CTSS Episode 4: Overstory
Using satellites to help prevent forest fires!
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Overstory is an Amsterdam-based company that is helping electric utilities, forestry companies and NGOs manage the risk of forest fires posed by the proximity of power lines, trees and vegetation. It has developed machine-learning software that leverages satellite technology to identify areas of greatest risk, a task which typically requires four years to scan an entire grid, and is usually performed manually by helicopters, and more recently drones. CEO & Co-Founder, Indra Den Bakker walks me through the company's business model and mission.
Synopsis
Mission: To leave a better world for future generations by mitigating and managing the risk of forest fires.
Team: Indra Den Bakker (CEO & Co-Founder), Anniek Schouten (COO & Co-Founder), Roelof Pieters (CTO & Co-Founder) et al. (8 people total)
Product: A “Real-time Vegetation Intelligence Platform,” that uses satellite technology and machine learning to scan forests and identify areas most prone to fire.
Traction: Services customers that operate in 120 cities and 54 countries (e.g. EDP, Husqvarna Group, Storaenso, et al.); over a million miles of land serviced and working with several partners (Planet, Maxar, Airbus, European Space Imaging).
Jobs: The company is seeking a U.S. based Business Development Manager to lead the go-to-market strategy as well as engineers based in Amsterdam (Indra invites any interested candidates to reach out to him either in the MCJ Slack or at indra AT overstory DOT ai).
Websites: Overstory.ai; LinkedIn; Twitter.