BEYOND THE CHAIR
Building with Purpose: How Solvrays is Solving Insurance’s $140M Problem
The insurance industry runs on a paradox: it protects against risk, yet operates on systems riddled with inefficiency. At The Founder’s Chair, we spotlight the entrepreneurs tackling the challenges others overlook. Meet Bobbie Shrivastav, Co-Founder and CEO of Solvrays, an AI workflow platform transforming how insurance carriers handle their most complex operational headaches
The Messy Middle
Insurance carriers face a reality few outside the industry understand. Seventy-two to seventy-four percent still operate on legacy tech stacks. By 2028, half of all insurance agents will retire, creating a workforce crisis. And beneath it all lies the “cost to serve”–the hidden drain of manual processes, workarounds, and systems that can’t talk to each other. Solvrays is attacking this problem head-on.
Focused on the “messy middle” of back-office operations, the platform uses agentic AI to eliminate up to 70% of manual work across carriers, TPAs, and partners. Whether it’s processing beneficiary changes, handling loan requests, or navigating carrier-specific workflows, Solvrays has built the connective tissue that makes insurance operations actually work.
“To me, insurance is like a big million-piece puzzle,” Bobbie explains. “If we can tackle little pockets of it to help build the bigger picture–that to me is success.”
Bootstrapped by Design
Bobbie’s approach to building Solvrays is as intentional as the platform itself. A self-described bootstrapper by principle, she’s focused on profitability over vanity metrics, sustainability over speed for speed’s sake.
“When you build a business with a great financial foundation, you can account for every dollar that’s spent,” she says. “Everything is an ROI.”
That philosophy has shaped everything–from hiring decisions to travel budgets. Bobbie and her co-founder went over a year without paying themselves, choosing instead to reinvest every dollar into building something that lasts. Coming from humble beginnings with immigrant parents who worked blue-collar jobs, Bobbie sees capital differently. “You just know that if it’s not necessary, that money can do good.”
But make no mistake: bootstrapping isn’t about staying small. It’s about being strategic. Since launching their MVP in March 2025, Solvrays has signed multiple production clients and built a robust pipeline of opportunities. The company is actively co-creating with major carriers and TPAs (Third-Party Administrators), positioning themselves for significant enterprise partnerships in 2026.
The TFC Connection
Bobbie’s path to The Founder’s Chair began with a LinkedIn post and a connection that would prove transformative: Stephen Goldstein. After meeting at Insurtech New York and learning about the TFC event in Detroit, Bobbie knew this was the right fit.
“Stephen Goldstein was my first connect at an Insurtech conference, and we have been so blessed,” Bobbie shares. “Because of him, I met James and got to be part of this organization. This is the power of building a good tribe–this is what I like about The Founder’s Chair. I know I’m in good hands with people who truly want to see us succeed.”
For Bobbie, TFC wasn’t just about raising capital–it was about amplification. “A lot of the industry folks learned about what we’re doing and built access for us. The amplification of your messaging is so important.”
And the connections forged at TFC have created unexpected opportunities. Bobbie has even become an angel investor herself, supporting other founders she met through the Detroit event–a testament to the collaborative ecosystem James Wong has cultivated.
Recognition and Momentum
Since participating in TFC, Solvrays has experienced explosive growth. The company completed the FIRE Accelerator presented by Erie Insurance and ValueMomentum, finished Plug and Play’s NJ FAST program with a Demo Day hosted by Prudential, and was selected as a Mass Challenge finalist. Bobbie herself was recognized as a “Top Inspiring Woman in FinTech” and recently received an invitation to NASDAQ for additional industry recognition.
But Bobbie is quick to remind founders what success really looks like behind the scenes. “It’s not the shiny stuff you see on LinkedIn. It is hard, but it’s all worth it–creating value for the industry and doing great work.”
She’s also candid about the “no’s” that come with the territory. “As entrepreneurs, we’re so used to the no’s. But outside of those are so many different yeses that manifest in such beautiful ways and validate that we’re going to make it.”
What’s Next
Looking toward 2026, Solvrays is laser-focused on product simplification–making it so easy for business users to connect, automate, and orchestrate workflows that technical expertise becomes optional. The company is expanding from life and annuity insurance into property and casualty (a market four times larger), and positioning for a seed round in Q2 2026 after hitting key revenue, product, and customer milestones.
For founders considering applying to TFC, Bobbie’s advice is direct:
“Do it. It’s worth it. You’ll meet other people on a similar journey as you. You’ll meet people within the industry who care about what you’re doing. It’s not always about capital–these events are critical to building your network.”
The Founder’s Chair is honored to support founders like Bobbie who understand that building a great company isn’t about chasing the next round–it’s about solving real problems with purpose, discipline, and the right people by your side.