WASHINGTON, April 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ClimateTech Connect, the premier cross-sector conference uniting climate risk experts, policy makers, insurance, banking and real estate leaders, has concluded the two-day conference with the announcement of the pitch competition winner. The conference, held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, brought together over 500 attendees from every angle of climate, risk, resilience, and technology, with one key takeaway: climate and extreme weather risk is business risk.
“The conference delegates took a deep dive with industry experts and public sector leaders to gain the tools and strategies to better predict, prepare for, prevent and recover faster from these extreme events,” stated Megan Kuczynski, Founder and CEO of ClimateTech Connect. “Conference delegates, speakers and sponsors left the conference with greater insights, inspiration and new connections.”
Now in its second year, the conference continued to grow, with networking opportunities, masterclass keynotes, fireside chats, a product expo, and curated meetings for many industry leaders who share the common goal of protecting people, communities and the built environment – from the growing threat of extreme climate to weather events that are growing in frequency and severity. Kicking off with keynotes from Patrick “Rick” Keegan, Enterprise Chief Underwriting Officer, Travelers, and Dr. Sarah Kapnick, Global Head of Climate Advisory, J.P. Morgan, the conference concluded with a closing keynote featuring Stephane Hallegatte, Chief Economist for Climate, The World Bank Group, and Matthew Eby, Founder and CEO, First Street.
The lineup additionally included former FEMA administrators, Fortune 500 C-suite executives, leading climate scientists, and technology innovators addressing the accelerating intersection of climate risk and technological solutions. The two-part Wildfire Resilience panel served as a highlight of the conference. Part one, “Shaping the Future of Wildfire Resilience,” was hosted by Milliman, Mercury Insurance, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Xyloplan, and KatRisk, and part two, “Pricing Climate Risk: Where Mitigation Really Changes the Math,” was hosted by Tahoe Fund, Citrine & Rock Rose, UL Institutes | Fire Safety Research Institute, Gallagher Re, and Maptycs.
Climate Tech Connect 2026 Pitch Competition
Sponsors Celent, Miami Insurtech Advocates Hub, and Switch Pitch identified six top startups to participate in ClimateTech Connect’s 2026 pitch competition, including winner Tenax ai, and finalists Ocean Ledger, Orbital Sentry, Resiliocs Intelligence, Fast Hazard, and Layer 1 Agriculture. Presented by Juan Mazzini, Global Head of Celent, each finalist had five minutes to pitch their company to a varied audience of investors, scientists, insurers, and more.
About the Winner: Tenax ai
Co-founded by Elyse Myrans and Arun Kishore Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., Tenax ai is a computer-vision powered risk intelligence platform translating property data into usable intelligence for underwriters and MGAs to make informed decisions. The early-stage B2B and B2B2C startup sits at the intersection of climate risk, behavioral psychology, and applied machine learning, enabling insurers to identify risk with concrete data imaging pulled from simple drone or mobile phone footage, with up to an 80% increase in efficiency. Tenax ai is actively fundraising for its pre-seed round, and its seasoned founders have deep expertise in telematics, AI, and natural resources conservation.
“Having this platform has provided Tenax ai with such tremendous access to a phenomenally credible network that already understands the value of what we are building,” shared Co-Founder and CEO Elyse Myrans. “People here see through the lens of climate risk – the intersection of climate and insurance – so coming into a space where the focus is on prevention over payout truly sets ClimateTech Connect apart. It’s less about platitudes, and more about what we can actually do about the risks we are facing as businesses, and how we work together.”
“The soul of ClimateTech Connect is the innovation the early stage companies bring,” elaborated Megan Kuczynski. “We are committed to creating a platform at the conference with investment channels, new customer acquisition opportunities, and marketing support to amplify our early stage companies and help them to scale.
About ClimateTech Connect
Launched in 2025 by Founder and CEO Megan Kuczynski, ClimateTech Connect is where thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, and industry experts gather to advance climate adaptation and resilience strategies at scale. Taking place over two days in the Washington, D.C.-area each spring, the conference brings together cross-industry voices through masterclasses, keynotes, TED-style talks, tech demonstrations, pitch competition, a vibrant expo, immersive networking lunches, and an opening night cocktail reception.
Interested sponsors or attendees can visit climatetechconnect.io.
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