Norfolk, Va. – RISE Resilience Innovations, a Virginia-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing threats facing flood-prone communities, is excited to announce the four winning teams of its 2025 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge II.

The winners will each receive up to $300,000 through funding from Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development, to pilot solutions aimed at helping communities in the Roanoke Valley and Northwest Virginia prepare and respond to an increasing threat from damaging storms and riverine flooding.

“Hurricane Helene and February’s historic flooding were devastating reminders that Virginia’s interior communities are facing greater storm risks than ever,” said RISE Executive Director Paul Robinson, Ph.D. “These four teams answered our call with bold, innovative and scalable solutions that can strengthen local storm response, quicken community recovery times and serve as models of resilience across the nation.”

Founded in 2018, RISE develops scalable, business-led solutions to some of the toughest threats facing flood-prone communities. Building on the success of its 2024 Riverine Community Challenge in Southwest Virginia, RISE’s latest initiative expands to Planning District Commissions (PDCs) 1-7 across the Roanoke Valley and Northwest Virginia, with a sharpened focus on community preparedness, infrastructure adaptation and business continuity.

The 2025 RISE Riverine Community Resilience Challenge II winners include:

Mērak Labs: Lighthouse by Mērak Labs helps communities act before, during and after a storm hits, offering clear, early insight into compound risks such as flooding, debris movement, landslides and mine blowouts to guide safer and smarter responses.

Floodbase / Raincoat: Floodbase and Raincoat are creating the first-ever risk pool for participating Non-Governmental Organizations in western Virginia, delivering flexible capital to local first responders across a wider region to improve local disaster response and resilience.

FloodMapp: FloodMapp’s ForeCast, NowCast and PostCast systems give real-time flood monitoring and alerts, with a goal to deploy an operational early warning system across western Virginia.

Juno Maps / Smart Site Plan: Smart Site Plan is a cloud-based geospatial platform offering scalable flood resilience tools across western Virginia’s seven Planning District Commissions.

Each selected project will use funding from Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development to travel to the region and pilot their ideas in partnership with local communities through June 2026. Winners also receive technical assistance, mentorship and access to RISE’s accelerator program to pilot their innovations in real-world environments.

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About RISE Resilience Solutions

Since its founding in 2018, RISE has been at the forefront of identifying, funding, and scaling solutions to the biggest challenges facing flood-prone communities. The organization has awarded over $9 million in funding to small business innovators, received more than 400 submissions from 30 countries, and supported the development of over 40 novel pilot projects. RISE-funded businesses have collectively raised over $48 million and created more than 180 jobs, advancing practical solutions that safeguard communities and build long-term resilience.

Rise Names Winners of 2025 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge II

RISE Resilience Innovations, a Virginia-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing threats facing flood-prone communities, is excited to announce the four winning teams of its 2025 Riverine Community Resilience Challenge II.