We’re excited to connect!
How can we help?
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
We’re excited to connect!
How can we help?
Roy Mill, CEO, and Shimi Bornstein, CTO, started Joshu with a vision to revolutionize the way in which insurance products are made, distributed, and sold by creating an experience that is easy to use, completely self-serviced, and meets the expectations of today’s modern insurers.
What was your journey before you started Joshu?
I remember tinkering with my cousin’s Commodore 64 in the late 80s and being mind blown with the possibility of creating something new with that toy. In the IDF I was a “script kiddie,” an instructor, and a program manager. After that I tried to get away from software development and went to study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in the Hebrew University. Five years later I moved from Israel to California in 2008 to earn my Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University.
I left Academia to become a Product Manager and later Director of Product at Ancestry. In 2017 At-Bay recruited me as their VP of Product Management. That’s where I learned about commercial insurance and where I met Shimi. Together with our teams of extraordinary Product Managers, Designers, and Developers we built At-Bay’s technology stack: a broker portal, a homegrown Policy Admin System, and all the infrastructure that powers them, including the scan and reports.
What makes Joshu special to you?
I’m most excited about the rare team that we were lucky to gather with us. This combination of deep software, product, and insurance expertise, coming to us from really diverse backgrounds to create something new and special. We picked a really tough mountain to climb in building a platform for insurers and it would have been impossible to meet our challenges if it wasn’t for the team we’ve gathered
What would others find cool about working with or for Joshu?
We are a group of dedicated, professional, experienced, and caring people. We bring many disciplines together to build a platform that solves real needs for a huge industry that underpins almost all economic activity. We’re in the most exciting and adventurous stage of any company being early and with so much space to expand.
What do you do outside of work?
My wife, Gili, and I have three active kids, ranging from elementary to high school. They keep us pretty busy. We like hiking together and hanging out with our friends. I also enjoy listening to podcasts and music, playing on my acoustic guitar, and reading.
What was your journey before you started Joshu?
As a teenager I spent hours listening to music. When my father brought home a Modem and connected us to Haifa University's network, I could not believe my luck. I discovered the world of BBS. Finding the lyrics to The Pixies, Prince and the Revolution, Bob Dylan and many others who helped me survive high school.
I honed my programming skills during my IDF service, at an elite intelligence unit. These skills helped me pay for my degree in Film and Television at Tel Aviv University. While studying, I helped different organizations with the first digital transformation – put Israel's first newspaper online, and built Internet applications for Israeli banks and insurance companies.
Later I was lucky to play a leading role working for several successful startups - Infinidat (Storage), Intucell (Cellular Network optimization) and At-Bay, where I founded and headed the R&D team. At At-Bay I met Roy, and found a soul mate.
What makes Joshu special to you?
Building great products and teams is always a thrilling adventure. There is never a dull moment. Joshu also takes me back to my roots. I took an active part in the first Internet revolution, and it's exciting to participate in the 'InsureTech 2.0' revolution.
What would others find cool about working with or for Joshu?
Joshu is young at heart. We all try to do things better, and bring value to our clients and colleagues. We also pay attention to details, building not only useful but also a beautiful product.
What do you do outside of work?
I love sports of any type, in any form: playing, playing gaming consoles, watching live sports in person or watching it on TV. Over the past few years, my wife Noa and I got hooked on Water Polo. We proudly support ASA Tel Aviv, where our teenage daughter plays as a right driver. I still listen to music (I love https://wfuv.org), and enjoy reading.
What was your journey before joining Joshu?
I have been in the industry for decades. My experience has been in both operations and sales / marketing. I also have worked with a carrier (WR Berkley) and other software providers such as DRC, Fiserv Insurance Solutions to name two. My journey here was a bit of faith from contacts that I worked with prior who said Joshu would be a good home for my skill set.
What a place worth visiting?
Bali is the coolest place I have ever been. Lanai or Maui are decent back ups.
What is a newsletter worth reading?
Bill Gates' concepts in his are interesting even if you are not a fan of him.
What do you do outside of work?
Travel and golf seem to be at the top of my list.
What was your journey before joining Joshu?
At a very early age, I found that I enjoyed the challenge of solving problems and being the best at it. When my father first introduced me to programming as a kid, it was natural for me to solve the problem of programming a machine to do what I planned. That passion has led me throughout my career where I have been blessed with the opportunity to build new solutions and make people’s lives easier.
I started my career in accounting with a large MGA and ran into the same problem many people have today: IT was too busy and my request wasn't a priority. So, I took to building my own tools that would make my job easier, faster and more predictable, which ultimately led me into IT.
After leaving the MGA, I spent 15 years with a large carrier and was fortunate to see almost 50 different business models. That exposure provided me with the knowledge and experience of trying to solve business problems that are often unique. From there I transitioned to the vendor side of the industry, where I got my first major exposure Reinsurance.
Today with Joshu, our goal is to Build Better Products faster, which aligns with my passion of solving problems, making people's lives easier and doing it in a timeframe that redefines speed to market.
What is an activity worth doing?
Dinner with your family
What is a book worth reading?
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
What do you do outside of work?
I first and foremost enjoy spending time with my family and always make sure we spend as much quality time as we can. My favorite pastime is attending my children's games and watching them grow. When I can find time, I enjoy working on tractors, vehicles and other mechanical items. I also quite often have some wood projects going, like building floating shelves or cabinets for the home. Oftentimes, my children help me with these projects which are memories I will never forget. I also enjoy hunting and pretty much any outdoor activity.
Zhàozhōu Cōngshěn (Jōshu), 778–897. Woodcut from Fozu zhengzong daoying, c. 1880.
We wanted our company name to convey a sense of intelligence and wisdom, while still being somewhat playful and accessible. Jōshu (pronounced “Joe-Shoe”) was a Buddhist master from China, especially known for his paradoxical sayings. He seemed like a decent role model.
We also happily discovered that in Japanese, the word joshu means “helper” or “assistant.” Which perfectly describes the kind of relationship we want to have with our customers.
In our logo, the shield represents the security of insurance while the vertical bars inside symbolize the growth we want our customers to experience. And if you aren’t into deep symbolism, that’s ok. It looks nice on a t-shirt too.
From our headquarters in Silicon Valley, to our R&D team in Tel Aviv, and several home offices in between, we work hard and have fun doing it!
As the Operations and HR Manager, I'm excited to share what makes our company tick. With various teams spanning product, marketing, support, sales, operations, and engineering, we believe in striking a balance between structure and flexibility. While we're big on organization and efficiency, what sets us apart is our knack for thinking outside the box. Flexibility isn't just something we do; it's who we are.
Our team thrives on versatility, recognizing that our individual mastery contributes to the collective success of Team Joshu. We're all about teamwork, leaving egos at the door and working together to achieve greatness. This collaborative approach extends to how we hire - valuing teamwork, creativity, and a shared dedication to getting things done.
As we expand, our unique culture remains at our core, with each team member playing a vital role in the Joshu journey. Ready to join us?
