100 Days Since Fires, LA Looks to Future With Tech Recovery Plan
A new competition has been launched in Los Angeles to help communities recover from this year’s wildfires and prepare the city for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The LA Resilient Rebuilding Cup is offering up to US$100,000 (£80,000) in funding and prizes to startups with practical ideas for rebuilding neighbourhoods affected by the fires. The competition is open to entries from anywhere in the world.
It is being run by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), an organisation that supports green and clean-energy businesses. The aim is to find new technologies that can help communities recover faster and become more resilient to future disasters.
The campaign to promote the initiative is titled LA is Looking for Angels.
Startups will be asked to submit their ideas online. The best entries will be invited to a live event in LA on 10 July, where they’ll pitch their proposals to a panel of investors and city officials.
The wildfires that prompted the challenge broke out on 7 January 2025 and spread rapidly across southern California. Santa Ana winds — dry, powerful gusts that can reach hurricane strength — helped push flames through drought-stricken land.
More than 18,000 structures were damaged or destroyed, and over 200,000 people were forced to evacuate from areas including Los Angeles and San Diego counties, according to CAL FIRE. At least 30 people lost their lives.
Among the worst-hit incidents were the Palisades Fire, which burned around 23,000 acres and destroyed over 6,800 buildings, and the Eaton Fire, which destroyed a further 9,400 structures across 14,000 acres.
Estimates from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation place insured property losses at between $28 billion and $53.8 billion. The figures do not include wider disruption to transport, tourism, or business. In response, Southern California Edison announced a $925 million plan to rebuild power infrastructure and improve resilience in fire-prone areas.
Organisers of the Rebuilding Cup want to hear from startups working in a range of areas. These include early warning systems for wildfires, air and soil monitoring, mental health tools, off-grid power supplies, and water storage for firefighting.
They’re also interested in ideas for rebuilding homes and public buildings using fire-resistant or low-carbon materials. Other key areas include technology that can speed up building permits, help people access insurance, or make it easier to finance new construction.
The overall goal is to get new solutions tested and working in local communities before the 2028 Olympic Games, which are expected to bring millions of visitors to Los Angeles.
Matt Petersen, CEO of LACI, said: “These fires have left scars across our region, but they’ve also created an opportunity. We’re calling on innovators and entrepreneurs to help us rebuild stronger, smarter and more sustainably — so we’re ready not just for the next fire season, but for when the eyes of the world are on us in 2028.”
Applications for the Rebuilding Cup are open until 30 May. The competition is supported by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, with more sponsors to be announced soon.
LACI was set up by the city in 2011 to boost jobs in clean technology and green energy. Since then, it has helped over 500 startups raise more than $1 billion in funding.
More information about the competition and how to enter can be found at laincubator.org.
Main image: Roberto Nickson/Pexels