Overstory

Overstory applies artificial intelligence to satellite imagery to help electric utilities manage vegetation around power lines. Its platform delivers real-time vegetation analysis aimed at reducing power outages and wildfire risk on the distribution and transmission grid. The company was founded in 2018 and has a team of more than 100 people, described as climate advocates, operating across North America and Europe.

The underlying technology combines machine learning, satellite imagery analysis and geospatial analytics to identify vegetation-related threats to grid infrastructure. The stated purpose is to enable utilities to optimise resources and mitigate risk, supporting what the company calls a more resilient electrical grid as climate pressures intensify.

Overstory reports measurable gains for its utility customers: efficiency improvements of 46% for distribution customers and trimming efficiency gains of 64% for transmission customers. The company cites a 13x return on investment for its AI-powered vegetation intelligence platform. Its work sits at the intersection of energy, wildfire mitigation and climate resilience.