{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"127031","rtpr_id":"nBw6RB53Pa","ticker":"HIG","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["HIG"],"title":"The Hartford Partners With UC Berkeley’s Bakar Labs For Energy & Materials To Support Innovation, Emerging Companies","author":"Business Wire","published_at":"2026-08-25T12:30:00.074Z","article_body":"The Hartford Partners With UC Berkeley’s Bakar Labs For Energy &\nMaterials To Support Innovation, Emerging Companies\n\nThe Hartford\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehartford.com%2F&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=The+Hartford&index=1&md5=b86345ff66dfbf042dd111ebdac4e0de)\nis partnering with the University of California, Berkeley’s Bakar Labs for\nEnergy & Materials (BL-EM) to help startup companies who are developing\nnext-generation energy and materials technologies. The insurer will support\nthe initiative, as well as provide counseling, educational programming and\nother mentorship opportunities to its entrepreneurial tenants.\n\nWorking alongside researchers and entrepreneurs, The Hartford will offer\npractical insurance and risk-management expertise to companies in their\nformative stage. Potential areas of collaboration will include real-world case\nstudies of early-stage company engagement with insurers, examples of changing\nrisk profiles as companies scale, and guidance on evolving risk strategies as\nnew technologies move from the lab to real-world deployment.\n\n“The technologies that will power tomorrow's economy are being developed\ntoday,” said Matt Scott, head of Innovation and Risk Services at The\nHartford. “Through our partnership with BL-EM, we have an opportunity to\nengage with entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators working on some of the\nmost promising advancements in energy and materials science. The insights we\ngain will help us better understand emerging risks, develop new expertise and\ncontinue supporting customers operating at the forefront of innovation.”\n\nThe Hartford will also participate in UC Berkeley’s Launch Advisory Group,\nas the only insurer collaborating with leaders across industries to guide\ncompany founders at BL-EM, a pilot program for a 50-company incubator\nscheduled to open in 2028. Areas of interest will include advanced energy\nsystems and materials innovation that are increasingly critical with the rise\nof artificial intelligence, growing demand from power, and need for\nsustainable energy solutions.\n\nThe Hartford’s engagement will be led by Y‑Risk, a company of The\nHartford, focused on understanding and insuring emerging technologies and\nbusiness models. These innovations often require specialized risk management\nexpertise and new approaches to underwriting as they scale from startups into\nestablished businesses.\n\nThe collaboration is part of The Hartford’s broader effort to deepen its\nunderstanding of emerging technologies and evolving business models from a\nrisk and underwriting perspective with the goal of providing leading-edge\nrisk-management guidance and product solutions to business customers. As new\ntechnologies evolve from research labs to commercial deployment, insurance\nconsiderations are critical to assisting innovators as they seek investment,\nmanage uncertainty and build resilient businesses.\n\n“Bringing together academic research, entrepreneurial innovation and\nindustry expertise creates a stronger environment for emerging companies to\nsucceed,” said Shilpi Kumar, director of partnerships at BL-EM. “The\nHartford’s experience in risk management and insurance will provide valuable\nguidance to startups as they navigate the challenges of developing and scaling\nnew technologies.”\n\nAbout Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials\n\nBakar Labs for Energy & Materials (BL-EM) is a pilot program at UC\nBerkeley that supports high-potential startups by providing critical\nresources, mentorship, and lab space for innovations that address planetary\nhealth. In early 2028, as part of UC Berkeley's commitment to fostering\nentrepreneurship and innovation, BL-EM will move into its permanent home at\nthe western entrance of campus, a 145,000 square foot facility. The building\nwill include highly flexible wet laboratory and office space, supporting\nstartups in physics, chemistry, materials science, and other areas, propelled\nby AI/ML. It will serve as a dedicated hub for innovation and community with\npartners from across campus and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Learn\nmore at https://energy-materials.bakarlabs.org/\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Fenergy-materials.bakarlabs.org%2F__%3B%21%21PZ0xAML5PpHLxYfxmvfEjrhN5g%21TE35zXcMpp6qCPKNDp6fuLB-0EkhkKMzAvNSYelNr9oliiQo0upCwwX6JK3FG2CWuo26xlHy31lnAxLkwv7NqOWrWLIkUw%24&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fenergy-materials.bakarlabs.org%2F&index=2&md5=05c2e24586ffe114b6586133c8289b28)\n.\n\nAbout The Hartford\n\nThe Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance and employee\nbenefits. By anticipating challenges and reducing risks our customers face,\nthe company helps people and businesses thrive with confidence. Built on a\nfoundation of trust, The Hartford is committed to strong performance,\nexceptional customer experiences and bold innovation, hallmarks of its\nsustained success since 1810.\n\nThe Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its\nsubsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in\nHartford, Connecticut. More information on the company and its financial\nperformance is available on its website.\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehartford.com%2F&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=website.&index=3&md5=4e8600ca0a3cf09aaad9210ac623c3d5)\nFor additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehartford.com%2Flegal-notice&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=The+Hartford%26%238217%3Bs+legal+notice&index=4&md5=491c4c383eb9105ab313927b1ee14435)\n.\n\nHIG-C\n\nSome of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking\nstatements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.\nWe caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees\nof future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors\nshould consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual\nresults to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those\ndiscussed in our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports\non Forms 10-Q, and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange\nCommission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of\nthe date issued.\n\nFrom time to time, The Hartford may use its website and/or social media\nchannels to disseminate material company information. Financial and other\nimportant information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through\nand posted on our website at https://ir.thehartford.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&index=5&md5=232d7a98a0a02c03e93b82c3b8eb5b51)\n. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other\ninformation about The Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting\nthe “Email Alerts” section at https://ir.thehartford.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&index=6&md5=ce902dfb4d35b4a92f76b2dc54416c49)\n.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260825914446/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260825914446/en/)\n\nThe Hartford’s Media Contact: \n\nSaverio Mancini\n\n(860) 748-8750\n\nSaverio.mancini@thehartford.com \n(mailto:Saverio.mancini@thehartford.com) \n\n\nBakar Labs for Energy & Materials Media Contact: \n\nKaspar Mossman\n\n(510) 693-5995\n\nkmossman@berkeley.edu (mailto:kmossman@berkeley.edu)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nBw6RB53Pa","title":"The Hartford Partners With UC Berkeley’s Bakar Labs For Energy & Materials To Support Innovation, Emerging Companies","author":"Business Wire","ticker":"HIG","created":"2026-08-25T12:30:00.074Z","tickers":["HIG"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"The Hartford Partners With UC Berkeley’s Bakar Labs For Energy &\nMaterials To Support Innovation, Emerging Companies\n\nThe Hartford\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehartford.com%2F&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=The+Hartford&index=1&md5=b86345ff66dfbf042dd111ebdac4e0de)\nis partnering with the University of California, Berkeley’s Bakar Labs for\nEnergy & Materials (BL-EM) to help startup companies who are developing\nnext-generation energy and materials technologies. The insurer will support\nthe initiative, as well as provide counseling, educational programming and\nother mentorship opportunities to its entrepreneurial tenants.\n\nWorking alongside researchers and entrepreneurs, The Hartford will offer\npractical insurance and risk-management expertise to companies in their\nformative stage. Potential areas of collaboration will include real-world case\nstudies of early-stage company engagement with insurers, examples of changing\nrisk profiles as companies scale, and guidance on evolving risk strategies as\nnew technologies move from the lab to real-world deployment.\n\n“The technologies that will power tomorrow's economy are being developed\ntoday,” said Matt Scott, head of Innovation and Risk Services at The\nHartford. “Through our partnership with BL-EM, we have an opportunity to\nengage with entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators working on some of the\nmost promising advancements in energy and materials science. The insights we\ngain will help us better understand emerging risks, develop new expertise and\ncontinue supporting customers operating at the forefront of innovation.”\n\nThe Hartford will also participate in UC Berkeley’s Launch Advisory Group,\nas the only insurer collaborating with leaders across industries to guide\ncompany founders at BL-EM, a pilot program for a 50-company incubator\nscheduled to open in 2028. Areas of interest will include advanced energy\nsystems and materials innovation that are increasingly critical with the rise\nof artificial intelligence, growing demand from power, and need for\nsustainable energy solutions.\n\nThe Hartford’s engagement will be led by Y‑Risk, a company of The\nHartford, focused on understanding and insuring emerging technologies and\nbusiness models. These innovations often require specialized risk management\nexpertise and new approaches to underwriting as they scale from startups into\nestablished businesses.\n\nThe collaboration is part of The Hartford’s broader effort to deepen its\nunderstanding of emerging technologies and evolving business models from a\nrisk and underwriting perspective with the goal of providing leading-edge\nrisk-management guidance and product solutions to business customers. As new\ntechnologies evolve from research labs to commercial deployment, insurance\nconsiderations are critical to assisting innovators as they seek investment,\nmanage uncertainty and build resilient businesses.\n\n“Bringing together academic research, entrepreneurial innovation and\nindustry expertise creates a stronger environment for emerging companies to\nsucceed,” said Shilpi Kumar, director of partnerships at BL-EM. “The\nHartford’s experience in risk management and insurance will provide valuable\nguidance to startups as they navigate the challenges of developing and scaling\nnew technologies.”\n\nAbout Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials\n\nBakar Labs for Energy & Materials (BL-EM) is a pilot program at UC\nBerkeley that supports high-potential startups by providing critical\nresources, mentorship, and lab space for innovations that address planetary\nhealth. In early 2028, as part of UC Berkeley's commitment to fostering\nentrepreneurship and innovation, BL-EM will move into its permanent home at\nthe western entrance of campus, a 145,000 square foot facility. The building\nwill include highly flexible wet laboratory and office space, supporting\nstartups in physics, chemistry, materials science, and other areas, propelled\nby AI/ML. It will serve as a dedicated hub for innovation and community with\npartners from across campus and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Learn\nmore at https://energy-materials.bakarlabs.org/\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Fenergy-materials.bakarlabs.org%2F__%3B%21%21PZ0xAML5PpHLxYfxmvfEjrhN5g%21TE35zXcMpp6qCPKNDp6fuLB-0EkhkKMzAvNSYelNr9oliiQo0upCwwX6JK3FG2CWuo26xlHy31lnAxLkwv7NqOWrWLIkUw%24&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fenergy-materials.bakarlabs.org%2F&index=2&md5=05c2e24586ffe114b6586133c8289b28)\n.\n\nAbout The Hartford\n\nThe Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance and employee\nbenefits. By anticipating challenges and reducing risks our customers face,\nthe company helps people and businesses thrive with confidence. Built on a\nfoundation of trust, The Hartford is committed to strong performance,\nexceptional customer experiences and bold innovation, hallmarks of its\nsustained success since 1810.\n\nThe Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its\nsubsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in\nHartford, Connecticut. More information on the company and its financial\nperformance is available on its website.\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehartford.com%2F&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=website.&index=3&md5=4e8600ca0a3cf09aaad9210ac623c3d5)\nFor additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehartford.com%2Flegal-notice&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=The+Hartford%26%238217%3Bs+legal+notice&index=4&md5=491c4c383eb9105ab313927b1ee14435)\n.\n\nHIG-C\n\nSome of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking\nstatements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.\nWe caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees\nof future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors\nshould consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual\nresults to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those\ndiscussed in our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports\non Forms 10-Q, and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange\nCommission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of\nthe date issued.\n\nFrom time to time, The Hartford may use its website and/or social media\nchannels to disseminate material company information. Financial and other\nimportant information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through\nand posted on our website at https://ir.thehartford.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&index=5&md5=232d7a98a0a02c03e93b82c3b8eb5b51)\n. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other\ninformation about The Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting\nthe “Email Alerts” section at https://ir.thehartford.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&esheet=54592818&newsitemid=20260825914446&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fir.thehartford.com&index=6&md5=ce902dfb4d35b4a92f76b2dc54416c49)\n.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260825914446/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260825914446/en/)\n\nThe Hartford’s Media Contact: \n\nSaverio Mancini\n\n(860) 748-8750\n\nSaverio.mancini@thehartford.com \n(mailto:Saverio.mancini@thehartford.com) \n\n\nBakar Labs for Energy & Materials Media Contact: \n\nKaspar Mossman\n\n(510) 693-5995\n\nkmossman@berkeley.edu (mailto:kmossman@berkeley.edu)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-08-25T12:30:00.132063308Z","server_sent_at_ms":1787661000132},"received_at":"2026-08-25T12:30:00.182Z","source_url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260825914446/en/"},"analysis":{"id":"115962","press_release_id":"127031","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Insurance","sector":"Financials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"partnership","narrative":"The Hartford is partnering with UC Berkeley’s Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials to provide risk-management expertise and counseling to startups developing next-generation energy and materials technologies.\n\nThe insurer will participate in the Launch Advisory Group for a 50-company incubator scheduled to open in 2028, focusing on areas like advanced energy systems and sustainable solutions critical to AI and power demand.\n\nThis collaboration, led by The Hartford's Y-Risk subsidiary, aims to deepen the company's understanding of emerging risks and underwriting needs for evolving business models.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Strategic move to underwrite the future of energy and materials through university partnership."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"facility_size_sqft":145000,"incubator_capacity":50,"facility_opening_year":"2028"}},"quotedText":"The technologies that will power tomorrow's economy are being developed today","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Matt Scott","role":"Head of Innovation and Risk Services"},{"name":"Shilpi Kumar","role":"Director of Partnerships at BL-EM"}],"products":[],"companies":[{"name":"The Hartford","ticker":"HIG"},{"name":"University of California, Berkeley"},{"name":"Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials"},{"name":"Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory"},{"name":"Y-Risk"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":2,"reasoning":"Strategic partnership with a university incubator to access early-stage innovation and improve risk insights; no immediate financial impact disclosed."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"HIG"},"globalImportance":15,"audienceRelevance":10,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap","eventGravity":"strategic_partnership","sectorWeight":"financials"}},"event_type":"partnership","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":2,"narrative":"The Hartford is partnering with UC Berkeley’s Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials to provide risk-management expertise and counseling to startups developing next-generation energy and materials technologies.\n\nThe insurer will participate in the Launch Advisory Group for a 50-company incubator scheduled to open in 2028, focusing on areas like advanced energy systems and sustainable solutions critical to AI and power demand.\n\nThis collaboration, led by The Hartford's Y-Risk subsidiary, aims to deepen the company's understanding of emerging risks and underwriting needs for evolving business models.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"facility_size_sqft":145000,"incubator_capacity":50,"facility_opening_year":"2028"}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Matt Scott","role":"Head of Innovation and Risk Services"},{"name":"Shilpi Kumar","role":"Director of Partnerships at BL-EM"}],"products":[],"companies":[{"name":"The Hartford","ticker":"HIG"},{"name":"University of California, Berkeley"},{"name":"Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials"},{"name":"Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory"},{"name":"Y-Risk"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-08-25T13:49:48.480Z","global_importance":15,"audience_relevance":10,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap","eventGravity":"strategic_partnership","sectorWeight":"financials"}},"durationMs":314336,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}