Flooding isn’t just getting worse — it’s getting smarter. And unless we change how we predict and prepare for it, the cost will keep rising. In this episode of the Scouting for Growth Podcast, Sabine VanderLinden is joined by Dr. Avi Baruch, co-founder and COO, and Jonathan Jackson, co-founder and CEO of Previsico — a specialist in surface water flood forecasting that is helping insurers, governments, and businesses move from reactive recovery to proactive resilience. The stakes are enormous. Flooding cost the global economy more than $82 billion in 2021, affecting 29 million people worldwide and accounting for nearly a third of all natural catastrophe losses. It is now the second-largest weather-related peril after droughts — and climate change is accelerating both its frequency and severity. But as Avi makes clear, “there’s no such thing as a natural disaster — only natural hazards and human failures to prepare.” Previsico was born from that insight. During his PhD research, Avi realised the real impact of flood-monitoring technology wouldn’t come from academic papers, but from real-time deployment on the ground. Spinning out the technology from Loughborough University, and later partnering with Jonathan, Previsico set out to solve one of the most underestimated risks in insurance and infrastructure: surface water flooding, which is notoriously hard to predict and often excluded from traditional models. In this conversation, the trio unpack why flooding is increasingly man-made in impact, driven by urban development, poor planning, and outdated assumptions about risk. Building on floodplains, ignoring drainage capacity, and relying on historical data simply don’t work in a world of volatile weather patterns. Previsico’s approach is refreshingly practical — and powerful. They outline a four-step method to significantly reduce flood risk: Understand your risk using accurate, location-specific data Invest in the right resilience measures, from flood defences to non-return valves Create a flood action plan — know who does what, and when Use early warning systems to act before damage occurs This final step is where Previsico excels. Their real-time surface water forecasts give hours of advanced warning, enabling simple but critical actions: moving stock, shutting down utilities, protecting vehicles, and safeguarding people. These small interventions can be the difference between reopening in three days instead of three months — a lesson learned the hard way by communities like Hebden Bridge in the UK. The discussion also highlights the growing role of insurers in adaptation. Initiatives like “Build Back Better”, supported by the insurance industry, now offer homeowners up to £10,000 post-flood to install resilience measures — shifting the focus from payout to prevention. As COP26 reinforced, governments alone cannot defend against flooding. Adaptation is a shared responsibility. This episode is essential listening for: Insurance leaders addressing climate-driven loss ratios SMEs exposed to flood risk but lacking preparedness Risk and resilience professionals shaping adaptation strategies Policymakers and planners rethinking urban development As Avi and Jonathan make clear, flooding doesn’t have to be catastrophic. With the right data, the right warnings, and the right actions, we can predict earlier, protect better, and prevent the worst outcomes — saving livelihoods, communities, and billions in losses.