On this episode of Scouting For Growth, Sabine VdL sits down with Mike Gulla, CEO and Co-Founder of Adaptive Insurance, to explore what resilience really means when climate risk is rising, systems are strained, and business disruption is no longer a “rare event.” Mike founded Adaptive in early 2024 with a clear mission: help businesses build financial resilience against climate uncertainty using parametric and adaptive insurance, powered by unique data assets and modern technology. Why parametric, why now? Traditional insurance was built for a world that moved slower. But climate volatility doesn’t wait for claims adjusters, inspections, or long settlement cycles. Mike makes the case that speed is becoming the defining advantage in protection. Parametric insurance is designed for exactly that: fast decision-making after an event occurs. Instead of lengthy claims processes, payouts can be triggered by predefined conditions—helping business owners respond quickly when it matters most. As Mike puts it: when you combine knowledge with speed, you help leaders make better decisions. The real problem isn’t just risk — it’s visibility One of the strongest takeaways is that many business owners don’t fully understand what environmental risks will impact them over time. Starting and running a business already comes with enough complexity: revenue planning, product selection, hiring, operations. Insurance is often an afterthought—until it’s not. Adaptive’s focus is helping owners see how factors like extreme weather, outages, and business interruption can affect them long before the next disruption hits. Operational disruption is the new normal Mike highlights how power outages reveal the fragility of business infrastructure. Even with backup systems, grid failures ripple into real-world impact: darker streets, reduced foot traffic, disrupted services, and lost revenue. That’s the kind of disruption that doesn’t just hurt operations—it changes customer behavior. A shifting climate is shifting populations (and exposure) As climate patterns evolve, people and businesses are moving into areas with new or unfamiliar weather risks. Mike sees this as both a challenge and an opportunity: to design products that match reality, close protection gaps, and create positive outcomes for communities. Parametric as “insurance on demand” Mike offers a useful analogy: parametric coverage is like a streaming service—opening the door to a new way of accessing protection that’s more targeted, flexible, and aligned with what actually threatens a business. Not more paperwork. More relevance. Why this episode matters For insurers, brokers, and enterprise leaders, this conversation is a glimpse into where the market is heading: faster protection, data-driven product design, and resilience as the core value proposition. Because the question is no longer whether disruption will happen. It’s whether your business can absorb it—and keep moving.