refinq
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Aug 4, 2025
refinq Among Top Climate Adaptation Startups in 2025
In 2025, StartUs Insights ranked refinq among the world’s Top 10 Climate Adaptation Startups—recognising our bold, AI-driven approach to turning climate and nature risk data into actionable strategies. While many focus on mapping risks, we specialise in delivering implementable solutions that protect assets, strengthen supply chains, and unlock green finance opportunities. From nature-based infrastructure planning to TNFD and ESRS E4 compliance readiness, refinq empowers risk, finance, operations, and sustainability teams to act decisively in a changing climate.
Transforming Corporate Climate Resilience with Action-Oriented AI
Introduction
In its 2025 Innovator’s Guide, StartUs Insights recognised refinq as one of the Top 10 Climate Adaptation Startups globally. While we're officially ranked #2, at refinq we like to think we’re number one in boldness, innovation, and impact.
This recognition comes at a pivotal moment, as companies worldwide move beyond climate compliance and toward proactive climate adaptation strategies. In this article, we explore why refinq earned this distinction, the unique opportunities we unlock, and how our AIdriven approach compares to broader trends in climate tech.
1. What Is Climate Adaptation? The Startup Landscape in 2025
The Role of Climate Adaptation Startups
Climate adaptation startups are innovators that help businesses build resilience to climate risks using tools like AIpowered risk intelligence, geospatial naturerisk analytics, smart irrigation, and biodiversityaware supply chain assessments. Unlike mitigation, adaptation focuses on reducing vulnerability—protecting assets, operations, supply chains, and communities from the physical impacts of climate change.
Globally, over 3,200 climate adaptation startups were identified in 2025, spanning solutions from simulation platforms and digital twins to naturebased flood defences and ecosystem restoration.
Why Adaptation Is Gaining Momentum
Businesses want the cure, not just a better description of the sickness.
As the impacts of flooding, droughts, heatwaves, landslides, and biodiversity decline intensify, investors are increasingly funding projects and technologies that anticipate and avoid losses, rather than only mitigate emissions. Adaptation finance is forecast to become a $2 trillion market by 2026, and regulators are actively integrating adaptation disclosures into corporate sustainability standards. We have moved from compliance for risk mapping towards compliance for action.
2. Why refinq Stands Out – From Vision to Platform
2.1 Boldness in Focus
“We took a risk on being a bit different. Where many very strong companies have devoted time to mapping nature and climate data in increasing detail, we focused instead on taking each thread of data and seeing how we could generate recommended actions that could be deployed by corporates.”
Dr Stuart Auld, Director of Science, refinq
Rather than simply visualising risk exposure or biodiversity data, refinq connects data to actionable interventions. That shift from mapping to implementing resonated with both corporate users and industry analysts.
2.2 A Shared Source of Truth
refinq enables risk, finance, operations, and sustainability teams to operate from one integrated platform—a single source of truth. This helps companies:
Identify and prioritise environmental risks and nature-related opportunities
Align internal stakeholders through unified data and dashboards
Support emerging naturerelated frameworks like TNFD, CSRD, and ESRS E4 not just for disclosure—but for strategic foresight and competitive advantage
2.3 ActionDriven Use Cases
➤ Nature-Based Infrastructure
Determine which factory sites may require deep-rooted vegetation planting to reduce flood or landslide risk.
➤ Supply Chain Resilience
Identify suppliers operating in biodiversity hotspots to proactively assess ecological or regulatory risks.
➤ Disclosure & Strategic Readiness
Build internal capacity for frameworks like TNFD and ESRS E4, not just to comply, but to lead.
➤ Green Finance Opportunities
Demonstrate adaptation strategies that reduce risk exposure to access preferential lending or sustainability-linked finance.
➤ Climate-Adaptive Innovation
Design products or services that are future-proofed specific climate conditions, like infrastructure suited to water scarcity or heat stress.
3. refinq Among Top Climate Adaptation Startups
refinq was ranked #2 in StartUs Insights’ Top 10 Climate Adaptation Startups of 2025. The list highlights startups with AI-powered risk intelligence, geospatial analytics, and actionable adaptation tools. StartUs evaluated thousands of companies across global innovation hubs.
4. Industry Context: Complementary Players & Market Trends
AI Meets Nature: A Growing Trend
Startups across the adaptation landscape are integrating AI with geospatial and ecological data. Other innovators highlighted include companies using digital twins for infrastructure planning or scenario simulation for regional flood resilience.
What sets refinq apart is our ability to translate that data into specific actions that reduce physical risk, improve regulatory readiness, and build long-term resilience.
A Rising Ecosystem of Adaptation
With over 3,000 startups in the space and institutional capital increasingly backing adaptation solutions—from oyster reefs to sponge cities—the market is entering a growth phase. Businesses that act early are poised to gain the greatest strategic and financial advantage.
source: startus insights: top climate adaption startups 2025
5. The refinq Process
Step-by-Step Implementation
Step | Action |
|---|---|
1 | Assess your assets and value chains using refinq’s Nature Intelligence Hub |
2 | Identify and prioritise locations with climate or nature risk |
3 | Generate tailored adaptation recommendations |
4 | Align internal teams on shared priorities |
5 | Prepare compliance disclosures for TNFD, CSRD, ESRS E4 |
6 | Demonstrate strategies for green finance eligibility |
7 | Develop climate-adaptive products or services |
Real-World Impact Example
Imagine a coastal manufacturing facility in a flood-prone zone. refinq flags flood risk and recommends enhancing vegetation buffers and re-routing logistics. The operations, risk, and sustainability teams use one shared dashboard to coordinate. Lenders recognize the site’s resilience improvements and offer preferential financing.
6. Why Clients Choose refinq
From Mapping to Action: We move beyond data visualizations to deliver implementable actions.
Multi-Team Collaboration: One tool for risk, finance, operations, and sustainability.
Disclosure-Ready: Built for TNFD, ESRS E4, and CSRD compliance.
Science-Based: Forecasts risk under multiple climate scenarios through 2100.
7. What’s Next for Climate Adaptation
Scaling Climate Adaptation Finance
As green finance instruments grow in complexity and availability, organizations will be rewarded for presenting credible, science-backed adaptation plans.
Evolving Regulation
New standards like TNFD and ESRS E4 will push businesses to disclose risks tied to nature and climate—making tools like refinq essential.
Benchmarking Leadership
Early adopters of adaptation intelligence platforms will set the benchmark for strategic readiness, supply chain resilience, and stakeholder confidence.
8. Final Thoughts: From Recognition to Resilience
“Being named one of the Top 10 Climate Adaptation Startups in 2025 validates our belief: that climate adaptation isn’t just about risk—it’s about opportunity. With the right tools, companies can use nature-based intelligence to adapt to a rapidly changing world, minimise operational losses due to climate events and capture new markets and clients.”
Franziska Walde, Co-Founder, refinq
About refinq
We provide a SaaS platform that enables risk, finance, operations, and sustainability teams to work from one shared system, integrating climate and nature-related data into actionable recommendations aligned with emerging regulatory standards.
Sources & Further Reading
StartUs Insights – Top 10 Climate Adaptation Startups 2025:
https://www.startus-insights.com/innovators-guide/climate-adaptation-startups/
StartUs Insights – Top 5 Climate Resilience Startups in Smart Cities:
WSJ – Investors Are Funding Ways to Adapt to Climate Change:
refinq – About Us:
Green Hero Global – 10 Startups Using AI to Fight Climate Change:
Related Article(s)
What is refinq and how does it support nature and climate risk management?
refinq is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that translates complex environmental data into nature and climate risk profiles, and provides recommendations for action that can be deployed by corporates. We assist businesses in assessing and managing nature and climate risks across their assets, ensuring compliance with frameworks like TNFD, CSRD, and ESRS, reducing business operating costs, and future-proofing supply chains. refinq’s tool expands the reach and effectiveness of corporate nature teams.
How does GaiaGuide enhance refinq's Nature Intelligence Hub?
GaiaGuide is an AI-powered tool within refinq's platform that provides tailored, location-specific nature-positive actions. It goes beyond identifying risks by offering actionable strategies to mitigate them, helping businesses leverage their natural capital for operational resilience.
What types of climate and nature risks does refinq assess?
refinq evaluates a range of climate hazards, including temperature changes, floods, and wind patterns, alongside nature risks like species extinction, land degradation, and biodiversity intactness (and many more). These assessments are location-specific and aligned with global regulatory frameworks (e.g. ESRS, TNFD).
Is refinq's data compliant with international reporting standards?
Yes, refinq's assessments align with key frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Standard (CSRD), and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), ensuring compliance with international regulations.
How granular is the data provided by refinq?
refinq offers hyper-granular data, creating nature assessments for any company location globally with a granularity of up to 25 meters. This allows for precise risk evaluation and management at the asset level.
Can refinq forecast environmental impacts into the future?
Yes, refinq allows for forecasting environmental impacts based on four climate scenarios up to the year 2100. This forward-looking approach aids in long-term strategic planning and risk mitigation.
How does refinq translate environmental risks into financial terms?
refinq provides financial damage estimates for both climate and nature risks, enabling businesses to quantify potential financial impacts and make informed investment and operational decisions.
Is refinq suitable for global operations outside the EU?
Absolutely. refinq's assessments follow international frameworks like TNFD and our data souces have truly global reach.
What industries can benefit from using refinq?
refinq serves a diverse range of industries, including utilities, manufacturing, financial institutions, and more. Any organisation seeking to understand and manage its nature-related risks can benefit from refinq's platform.
How does refinq’s transition risk product help boards and risk committees?
We map policy, market, technology and reputational risks based on up-to-date regulatory information concerning focal jurisdictions and business activities. This makes it possible for boards and committees to make decisions based on the latest and most credible information.