First Innovations

What First Innovations does

First Innovations, Inc. is a Texas-based, privately held income development company founded in 1999 by Mike Edwards as part of the First Group Family of Companies, which also includes First Guard Warranty Corp. (VSC claims and products), First Insured Insurance Agency (commercial and personal lines insurance), and First Administrative Services Corp. (product administration). Headquartered in Austin with an additional claims operations office in Bedford, Texas, the company provides F&I products, training, and software to automobile dealerships nationwide, with extended programs into marine, motorsport, and RV dealership verticals.

The company's core product set spans First Guard branded vehicle service contracts (One World, Platinum Plus, Platinum Extra, Certified Wrap, Service Drive), credit insurance and GAP insurance, and a broad ancillary product menu including anti-theft, tire & wheel, paintless dent repair, windshield, roadside assistance, key replacement, lease wear and tear, pre-paid maintenance, and Elite interior/exterior protection. Its technology backbone is Auto Suite, a web-based software platform with DMS integration providing F&I menu presentation, variable operations reporting, VSC and credit insurance administration, GAP administration, used vehicle certification, limited warranty administration, forms ordering, compliance tools, and online video training; StoneEagle Group provides performance reporting integration and VSCOnline handles contract issuance and claims. All financial programs are backed by A-rated A.M. Best insurers including AmTrust, Pekin, Old Republic, and Fortera.

First Innovations generates revenue through commissions on insurance and VSC products (distributed through dealer-owned reinsurance companies), subscription-based Auto Suite software, ancillary product fees, and professional services fees for its six training programs (Sales, Sales Management, Finance School, Used Vehicle Management, Fixed Operations, and Financial Statement Analysis). Go-to-market is field-based via Regional Managers and on-site training seminars, supplemented by NADA and state dealer association presence. The company is founder-influenced with a family-led executive bench (Emily Stuetelberg as CEO, Mark Hawley as President) and reports no external institutional investment.

Name

First Innovations

Legal name

First Innovations, Inc.

Website

https://firstinnovations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Innovations provides F&I income development products, software, and training to US automobile dealerships through dealer-owned reinsurance structures, helping dealers maximize net profit from vehicle service contracts, insurance, and ancillary products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Dealer F&I Services

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Dealer-Sold & F&I Administered Service Contracts (Dealer Obligors) (FSAJALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

GAP & Vehicle Protection Products (GAP Waiver/Insurance, Lease/Loan Protection) (FSAJALAC)

Keywords

• F&I income development
• Vehicle service contracts
• Automotive dealer training
• Dealer reinsurance programs
• F&I software platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Service Contracts: First Guard's service contracts are fully insured by top insurance carriers, rated 'A' (Excellent), Financial Size IX by A.M. Best. Products include First Guard One World, Platinum Plus, Platinum Extra, Certified Wrap, and Service Drive Vehicle Service Contracts.
2. Credit Insurance and GAP Insurance: Credit Life Insurance, Credit Disability Insurance, and GAP Insurance designed to protect consumer assets and credit. Provided through dealer-owned reinsurance companies.
3. Ancillary Products: Additional add-on products including anti-theft protection, tire & wheel road hazard protection, paintless dent repair, windshield replacement protection, 24-hour roadside assistance, lease wear and tear, key replacement, pre-paid maintenance, and Elite Interior & Exterior Protection.
4. Training Programs: Dealer training programs including Sales Person Training, Sales Management Training, Finance School, Used Vehicle Management, Fixed Operations, and Financial Statement Analysis conducted at corporate training center and on-site.
5. Auto Suite Software: Web-based software suite providing F&I menu, variable operations reporting, VSC administration, credit insurance administration, GAP administration, used vehicle certification, limited warranty administration, and compliance tools.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

First Innovations, Inc. is a Texas-based corporation that provides F&I (Finance & Insurance) income development products, services, and training programs to automobile dealerships nationwide. Core offerings include vehicle service contracts (First Guard brand), credit and GAP insurance, ancillary protection products, and the Auto Suite web-based, DMS-integrated F&I management software platform. The company also delivers in-person and on-site dealership training programs covering sales, F&I, used vehicle management, fixed operations, and financial statement analysis, supported by dealer-owned reinsurance company structures and ASE-certified claims administration.

Product overview

First Innovations is a multi-product automotive dealership solutions provider offering income development products through a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings include First Guard branded vehicle service contracts (One World, Platinum Plus, Platinum Extra, Certified Wrap, Service Drive) and insurance products (Credit Insurance, GAP Insurance). The company operates the Auto Suite Software platform providing web-based, DMS-integrated F&I administration tools. Additional modules include ancillary protection products (Anti-Theft, Tire & Wheel, Dent Repair, Windshield, Roadside Assistance, Key Replacement, Lease Wear, Pre-Paid Maintenance, Elite Interior/Exterior) and training programs (Sales, Sales Management, Finance School, Used Vehicle Management, Fixed Operations, Financial Statement Analysis). The First Insured Insurance Agency sub-brand provides commercial and personal lines insurance. All financial programs are backed by over $100 Billion in Assets through A.M. Best Top Rated insurers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Guard: Vehicle service contract brand offering multiple product tiers including One World, Platinum Plus, Platinum Extra, Certified Wrap, and Service Drive programs. Fully insured by A.M. Best rated carriers.
• First Insured Insurance Agency
• Auto Suite Software

Products and services

• First Guard One World Vehicle service contract with exclusionary total coverage up to 125,000 miles, multiple time and mileage terms, high-tech electronics included, 24/7 roadside assistance, credit card claim payments, fully insured by A.M. Best rated carriers. Sold to automobile dealerships for resale to consumers.
• First Guard Platinum Plus Traditional service contract program for higher mileage used vehicles with wide array of coverage options, time/mileage terms, and deductible options. Sold to automobile dealerships for resale to consumers.
• First Guard Platinum Extra Coverage for very high mileage vehicles up to 250,000 miles, eligible for vehicles up to 150,000 miles and 20 model years, $100 deductible. Sold to automobile dealerships for resale to consumers.
• First Guard Certified Wrap Covers breakdown costs for parts not already covered by manufacturer's CPO program, mirrors manufacturer CPO coverage by make and model, transferable. Sold to automobile dealerships for resale to consumers.
• First Guard Service Drive Vehicle service contract sold directly from the service drive on vehicles up to 8 years old and 80,000 miles. Comprehensive coverage including Engine, Transmission, Brakes, Electrical, A/C, Fuel system, Steering, Cooling, Seals/Gaskets. Sold to automobile dealerships.
• Credit Insurance Credit Life Insurance pays off loans upon death of debtor; Credit Disability Insurance continues loan payments if debtor is injured, sick, or disabled during loan term. Provided to automobile dealerships through dealer-owned reinsurance companies.
• GAP Insurance Guaranteed Asset Protection covers difference between physical damage insurance settlement and loan payoff amount up to $50,000 in case of total vehicle loss. Provided to automobile dealerships through dealer-owned reinsurance companies.
• No Chargeback GAP A regulatory-approved GAP waiver product for Texas dealerships that eliminates chargeback risk after the 90-day flat cancellation refund period, making GAP profits recession and volume downturn protected.
• Ancillary Protection Products A suite of add-on protection products for automobile dealerships including anti-theft protection, tire and wheel road hazard protection, paintless dent repair, windshield replacement protection, 24-hour roadside assistance, lease wear and tear, key replacement, pre-paid maintenance, and Elite Interior & Exterior Protection.
• Auto Suite Software Web-based, DMS-integrated software suite for automobile dealerships providing F&I Menu Program, Variable Operations Reporting, VSC/Credit/GAP contract administration, claims management, Used Vehicle Certification, Limited Warranty Administration, compliance tools, and online video training.
• Dealership Training Programs Comprehensive in-person and on-site training programs for automobile dealership personnel covering Sales, Sales Management, Finance School (F&I), Used Vehicle Management, Fixed Operations, and Financial Statement Analysis. Delivered at the corporate training center in Austin, Texas, and at dealership or regional locations.
• First Insured Insurance Agency Insurance agency providing commercial lines (workers compensation, general liability, open lot, surety bonds, commercial auto) and personal lines (auto, home, umbrella, life) insurance products for automobile dealerships and their customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customized approach developed for each dealership to maximize F&I product income while minimizing cancellation refunds
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and support.

• Fortera Insurance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFortera Insurance Group provides Vehicle Service Contracts, Ancillary Products, and GAP products as part of First Innovations' product offerings.
• Old Republic Insured Automotive ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOld Republic provides Ancillary and Gap Products as part of First Innovations' strategic insurance partnerships.
• AmTrust FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmTrust Financial serves as insurer for VSC, Personal Lines and Commercial Lines Insurance products.
• Pekin InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPekin Insurance provides Credit Insurance products as part of the First Group's insurance network.
• ECP, Inc.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerECP, Inc. (Entire Car Protection) manufactures Elite Environmental Exterior, Interior and Windshield Protection products. First Innovations utilizes ECP exclusively for its ELITE Vehicle Environmental protection system. ECP earned the Gold award for F&I Products in Auto Dealer Today's 2018 Dealer's Choice Awards.
• StoneEagle GroupsupportTechnology or IntegrationStoneEagle Group is First Innovations' dealership performance reporting software provider, supporting the Auto Suite platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• JM&A Group: One of the largest F&I product and training providers to U.S. automobile dealerships, offering vehicle service contracts, GAP, credit insurance, and ancillary protection products — directly comparable to First Innovations' core dealer F&I offering.
• EasyCare (Assurant Dealer Services): Provides F&I products, dealer training, and F&I menu software (e.g., Dealerware/F&I Complete) to franchised dealerships, overlapping directly with First Innovations' vehicle service contracts, training programs, and Auto Suite-style software.
• Protective Asset Protection: Sells F&I protection products (VSC, GAP, credit insurance, ancillary) through dealers, with a comparable product mix and dealer-centric distribution model to First Innovations.
• National Auto Care: Third-party administrator of vehicle service contracts, GAP, and ancillary products for automobile dealers — directly comparable to First Guard Warranty Corp.'s role within First Innovations.
• Cornerstone United: Provider of F&I products and dealer training programs to U.S. auto dealers, overlapping with First Innovations' vehicle service contract, GAP, and training product lines.
• Administrative Enterprises / AUL Corp: Third-party administrator of vehicle service contracts for auto dealers, offering claims handling and program administration comparable to First Guard Warranty Corp.

Broad incumbents

• RouteOne: Dealer F&I and credit-application platform connecting dealerships to lenders and F&I product providers — broader in scope than First Innovations but adjacent in F&I workflow software.
• Dealertrack (Cox Automotive): Major DMS and F&I software provider owned by Cox Automotive, offering menu, desking, and contract administration tools that overlap with Auto Suite's DMS-integrated functionality at much greater scale.
• Zurich North America (Dealer Operations): Large global insurer with a U.S. dealer F&I product portfolio including service contracts and GAP, competing with First Innovations on the insurance-backed product layer.

Emerging players

• Premier Dealer Services: Specialty provider of F&I products, training, and compliance solutions to franchised and independent dealers — comparable niche player with similar product mix but smaller scale than First Innovations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Innovations