Amir Kabir

Amir leads Fintech and Insurtech investing at AV8 and has been one of the earliest investors in the Insurtech space. Amir has been an entrepreneur, operator and investor with over 15 years of experience, working with early and mid-stage companies on financing, partnerships and strategic growth initiatives.

Prior to AV8, Amir was an investment director and founding team member at Munich Re Ventures where he lead and managed investment efforts for two of the funds and made early bets in Insurtech, Mobility and Digital Health in companies like Next Insurance, Inshur, HDVI, Spruce, Ridecell, Babylon Health etc.. Earlier Amir worked for several venture funds, including Route 66 Ventures, focusing on Fintech and Insurtech, and investing in companies such as Simplesurance and DriveWealth.

He began his career in Germany as a network engineer and subsequently at Legodo AG (acquired by Open Text, OTEX (NASDAQ)), an enterprise software startup, where he held several roles in sales, business development and product management until acquisition.

In 2019, Amir was ranked 11 out of 100 on Global Corporate Venture’s Rising Stars list and was named a “VC Champions Select” by All Raise.

Amir lives in San Francisco and holds an MBA from Georgetown McDonough School of Business, a BS in Business Informatics from RFH Cologne in Germany and is currently finishing an MS in Law from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.

What drives you to want to help entrepreneurs

I am driven to help those who are brave enough to change the status quo and take risks, both professionally and personally. The best founders want investors who have, at some point, walked in the founder’s shoes. As a former founder and operator it is easy for me to relate to founders I meet, as I have fought many of the battles that founders are fighting or will have to eventually fight. While capital is a commodity, trust and partnership are not. My goal is to be the founder’s first call in good and bad times.

What’s an innovation area you are most excited about?

Financial Services in general has been an emerging topic for years. I am excited about innovation in the Insurtech sector, specifically in emerging markets such as LATAM, Africa and Middle East and emerging sectors such as commercial insurance, cyber, medical malpractice, collectibles etc. In the Fintech sector I am intrigued by technologies disrupting financial literacy and serving underprivileged communities, embedded finance, neobanks and DeFi.

What’s an important work/life lesson you’ve learned?

It’s all about the people – Make sure to be surrounded by amazing people that have a vision that aligns with yours. It’s less about product or brand. Secondly, you will never have all the answers, but you have to make tough decisions. As Steve Jobs said: You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.

What are your passions outside of work?

I am very much interested in art and fashion and have been collecting some rare art pieces over time. One of the artist I admire is Salman Khoshroo and his progressive, abstract art style and brushstroke techniques.

Something else?

My roots are Iranian, but I am first generation American who grew up in Europe. I have lived and worked over 3 continents, did business in 10+ different countries, and traveled to over 30+ countries. The exposure to different people, cultures and regions has shaped my global mindset and I appreciate and seek diversity in the people I meet and the work I do.