By Tim Ryan 

The tides of innovation are rising, and RISE Resilience Innovations is making waves once again. This time, it’s with their 2024 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge—an initiative designed to spark solutions that bolster the resilience of riverine communities facing the growing threats of flooding and climate change. This challenge is more than just a call for ideas; it is a mission to harness ingenuity and bring effective, scalable solutions into the hands of those who need them most.

Building on a legacy of success, RISE’s resilience challenges have consistently turned visionary concepts into impactful realities. The 2024 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge specifically targets the unique issues faced by riverine areas—areas often caught in the crossfire of unpredictable weather patterns, rising water levels, and economic vulnerabilities. Through this challenge, RISE is doubling down on its commitment to empowering both innovators and communities, providing a pathway for groundbreaking solutions to reach their full potential.

Announcing the Winners

This year’s challenge has identified several outstanding projects that promise to make a real difference in the resilience of riverine communities. Here are the winners of the 2024 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge:

  • Floodbase / Raincoat Leveraging Floodbase’s deep learning framework and Raincoat’s parametric insurance solution, they will develop a community-based insurance program. This program sets measurable, data-driven thresholds to trigger immediate riverine flood payouts, providing crucial financial support to vulnerable households and businesses in Southwest Virginia. Learn more about Floodbase, Learn more about Raincoat.
  • FloodMapp / The Warn Room / Green Stream A comprehensive, localized flood warning system that integrates real-time flood mapping technology, hydrologic gauging from Green Stream, and expert emergency advice from The Warn Room. Their solution delivers accurate and timely flood warnings to communities in Southwest Virginia. Learn more about FloodMapp, The Warn Room, Green Stream.
  • InnSure / HR&A Advisors / Stantec These partners are creating a Total Cost of Risk (TCOR) Simulator for riverine flooding-related risks. This minimum viable product is designed to model and mitigate flood risks, enhancing preparedness and resilience for a pilot community in Southwest Virginia. Learn more about InnSure, HR&A Advisors, Stantec.
  • Merak Labs / PRAM Their solution enhances flood monitoring and early warning systems with resilience and impact analytics, providing actionable information to manage flood risks effectively to empower communities and responders. Learn more about Merak Labs, PRAM.
  • Ric Platform Services Ric provides a transformative approach to flood insurance, emphasizing affordability, rapid response, and community resilience. Learn more about Ric.

A Laboratory for Real-World Solutions

RISE has developed a tried-and-true model: it doesn’t simply fund ideas; it facilitates their real-world testing in the places that need them the most. This approach makes coastal Virginia the perfect testing ground—a living laboratory where solutions are trialed against the actual challenges faced by communities vulnerable to flooding and the effects of climate change.

The Riverine Community Resilience Challenge aims to empower entrepreneurs and innovators by providing them with financial support, access to specialized mentorship, and opportunities to pilot their solutions in real-world environments. With the support and guidance offered through this challenge, startups and existing businesses alike can refine and scale up their projects in meaningful ways.

Igniting Opportunities for Resilient Growth

The benefits offered through this challenge go beyond technical assistance and funding. Participants gain access to RISE’s extensive network of industry experts, municipal partners, and other stakeholders who are all aligned in a common goal: to enhance the resilience of riverine communities while stimulating economic development. This collective support ensures that solutions are not just theoretically sound, but are equipped for practical deployment, making a tangible impact.

Previous resilience challenges hosted by RISE have produced remarkable success stories, such as FloodMapp’s real-time flood modeling technology, and StormSensor’s smart stormwater infrastructure. These companies took advantage of RISE’s resources to bridge the gap between innovation and real-world implementation, enhancing community preparedness while boosting economic opportunities.

Charting a Path to the Future

The 2024 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge opens new doors for businesses and local communities to collaborate on tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing our environment today. With climate threats showing no sign of slowing down, now is the time for a collective push toward resilience—a push that RISE Resilience Innovations is leading with a clear vision and strategic action.

Whether you are an entrepreneur with a fresh idea or a community leader seeking new resilience strategies, the Riverine Community Resilience Challenge represents an opportunity to be part of the solution. By backing innovative technologies and empowering entrepreneurs, RISE isn’t just addressing environmental challenges—it’s creating a ripple effect of positive change that uplifts entire communities.

To learn more about the 2024 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge and see how you can be a part of it, visit RISE Resilience Innovations’ official page. The future is resilient—let’s rise to meet it together.