NorthX Climate Tech has announced more than $2.2 million in follow-on investments across three British Columbia-based wildfire technology companies: Crwn.ai, Nova, and Skyward Wildfire Technologies.
The funding will support deployment and scaling of field-tested systems designed to detect, prevent, and manage wildfire risks as fire seasons in Canada become increasingly severe and persistent.
What The Company Does
The three startups funded in this round focus on different stages of wildfire prevention and response, using a mix of AI, sensors, drones, and atmospheric modelling.
Kelowna-based Crwn.ai develops monitoring systems for wildfire prevention along electrical transmission lines. Its technology combines sensors and artificial intelligence to detect risks in remote infrastructure without requiring constant human oversight. NorthX is investing nearly $981,000 to support deployment of up to 500 monitoring devices across utility corridors in British Columbia.
Victoria-based Nova builds drone mapping software used by wildfire response teams to improve situational awareness. Its platform helps crews and incident commanders track fire activity and make operational decisions in real time. The company is receiving $600,000 to expand its system into a multi-platform solution that integrates data from drones, helicopters, aircraft, satellites, and ground-based sensors.
Vancouver-based Skyward Wildfire Technologies is focused on preventing wildfire ignition caused by lightning. The company combines AI-driven weather modelling with aerial intervention techniques to identify high-risk storm conditions and reduce the likelihood of fire-triggering electrical activity in clouds. It will receive $643,000 to advance and deploy its lightning mitigation system.
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Market Context / Industry Background
Wildfire risk in Canada has become increasingly year-round rather than seasonal, driven by rising temperatures, prolonged drought conditions, and changing climate patterns. British Columbia in particular has experienced increasingly destructive fire seasons, placing pressure on utilities, emergency services, and infrastructure operators.
This shift has accelerated demand for technologies that can move wildfire management from reactive response to predictive prevention. Governments and utilities are increasingly investing in systems that integrate real-time data, remote sensing, and AI-driven forecasting to reduce ignition risk and improve response coordination.
North America’s broader climate technology ecosystem is also seeing increased funding into hardware-based solutions that can operate in remote and high-risk environments. Wildfire prevention has become one of the key focus areas within climate resilience investment.
Founder / Investor Commentary
NorthX president and CEO Sarah Goodman said wildfire risk can no longer be treated as a seasonal issue, describing it instead as a structural challenge requiring sustained investment in prevention technologies.
She noted that the three startups are already validating their systems in real-world conditions with utilities and frontline responders. According to Goodman, the focus is now on scaling solutions that have demonstrated performance in the field so they can be deployed more widely before disasters escalate.
Growth Plans / Use Of Funds
Crwn.ai will use its funding to scale deployment of its transmission-line monitoring systems across British Columbia, increasing coverage of critical utility infrastructure and improving early detection capabilities.
Nova plans to expand its platform beyond drone-only data inputs by integrating multiple aerial and satellite systems into a unified wildfire intelligence network, improving coordination and decision-making for response teams.
Skyward Wildfire Technologies will focus on deploying its lightning prevention system and further developing its AI-based weather prediction models to better identify and mitigate high-risk storm conditions.
About NorthX Climate Tech
NorthX Climate Tech is a Canadian non-profit funding organization supporting the commercialization of hardware-based climate technologies. Originally founded in 2021 as the BC Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy, it was established with backing from the Government of British Columbia, the Government of Canada, and Shell Canada. NorthX provides non-dilutive funding to help early-stage companies scale climate solutions, particularly in energy, industrial decarbonization, and climate resilience.
