This summer is expected to be one of the busiest hurricane seasons in history, according to annual forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Storms are increasing in frequency and intensity. Weather forecasts are more important than ever.
Artificial intelligence is making the weather forecast market increasingly crowded. From hurricanes and tornadoes to wildfires and droughts, new technologies are revolutionizing science and industry. Investors see huge opportunities, especially for new startups.
Entrants in the field like Tomorrow.io, Google DeepMind and California-based Windborne are using new technology to detect weather events. For example, Windborne uses a new type of weather balloon.
“We operate the most comprehensive fleet of balloons on the planet,” said John Dean, CEO and co-founder of Windborne. “We also do artificial intelligence-based weather modeling. So our mission is to mitigate climate change The most destructive aspects of change.”
Windborne’s balloons could fly for weeks, whereas today’s government-launched weather balloons can only stay aloft for a few hours and cannot reach remote areas.
“That means we can collect about 40 to 50 times more data per balloon, and we can also do that by launching from easily accessible launch sites and then flying over the ocean and collecting that data over the ocean and in under-observed areas. As needed, situation,” Dean explained.
Balloons use satellite communications to transmit data instantly. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 85% of the world’s atmosphere currently lacks weather data. Windborne aims to close this gap with its technology – using fewer balloons to provide global coverage.
Demand for data from governments and big businesses is driving funding. Windborne just closed a $15 million financing round with lead investor Khosla Ventures.
Sven Strohband, partner and managing director at Khosla Ventures, said of the weather forecasting market: “It’s now about $100 billion and touches almost every industry.” “Since the 20th century It hasn’t really been meaningfully disrupted since The Weather Company in the ’90s, so it’s a very attractive market for us.”
The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently stated that extreme weather and weather uncertainty are the biggest risks facing businesses over the next decade. Windborne claims its technology can make two-week forecasts as accurate as today’s two-day forecasts.
In addition to Khosla Ventures, Windborne is backed by Footwork VC, Pear VC, Convective Capital, Ubiquity Ventures and Susa Ventures. The company has raised $25 million to date.
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