Expat Australian co-founder leads U.S.-based AI startup tackling global bushfire threats with new Series B backing.
Pano AI, a wildfire detection startup co-founded by Australian expat Arvind Satyam, has raised US$44 million (A$68 million) in Series B startup funding to expand its AI-powered fire surveillance platform. The California-based company is helping authorities across the U.S., Australia, and Canada identify and respond to fires more quickly and effectively.
The round was led by impact-focused investor Giant Ventures, joined by Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, Tokio Marine Future Fund, and returning backers Congruent Ventures, Initialized Capital, and Salesforce Ventures. The raise included an undisclosed amount of secondary share sales, bringing the company’s total funding to A$138 million (US$89 million) since its founding in 2020.
Turning Bushfire Crisis into Climate Tech Innovation
Pano AI was born out of crisis following Australia’s catastrophic 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires. Satyam, who grew up in Sydney and studied engineering and finance at the University of New South Wales, co-founded the startup with American supply chain expert Sonia Kastner in mid-2020. The pair saw an urgent need for advanced tools to help emergency services respond to increasingly dangerous fire seasons.
“We started Pano AI after seeing how ill-equipped fire agencies were during Australia’s Black Summer,” said Satyam, who serves as the company’s Chief Commercial Officer. “This new startup funding will help us accelerate product innovation and scale our technology to better protect communities, infrastructure, and natural ecosystems.”
Global Reach, Real Results
Pano AI now watches over 12 million hectares of land worldwide, including 2 million hectares in five Australian states. Its customers include 13 forestry companies, 250 emergency services, utilities, ski resorts, and local councils. With AU$154 million in contracts, the company is becoming a key player in climate safety.
The system uses AI-powered cameras and software to spot smoke, find the fire’s location, and quickly alert emergency teams. In early 2024, a fire broke out in South Australia’s Green Triangle. Pano AI’s system saw the smoke from 30 kilometers away and sent an alert within minutes, helping firefighters respond quickly and stop the fire from spreading.
Cameron MacDonald, Chair of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, said the technology is vital: “Fire doesn’t respect borders. This smart, team-based approach helps us stop fires before they cause major damage.”
A Resilience-Driven Investment
For investors, Pano AI represents a high-impact opportunity in the climate tech space. “Pano AI is creating a new layer of resilience that will massively reduce the impact of increasingly frequent fire events,” said Cameron McLain, cofounder of lead investor Giant Ventures.
As wildfires become more intense and widespread due to climate change, the demand for intelligent, scalable fire detection tools is growing. With its latest startup funding round, Pano AI is doubling down on its mission to make early wildfire detection the global standard—before the flames spread.
