Accelerating Solutions for Climate Resilience

Access to tech and creative industry employment

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) LAUSD (select only if you have a district-wide partnership)

Applying a proven solution to a new issue or sector (using an existing model, tool, resource, strategy, etc. for a new purpose)

Entrepreneurs developing climate technologies face undue barriers to financing compared to other sectors (Environmental Finance 11/27/23)–even more if they’re women or BIPOC (Techcrunch 10/28/22). In 2025, abrupt shifts in federal policy have further eliminated key funding for critical technology sectors, including those designed to prevent, respond to, and reduce risks associated with climate-related disasters. Without capital, startups struggle to validate their technologies in real-world scenarios before commercialization. The Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles underscored the urgent need for market-ready solutions focused on energy and water resilience, wildfire detection, and fire-resistant construction. To prevent or alleviate the potential short and long-term impacts of future climate events, we need to identify, accelerate and support diverse climate tech innovators in Los Angeles and pilot their technologies before scaling to serve our region and beyond.

Through the “LA Resilient Rebuilding Cup” pitch competition in July of this year, LACI will identify and recruit 20 diverse startups with critical technologies in energy and water resilience, wildfire detection and response, rebuilding and construction, and community health and well-being. Pitch cup winners will receive cash prizes, but equally important to early- and mid-stage founders, participants in the Cup will be given priority consideration, if interested, to join LACI’s flagship Incubation program this fall; this 2-year technical assistance program will be tailored specifically to climate tech and designed to guide each startup through the scaling process. Over the course of the cohort experience, LACI will co-create pilots with community partners and key regional stakeholders such as Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and Habitat for Humanity. Such organizations are directly involved in shaping the immediate recovery of Altadena and Pacific Palisades, as well as rethinking, planning and implementing adaptations and innovation for LA County schools, residences, businesses and communities.

LACI will support a unique startup cohort comprising wildfire prevention, infrastructure and community resilience, and clean energy—key technologies for disaster readiness and economic stability. A curriculum focused on specialized climate tech will combine the best of LACI’s Incubation program with startup innovations that meet the moment in LA; we are actively rebuilding post-wildfires by designing and deploying climate-resilient homes, buildings and communities. Once these entrepreneurs prove the validity of their tech via pilots informed by community and stakeholder partners, critical, new solutions to fire detection & response; testing, clean-up/mitigation of environmental hazards to ensure community health; building energy & water management; construction innovation; and financial & insurance tools will protect and improve lives for Angelenos. These startups will create high-quality jobs and foster new industries that help LA model strategies to rebuild stronger after disaster.