ClimateTech Connect 2026 Concludes, Driving Urgency Around Climate Risk as Business Risk

Second Annual Conference Draws 500+ Leaders Across Insurance, Finance, Policy, and Technology; Tenax ai Wins Pitch Competition

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:28pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a complex network of interconnected digital infrastructure elements in shades of neon cyan and magenta, conceptually representing the convergence of climate data, risk modeling, and technology solutions to address the impacts of climate change.The ClimateTech Connect conference highlighted the critical role of innovative technology in addressing the growing threat of climate risk to businesses and communities.Washington Today

The ClimateTech Connect conference, now in its second year, 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 featured keynotes, panels, a product expo, and a pitch competition won by Tenax ai, a computer-vision powered risk intelligence platform.

Why it matters

The ClimateTech Connect conference highlights the growing urgency around addressing climate risk as a critical business issue. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, companies across industries are recognizing the need to better predict, prepare for, and recover from these threats. The conference provides a platform for cross-sector collaboration and innovation to tackle climate adaptation and resilience strategies.

The details

The two-day ClimateTech Connect conference featured keynotes, masterclasses, fireside chats, a product expo, and curated meetings for industry leaders. Highlights included a two-part panel on Wildfire Resilience and a pitch competition won by Tenax ai, a startup developing a computer-vision powered risk intelligence platform. Tenax ai's solution aims to help insurers identify risk more efficiently using drone and mobile footage.

  • The ClimateTech Connect conference took place on April 9-10, 2026.
  • Tenax ai was announced as the winner of the pitch competition at the conclusion of the conference.

The players

Megan Kuczynski

Founder and CEO of ClimateTech Connect, the organizer of the conference.

Patrick "Rick" Keegan

Enterprise Chief Underwriting Officer at Travelers, who delivered a keynote address.

Dr. Sarah Kapnick

Global Head of Climate Advisory at J.P. Morgan, who delivered a keynote address.

Stephane Hallegatte

Chief Economist for Climate at The World Bank Group, who delivered the closing keynote.

Matthew Eby

Founder and CEO of First Street, who delivered the closing keynote.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“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.”

— Megan Kuczynski, Founder and CEO of ClimateTech Connect

“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. 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.”

— Elyse Myrans, Co-Founder and CEO of Tenax ai

“The soul of ClimateTech Connect is the innovation the early stage companies bring. 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.”

— Megan Kuczynski, Founder and CEO of ClimateTech Connect

What’s next

The organizers of ClimateTech Connect have announced that the third annual conference will take place on April 14-15, 2027 in the Washington, D.C. area.

The takeaway

The ClimateTech Connect conference underscores the growing recognition that climate risk is a critical business issue that requires cross-sector collaboration and innovative solutions. By bringing together leaders from insurance, finance, policy, and technology, the conference is driving urgency around developing strategies to better predict, prepare for, and recover from the impacts of extreme weather and climate change.