194. Next-Gen Weather Forecasting: AI, Satellites, and Drones - Sep25

Water, wind, sunlight — the driving forces behind renewable energy. The better we can predict them, the more we can accelerate progress and reduce risk.  

Weather forecasting is undergoing a quantum leap, powered by breakthroughs in satellites, drones, and artificial intelligence. Once the exclusive domain of national weather services, the industry is now being transformed by a new wave of tech-driven startups. And the market is booming.  

In this episode, Laurent and Gerard welcome Dr. Martin J. Fengler, a German mathematician and the founder and CEO of Meteomatics AG. Based in Switzerland, Meteomatics is a cutting-edge weather technology company with over 130 employees and a client base of 600 — including high-profile names like NASA, Lockheed Martin, Toyota, Tesla, and numerous utility companies. About 25% of its clients are in the energy sector.  

Meteomatics stands out not only for its AI-driven weather models but also for its proprietary fleet of weather drones, capable of flying up to 6 kilometres high, delivering ultra-precise atmospheric data. The company has raised over $35 million in venture capital to date.  

In our conversation, we explore the future of weather tech, its role in tackling climate change, the growing risks of extreme weather, surprising use cases — and yes, even wind theft.  

Heads up: This one’s for the geeks.

And at the end, Laurent sings for Lisa