Inside Pano AI’s Mission to Combat Wildfires

By 2025, the wildfire crisis has grown so severe that it was no longer a seasonal concern, it was a year-round threat. More than one billion acres burned globally in 2024 alone. In the U.S., over 30,000 wildfires scorched 1.3 million acres just this year, with Los Angeles witnessing 24 days of relentless blazes that claimed 16,000 structures and caused up to $164 billion in damage. Against this devastation, Pano AI is trying to be a frontline innovator in climate adaptation tech.

Founded in 2020 by Sonia Kastner, an alum of Google Nest, and Arvind Satyam, formerly of Cisco, Pano AI wants to help the emergency managers and wildland firefighters, “some of the most dedicated professionals on the planet,” that are operating without the tools they need. “The time to adapt to extreme weather events is now,” Kastner said in a statement. Their solution is a fully integrated, AI-powered wildfire detection and situational intelligence system designed to respond faster than traditional emergency call systems.

That urgency has translated into rapid growth and results. Pano AI just announced a $44 million Series B funding round led by Giant Ventures, with participation from Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, Tokio Marine, and continued support from Salesforce Ventures, Initialized Capital, and Congruent Ventures. That brings the company’s total funding to $89 million and supports coverage across 30 million acres globally, including deployments in 10 U.S. states, five in Australia, and parts of British Columbia.

“We founded Pano AI based on one core belief: that the time to adapt to extreme weather events is now,” Kastner said. “Wildfires are becoming more frequent and more destructive every year, and we have built powerful tools to put in the hands of emergency managers on the front lines.”