honoree last year was a defining moment for me and our team at Adjusto,” said Michael Balarezo, CEO and Cofounder of Adjusto. “It validated that the work we are doing to simplify and humanize claims is not just necessary, it is gaining traction. This industry does not change easily, so recognition like this signals that a shift is actually happening.”

“I have been fortunate to receive a few awards over the course of my career, but nothing has matched the experience of the Making Waves Awards,” said Tony Cañas, 2024 Making Waves Honoree. “It is not just the recognition. It is the people. Being part of a cohort of leaders I genuinely respect, sharing that moment on stage, and participating in an event that consistently brings real energy to the industry makes it stand apart.”

The awards will be presented during the InsurTech America Symposium, held annually in Hartford, Connecticut, with this year’s event taking place April 13-14, 2026.

About the Making Waves Awards

The Making Waves Awards recognize individuals across the insurance ecosystem who are driving meaningful progress through innovation, leadership, and bold thinking.

About InsurTech America

InsurTech America convenes insurance and technology leaders to drive innovation, collaboration, and transformation across the industry, connecting the people and ideas shaping the future of insurance.