Empathy unites industry giants to create new standards of support

Ron Gura launched Empathy with a clear vision: to provide compassion and support to people facing life’s most challenging moments. Achieving this would mean redefining how vast industries work and spearheading a new tech-enabled bereavement support category.

Four years on, Empathy has eased administrative and emotional burdens for millions who have experienced loss – including one in five life insurance claimants in the US – through partnerships with major insurance providers and over 1,000 employers. Empathy provides support coverage for nearly 50 million people, ensuring help is available when needed most.

Today, the company is taking another significant step toward realising Ron’s vision. Empathy has announced a $72m Series C and the formation of the Empathy Alliance, a coalition of market leaders including Aflac, Allianz, Citi, MetLife, Munich Re, New York Life, Securian and TIAA. It’s truly unique to see so many major companies — many of whom are traditional competitors — unite around raising standards of support industry-wide.

Category Expansion

The new funding comes as Empathy expands beyond bereavement with the launch of Empathy LifeVault, a new estate planning product. Since its introduction earlier this year, seven million people have gained access through financial partners.

It's a natural extension, but it’s also a strategic one. With the largest generational wealth transfer expected to continue through 2045, Empathy is helping people act now to remove the logistical burden for loved ones later.

The Empathy team continues to work towards a future where people feel more supported, and prepared, for all of life's most difficult moments. "We want to be here through the years, to help plan for and deal with the life changes no one wants," says Ron.

Two Decades In The Making

While Empathy’s pace of growth and execution is impressive, it’s not only the result of five years of hard work – it reflects an entrepreneurial journey that began nearly two decades ago.

We’ve had a relationship with Ron since backing his first startup, The Gift Project, which eBay acquired in 2011. Empathy was sparked by the same curiosity that triggered that startup: encountering US norms that felt unnecessarily complex for someone from a small country. With The Gift Project, it was buying a wedding present – “In Israel you just bring cash!” – with Empathy, it was paying condolences to a colleague at eBay following a loss.

“I was shocked by the bureaucracy and administration he had to deal with. I thought I knew a lot about grief. I was 27 and had already faced many losses, including my brother. But I knew nothing about estate settlements, probate, taxes and red tape that comes with loss, especially in the US. Being an outsider has always enabled me to look at things differently.”

Ron first wrote the idea for Empathy in a notebook that evening. After spending a few years unsuccessfully trying to convince friends and family to build the company, he launched it himself in 2021.

A Taste for Talent

Ron’s first recruit was his co-founder and CTO, Yonatan Bergman, who has worked alongside him since The Gift Project. For Ron, this ability to attract top talent is the real story of his entrepreneurial journey. “The 10 people we had in the Gift Project days, if I tell you where they are today… Let’s just say the short answer is all of them are doing much bigger things!”

Alongside nurturing internal talent, at Empathy, Ron has also focused on recruiting exceptional operational leaders to help Empathy scale.

Despite their intense scaling journey, Empathy’s purpose remains fixed: “We're a support platform, not a money platform,” Ron says. “We can build a very scalable, profitable business, but only if we remain steadfastly aligned with helping people overcome life’s most difficult moments. Our goal is to shift the world from sympathy to empathy, from condolences and flowers to technology and action. There's much to do.”