SAN FRANCISCO — A group of startups selling wildfire preparedness and firefighting products announced Tuesday that they are forming a trade association to lobby the federal and state government for more funding and better procurement policies.
The Association of FireTech Innovation, announced at the Red Sky Summit wildfire conference in San Francisco, marks the growth of a niche industry as utilities and local governments reckon with record-setting losses from wildfires over the past decade as well as a rising risks from climate change.
Matt Weiner, the CEO of nonprofit advocacy group Megafire Action, and Bill Clerico, the founder and managing partner of venture capital firm Convective Capital, co-founded the trade group. The first dues-paying members are Pano AI, which uses artificial intelligence and cameras to spot fire starts; Gridware, which sells software identifying grid problems to utilities; Fire Aside, which developed software to digitize defensible space inspections; Muon Tech, which is preparing to launch satellites; and Rain, which develops firefighting drones.
Weiner said the idea for a trade group came up during a July lobbying trip to Washington, where some of the company CEOs met with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, including Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.).
