# Hedge

> Hedge is an AI-native specialty insurance wholesaler that sits between retail brokers and specialty carriers, using AI agents to place hard-to-insure businesses faster and cheaper. Founded in 2026 by Luke Button and Luke Rosa and backed by Y Combinator (P26 batch), Hedge automates the manual quoting workflow - reading submissions, selecting markets, completing carrier applications, negotiating quotes, and issuing documents - so brokers get coverage in minutes instead of days.

- **Founded:** 2026
- **Headquarters:** San Francisco, CA, United States
- **Founders:** Luke Button (Co-Founder & CEO), Luke Rosa (Co-Founder)
- **Team size:** 2 (founding stage), actively hiring founding underwriters, wholesale brokers, engineers, and sales roles
- **Products:** AI-Native Wholesale Placement, Specialty E&S Coverage, Dedicated Broker Experience
- **Notable:** Accepted into Y Combinator's P26 (Spring 2026) batch, Signed 50+ brokers within roughly 8 weeks of launch, Cut typical quote turnaround from an average of 8 days to a 30-minute median first response

## Products & services

- **AI-Native Wholesale Placement** — AI agents read broker submissions, select specialty markets, complete carrier applications, negotiate quotes, prepare binders, issue documents, and handle regulatory filings, with underwriters supervising through an internal command system.
- **Specialty E&S Coverage** — Access to 30+ specialty markets across excess & surplus lines including commercial property (cat-exposed), general & excess liability, cyber & tech E&O, employment practices, environmental & pollution, commercial auto, management liability, inland marine, and medical malpractice.
- **Dedicated Broker Experience** — A named broker per account with no rotating contacts, live file notes for real-time transparency, and a 30-minute median first response time.

## Achievements

- Accepted into Y Combinator's P26 (Spring 2026) batch
- Signed 50+ brokers within roughly 8 weeks of launch
- Cut typical quote turnaround from an average of 8 days to a 30-minute median first response
- Claims coverage placed 50% faster and 15% cheaper than the manual status quo
- Access to 30+ specialty markets across all major E&S lines at founding stage

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Working with 50+ brokers within about 8 weeks of launch; hiring founding underwriters, wholesale brokers, engineers, and sales roles.
- **2026-06** — Launched publicly as part of Y Combinator's P26 batch with an AI-native wholesale placement product.

## Links

- Website: https://hedgespecialty.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hedgeinsurance

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/hedge-yc-p26
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-31