Bob Frady, CEO & Co-founder: PropertyLens: What startups get wrong about risk, data and dilution – and how to get it right (367)

If you want a masterclass in how to build a business, sell it well and stay hungry for the next idea, listen to Bob Frady.

In this episode, Matthew Grant catches up with Bob, CEO and Co-founder of PropertyLens and former CEO and founder of Hazard Hub, to hear what he’s learned across three startups, why he’s building again post-exit and how he’s turning deep domain expertise into tools that actually help people.

From fire hydrants to flood risk, Bob has spent years translating messy, hyperlocal data into decisions insurers and now homebuyers can use. But this conversation goes far beyond data: it's about strategy, equity, product‑market fit and the value of knowing when to walk away from the wrong deal.

In this episode Bob shares:

• Why Hazard Hub’s founding thesis was wrong, and what he got right instead
• How PropertyLens is helping US homebuyers make more informed decisions before they buy
• What UK listeners may not realise about US property disclosures, and why risk is so often hidden
• How Bob and his co-founder rebuilt their data stack from scratch and landed early B2B traction
• Why he still believes in the London Market and how UK insurers are often faster adopters
• What it really takes to scale a direct-to-consumer model in property intelligence
• Why bootstrapping helped him retain value at exit and how other founders can avoid over-dilution
• The four startup lessons he shares with anyone thinking of launching their own venture

This one’s for founders, data practitioners and anyone who enjoys a candid, experience-rich look at what it takes to build a business that lasts.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Bob Frady or Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

• Define the challenges of scaling a startup with limited capital and how bootstrapping influences long-term outcomes.
  
• List the key differences between US and UK property risk disclosure practices.
  
• Explain why Hazard Hub’s original thesis did not hold and how that insight shaped the foundation of PropertyLens.

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 367 page of the InsTech website or email cpd@instech.co to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.