ClimaSens wins Twilio.org Climate Tech Prize, expanding its global impact
Melbourne-based climate risk intelligence startup and 2023 MAP Accelerator alum, ClimaSens, has been awarded the Twilio.org Climate Tech Prize, receiving USD $200,000 to accelerate its work in climate resilience. This recognition follows last year’s success at the Google.org Climate Change Innovation Challenge, where ClimaSens and partner Urban Systems Lab secured funding to advance foundational climate risk models.
The Twilio.org Climate Tech Prize celebrates organisations that use technology to drive transformative change in climate resilience. ClimaSens stood out for its innovative approach to disaster preparedness, using machine learning to provide crucial risk assessments for extreme events like heatwaves, floods and fires. This award underscores the potential of ClimaSens’s work in helping vulnerable communities better prepare for and adapt to the escalating challenges of climate change.
For CEO and Co-Founder Joseph Glesta, the award represents more than just funding.
“It’s an opportunity to scale ClimaSens’s impact and support even more communities facing climate threats” — Jo Glesta.
Empowering communities through climate intelligence
At its heart, ClimaSens is about making climate data actionable. The company’s ClimaScan platform uses a combination of machine learning, satellite imagery, weather data and long-term climate projections to deliver precise risk analysis for extreme events such as floods, fires and heatwaves.
The platform processes vast amounts of data to provide real-time risk assessments that help cities, communities and organisations make better, more informed decisions. By leveraging these insights, ClimaSens empowers users to prepare for the growing impacts of climate change, from developing disaster response plans to improving long-term resilience strategies.
“This prize allows us to continue scaling and making these tools available to more communities globally,” Joseph said. “We’re focused on helping people prepare for and adapt to the growing risks of climate change.”
Collaboration and recognition
ClimaSens’s impact is amplified through partnerships with organisations like KPMG, the Australian Red Cross, and the City of Melbourne. On a global level, ClimaSens is working with leaders like NVIDIA, whose Earth-2 platform is helping refine the company’s climate models for greater accuracy.
By supplying climate risk data to the Australian federal government and supporting disaster preparedness efforts, ClimaSens is playing an important role in building resilience across vulnerable populations.
Scaling solutions that make a difference
The funding from Twilio.org will support ClimaSens’s next phase of growth, including expanding its forecasting capabilities and extending its reach to more communities, both in Australia and internationally.
As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, ClimaSens is providing the tools and insights cities and organisations need to make informed decisions and protect those most at risk.
Joseph Glesta, Co-Founder and CEO of ClimaSens pitching at the 2023 MAP Demo Day
As a valued contributor to climate resilience initiatives, including providing critical data to the Australian Climate Service and partnering with the Australian Red Cross, ClimaSens exemplifies the innovation and impact we champion at MAP. Their work strengthens disaster preparedness and supports those most vulnerable to climate change, showcasing the power of technology to drive meaningful change.
Learn more about ClimaSens here.
The Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP) has been supporting Australia’s most ambitious founders for over a decade. Powered by the University of Melbourne, MAP delivers alternative and unmatched cohort experiences that go beyond your typical accelerator program. Learn more.
Jan 29, 2025
Hannah McLean
