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Bestow
Bestow Co-Founders Jonathan Abelmann, president, and .Melbourne O'Banion, CEO [Photo: Bestow]
Dallas Insurance Innovator Bestow Closes $120M Series D Fundraising Round
by Lance Murray | May 13, 2025
The round—co-led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives and Smith Point Capital and including a $50 million credit facility—"strengthens Bestow's position as the preferred partner for life insurance and annuity providers seeking to modernize and scale," said Bestow CEO Melbourne O'Banion.
by Lance Murray |
Feb 6, 2025
Bestow said its hiring of CPO David Malenoir-Evans and VPs Doug Brewster and Pete Schiller reinforces its ability to "unlock digital transformation and growth across the life insurance industry."
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by Dallas Innovates | Staff Report |
Jan 25, 2024
At the annual Innovation Awards event, Dallas Innovates and D CEO revealed the winners in 17 categories and recognized all 74 North Texas finalists.
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by Quincy Preston |
Sep 27, 2023
The rebrand "marks the start of our next chapter of growth," says Venture Dallas Chair Aaron Pierce. The nonprofit's 2023 summit, backed by JPMorgan Chase and Perot Jain, is set for October 25.
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Bestow co-founders Melbourne O’Banion (left) and Jonathan Abelmann in the company's Deep Ellum office. [Photo via Bestow]
List: Ranked No. 1 in the U.S., Dallas-Based Bestow is Reshaping Life Insurance
by Lance Murray | Jul 11, 2023
The fast-growing company took the U.S. lead on Forbes’ World's Best Life Insurance Companies list. We caught up with Melbourne O’Banion, Bestow's Co-Founder and CEO, (left) for insight into what has driven the startup's rise to the top.
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by Lance Murray |
Jan 17, 2023
Dallas Innovates and D CEO celebrated 68 honorees and revealed the winners of our fourth-annual Innovation Awards at an event held at On the Levee in the Dallas Design District.
Here's a full list of winners and finalists.
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by Lance Murray |
Nov 3, 2022
Now in its fourth year, the program from Dallas Innovates and D CEO honors 68 disruptors and trailblazers driving a new vision for innovation in North Texas.
Finalists will be recognized in the January/February issue of D CEO magazine and online at DallasInnovates.com. Winners will be revealed at an exclusive awards event in January.
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by David Seeley |
Jun 15, 2022
Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine have released their list of the 2022 Best Workplaces in Texas—and 32 of them are in North Texas. Honored locals include 10 of the 25 large companies on the list, and 22 of the 50 small and medium companies.
Here's the list of locals.
Here's the list of locals.
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Meet the Finalists: The Innovation Awards 2022, Presented by Dallas Innovates and D CEO
by Dallas Innovates | Staff Report | Oct 26, 2021
Now in its third year, the program from Dallas Innovates and D CEO honors 78 disruptors and trailblazers driving a new vision for innovation in North Texas.
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by Alex Edwards |
May 26, 2021
Like the fast-growing digital life insurance company says, "we do things a little differently around here."
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![Bestow CEO and Co-founder Melbourne O'Banion [Image: Courtesy Fort Lion Studio]](https://s24806.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Melbourne_Bestow-FORT1598-360x203.jpg)
by Quincy Preston |
Dec 16, 2020
The insurance innovator has raised $145 million in total funding to date as it readies for expansion. In 2020, Bestow has closed a $50M Series B round, launched a nonprofit, and acquired Centurion Life Insurance Company.
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by Alex Edwards |
Dec 1, 2020
With Iowa-based Centurion Life Insurance Company's licensing in 47 states and the District of Columbia, the acquisition could allow Bestow to become a nationally licensed carrier.
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[Photo: Courtesy of the O'Banions]
Power Couple: How Jamie and Melbourne O’Banion Run Two of Dallas’ Fastest-Growing Brands
by Alex Edwards | Feb 4, 2020
Jamie's BeautyBio and Melbourne's Bestow are two Dallas-based startups in the cosmetic and life insurance industries, respectively. But while they both hold the same job—CEO and co-founder—the power couple, dubbed MOJO, makes it work by operating as a team.
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by David Kirkpatrick |
Dec 4, 2019
With the four new additions to its C-suite, VP, and legal teams, Bestow hopes to continue working toward transforming life insurance, CEO and Co-founder Melbourne O'Banion says.
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by Alex Edwards |
Aug 27, 2019
O’Banion is the co-founder and CEO of Bestow, the 'first truly modern way to buy life insurance' that provides families the resilience they need after the loss of a loved one. Soon to be announced for the mission-driven company is new partnerships, more product offerings, and a foundation.
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by Lance Murray |
Feb 15, 2019
Regardless of what type of funding it is—seed, venture capital, angel, or corporate—here are 17 North Texas companies that successfully pulled in capital to back their ventures.
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