Brightband, a new startup launched by a former Google executive, has secured $10 million in Series A funding to advance its AI-driven weather forecasting technology. The round was led by Prelude Ventures, with additional support from Bain & Co.’s Future Back Ventures and Slack co-founder Cal Henderson.
Founded this summer by Julian Green, formerly of Google X, alongside three scientists, Brightband aims to develop both a commercial product and an open-source AI forecasting model. The startup’s initial focus will be on predicting extreme weather events, such as heat waves and tropical cyclones, several days before they are detected by traditional forecasting methods.
This new venture enters a competitive market dominated by tech giants like Nvidia and Huawei, who have recently introduced rapid machine-learning forecasting models. However, there are concerns about the accuracy of these models compared to established methods.
Brightband’s approach contrasts with existing models that rely on data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which supplements historical data with physics-based adjustments. Instead, Brightband plans to produce medium-range forecasts—10 to 14 days in advance—using only raw historical weather observations, avoiding any supplementary physics-based data.
To support this ambitious goal, Brightband will gather extensive weather data from government agencies and private satellite firms. The startup also plans to incorporate data from weather stations installed at users’ homes and businesses in the future.
Credit: BNNbloomberg (Text Excluding Headline)
