In the fast-evolving world of fintech, where innovation meets the intricacies of insurance finance, few stories capture the entrepreneurial spirit quite like that of Omer Rimoch and Gal Dreiman, co-founders of Advance. Omer, serial entrepreneur and former co-founder of PayEm (acquired after rapid scaling), and Gal, seasoned software engineer and AI specialist, have built a platform purpose-built for insurance intermediaries.
Just days ago (February 5, 2026), Advance closed its $8.55M seed round —completing an offering that already saw $7.3M in late 2025— led by nvp Capital with participation from Crystal Ventures, Vesey Ventures, Mensch Capital and strategic angels including Assaf Wand (ex-CEO & founder of Hippo Insurance). The capital will accelerate the rollout of their banking infrastructure that turns idle premium float into yield while automating reconciliation and remittances.
In this exclusive Q&A, Omer and Gal share how they’re solving one of insurance’s most persistent pain points and the macro trends that make this moment perfect for their solution.
1- Tell us about yourself / your co-founder(s)
Advance was founded by Omer Rimoch (former co-founder of PayEm) and Gal Dreiman (experience software engineer and entrepreneur). Together they bring deep experience and expertise in algorithmic development, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
2- Who are your target customers, and what problem do you address for them?
Advance serves insurance intermediaries that touch, hold, and move premium dollars, including:
- Managing General Agents (MGAs)
- Insurance Wholesalers
- Program Administrators
Insurance organizations—from MGAs and retail agencies to wholesale brokers—sit on substantial premium balances every day. Yet this money moves slowly through disconnected systems, lives in silos across multiple accounts, and earns little to nothing while it waits. Teams struggle to track funds with confidence, spending countless hours on manual reconciliation, chasing payments across emails and portals, and accepting operational friction as “how it’s always been done.”
The real cost isn’t just the administrative burden—it’s the money left behind every single day that premium dollars sit unmanaged in passive accounts. Advance eliminates this friction by providing one unified platform where premium money is controlled and earning—delivering economic value from previously idle float while making operations simpler, not harder.
3- What is your product / solution, who do you compete with, and what is your USP?
Product / solution. Advance is a bank-supported financial platform purpose-built for the insurance industry. Unlike generic fintech solutions, Advance provides insurance-native banking infrastructure designed specifically to manage premium money flows—the lifeblood of insurance operations. The platform provides:
- Segregated trust and operating accounts
- Insurance-specific money movement logic (commissions, remittances, taxes)
- Automated reconciliation and auditability
- The ability for premium funds to earn yield while remaining controlled
Advance positions itself as banking infrastructure, not a surface-level payments or workflow tool. Competitive landscape. Advance competes with:
- Generic banks that lack insurance-specific logic
- Horizontal payment processors built for transactions, not fiduciary funds
- Legacy insurance payment platforms that bolt payments onto outdated systems
- Bandaid point solutions, not solving the underlying issue
Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Advance is differentiated by:
- Being purpose-built for insurance fiduciary money movement
- Supporting complex, multi-party remittances that break standard banking tools
- Turning premium money from an operational burden into a yield-generating asset
- Providing banking infrastructure that understands insurance better than traditional banks
4- What is your current stage and traction, and how can our network help you in the next 6–12 months?
Advance is an early-stage fintech company working with tech-forward insurance intermediaries that manage meaningful premium volume and operational complexity. The company is focused on customers where:
- Yield on premium funds creates clear ROI
- Manual reconciliation and money movement are already visible bottlenecks
How your network can help. Over the next 6–12 months, Advance would benefit from:
- Introductions to scaling MGAs, wholesalers, and program administrators
- Relationships with insurance-friendly banks and balance-sheet partners
- Strategic partners across insurance distribution, payments, and infrastructure
- Operator-led introductions into complex insurance environments
5- How do you go to market? How are banks or insurers working with you (or can work with you)?
Advance goes to market via a direct, high-touch, consultative sales motion. The company sells to financial and operational leadership, emphasizing:
- Faster premium movement
- Reduced reconciliation cycles
- Improved visibility into premium cash positions
- Yield generation on funds that previously sat idle
Advance is designed to work alongside regulated banking partners, layering insurance-specific logic on top of traditional accounts. Rather than replacing banks or insurers, Advance enables them to better serve insurance intermediaries whose needs exceed generic banking capabilities.
6- Any relevant industry trends or market shifts we should be watching?
Key trends shaping Advance’s market include:
- Higher interest rates increasing the cost of idle premium cash
- Continued growth of MGAs and program business, driving payment complexity
- Increased scrutiny around fiduciary money movement
- A broader shift from horizontal fintech tools to vertical-specific infrastructure
- Demand for real-time financial visibility instead of month-end reconciliation
7- What’s on your bookshelf or podcast app? Your favourite place for a coffee or a drink?
Currently mid Shoe Dog, but there are lots of books on the shelf, favorite podcast is Diary of a CEO.
Favorite restaurants are in Tel Aviv, the best one is Cafe Brazilai.
As Omer Rimoch and Gal Dreiman demonstrate, the biggest opportunities often hide in the operational “plumbing” that the industry has long accepted as immutable. With the seed round now fully closed and capital deployed toward product expansion and customer acquisition, Advance is moving quickly to turn previously idle premium float into a true revenue-generating asset for MGAs, wholesalers, and program administrators.
Their story is a timely reminder that vertical-specific banking infrastructure — purpose-built for insurance — can deliver both operational simplicity and economic upside. The coming months will show how many intermediaries are ready to move beyond legacy banking tools; those who do may find Advance is exactly the partner they’ve been waiting for.