Melbourne startup Climasens bags $5 million Google.org grant for AI-driven climate risk tool

A $5 million Google.org-backed partnership will see Melbourne-based startup Climasens join forces with New York’s Urban Systems Lab (USL) to combat current and future climate risks by developing and scaling an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered climate risk evaluation tool built on multiple urban climate hazard models.

By integrating machine learning and urban climate hazard models, the AI-driven climate risk tool ClimateIQ will produce real-time and high-resolution climate risk information across the world.

A $5 million award from Google.org’s Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation will be funding the current stage of ClimateIQ’s development.

Climate intelligence startup Climasens, which specialises in real-time decision support tools for urban heat adaptation and is building global climate resilience software for cities around the world, is gearing up to expand internationally.

With Climate Week NYC kicking off next week on September 17 – 24, Climasens CEO Joseph Glesta said the startup is thrilled about its partnership with The New School’s Urban Systems Lab (USL) and Google.org for the $5 million challenge. 

“This collaboration presents a unique opportunity to leverage advanced technology and innovative thinking to address pressing climate-related challenges,” he said. 

“It’s an exciting moment for Climasens to contribute our expertise and experience to a project that has the potential to revolutionise how we understand and prepare for climate risks worldwide.”

The Climasens platform. Source: Supplied

Glesta said the primary goal of this work with USL and Google.org is to develop ClimateIQ into a cutting-edge AI-powered climate risk evaluation tool that can benefit communities globally. 

“We aim to provide high-resolution climate risk data that empowers decision-makers, communities, and governments to take proactive measures to adapt to climate change effectively,” he said. 

“We want to create a global resilience network against climate-related risks by collaborating with international partners and expanding our reach.

“This project signifies our commitment to being at the forefront of climate innovation for Australia. 

“As we work on ClimateIQ, we also seek to apply the knowledge from this endeavour to enhance our solutions for Australia’s unique climate challenges. 

“This partnership has the potential to showcase Australia’s leadership in climate risk technology and contribute valuable insights to the world on tackling climate change, especially having Australia’s largest city, Melbourne, part of this project.”

Climasens will extend its reach to the US and EU, starting with New York City, enabled by the Google.org-backed partnership.

Glesta added that Climasens sees ClimateIQ as a tool that can transcend geographical boundaries and help cities, regions, and nations understand, prepare for, and mitigate various climate-related risks. 

“Internationally, we aim to collaborate with cities and regions facing diverse climate conditions and challenges,” he said. 

“By partnering with global urban centres, like Phoenix, Berlin, Barcelona, New York and Melbourne, we can ensure that ClimateIQ adapts to various urban development contexts and scenarios. 

“This expansion is a crucial step in Climasens’s mission to equip communities globally with the tools and knowledge they need to navigate the complexities of climate change effectively. It will provide us with a means to scale globally, and provide additional value to organisations worldwide.”