InnSure, Schmidt Family Foundation, and Builders Vision Philanthropy Launch Decarbonization Risk Management Innovation Prize
BOSTON, June 10, 2026 — InnSure, a mission-driven nonprofit catalyzing insurance innovation that addresses climate change, today announced the launch of a $600,000 Decarbonization Risk Management Innovation Prize, funded by the Schmidt Family Foundation and Builders Vision Philanthropy. The prize will award at least three early- to growth-stage companies with demonstrated technology capability up to $200,000 each in non-dilutive funding to develop and deploy data-powered underwriting solutions for emerging clean energy projects. Winners will also receive 12 months of hands-on acceleration support through InnSure’s Creation Labs program, the incubator platform it unveiled earlier this year that fosters the development of new climate risk management products and accelerates their go-to-market time.
The energy transition faces a critical bottleneck: insurance markets lack the data infrastructure and predictive tools to accurately underwrite emerging decarbonization technologies. Without adequate insurance, these projects struggle to attract financing. The prize seeks game-changing solutions that leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital twins, and predictive analytics to transform underwriting accuracy and unlock capital for the next generation of climate technology.
“Our first Innovation Prize awarded a total of $5 million to eight novel insurance solutions that fill insurance coverage gaps in energy, buildings, and transportation. With it, we proved that targeted funding can bring breakthrough insurance products to market,” said Christopher Lowell, Managing Director at InnSure. “This new prize goes further by challenging innovators to fundamentally reimagine how underwriters assess risk for the technologies that will define the energy transition. We’re not looking for incremental improvements. We’re looking for a substantive change.”
“Insurance is one of the most powerful but underutilized tools for accelerating the energy transition,” said Kyle McEneaney, Program Director at the Schmidt Family Foundation. “By backing innovators who can bring advanced computing to bear on underwriting, we can help unlock the capital that clean energy projects need to reach commercial scale.”
“Scaling the innovative technologies needed for a resilient energy future requires closing the insurance gap that too often slows their adoption,” said Amanda Goldberger, Head of Strategy, Philanthropy, at Builders Vision. “With this prize, InnSure is opening the door to more forward-looking and creative approaches to assessing risk that accelerate these solutions instead of holding them back. These types of initiatives are exactly where philanthropy has a powerful role to play in building markets, supporting innovators and moving entire sectors forward.”
Applications for the Decarbonization Risk Management Innovation Prize are now open, and winners will be announced during New York Climate Week from Sept. 20–27. For more information on core eligibility requirements for applicants and to apply, please visit innsure.org/decarbonizationprize.
About InnSure
InnSure is a mission-driven nonprofit at the intersection of insurance innovation and climate change. Its mission is to catalyze novel insurance solutions that support effective climate adaptation and mitigation. Through programs including the Innovation Prize, Creation Labs, and the annual InnSure Climate Forum, InnSure fosters collaboration between insurance professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and communities to close the protection gaps that threaten the energy transition and resilience efforts. Learn more at innsure.org.
About The Schmidt Family Foundation
Established in 2006 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, the Schmidt Family Foundation works to restore a balanced relationship between people and planet. Through grantmaking and investments, the foundation partners with communities around the world in working for renewable energy, resilient food systems, healthy oceans and the protection of human rights.
About Builders Vision
Builders Vision is an investment and philanthropy platform that harnesses innovative capital to build a more resilient future. We grow and transform markets that generate financial returns and sustainable outcomes across three sectors: food & agriculture, energy and oceans. Our success is only possible because of our collaboration with the entrepreneurs, innovators and investors who share our commitment to building the economy of tomorrow. Learn more about Builders Vision at www.buildersvision.com.