Project Title:
Gridware
Inaugural Head of Communications & Marketing/Chief of Communications & Marketing
The Context
Gridware, a company specializing in security & micrometeorology, expanded its operations to the U.S. to support wildfire mitigation and grid modernization efforts. As the inaugural Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, I was tasked with building and leading the department from the ground up. This involved establishing a consistent voice across external media, internal operations, and policy channels. My responsibilities extended beyond communications to include executive development, systems design, and thought leadership strategy, all aimed at enhancing trust, alignment, and visibility across the organization.
The Challenge
Gridware faced the challenge of establishing credibility as a wildfire resilience and micrometeorology innovator in a risk-averse utility sector dominated by longstanding vendors. As media scrutiny intensified around wildfire prevention and utility accountability, the startup navigated complex regulatory landscapes, federal lobbying requirements, and rising expectations from venture capital backers and public-sector partners.
Internally, Gridware operated without a centralized communications structure, and its executive voice remained underdeveloped, led by a CEO whose prior experience as a lineman was in Australia, which limited immediate U.S. industry credibility. This hampered the company’s ability to craft narratives that effectively positioned its micrometeorology technology as essential infrastructure, addressed cybersecurity concerns, and engaged diverse stakeholders across environmental equity, insurance, government, and utility sectors.
The Approach
To support Gridware’s emergence as a climate intelligence company, I led the development of an enterprise-wide communications strategy that repositioned its AI-powered micrometeorology platform as essential infrastructure for wildfire mitigation and grid modernization.
Partnering with the CEO and co-founders, I developed a strategic narrative that elevated Gridware from a hardware startup to a leader in climate resilience. This included executive speeches, media briefings, public policy messaging, and investor communications, resulting in high-impact placements in TIME, Forbes, Grist, and TechCrunch, as well as invitations to global climate events and Senate hearings.
I built the company’s first internal communications infrastructure, standardizing voice, messaging workflows, and systems across teams in Sydney, Tokyo, Munich, London, and the U.S. I designed executive briefing systems, cross-functional updates, and milestone reporting that reinforced technical credibility and policy alignment.
As Gridware launched its Active Grid Response platform and edge-sensing tools, I developed messaging frameworks that translated AI roadmaps into clear, policy-relevant language. These narratives supported utility procurement cycles, federal lobbying efforts, and funding readiness.
At the executive level, I coached leadership on communicating during uncertainty—aligning strategic goals with external visibility. I introduced structured storytelling tools to support investor readiness, technical demos, and government engagement—building trust across public, private, and environmental sectors.
The Impact
Gridware’s narrative repositioning as a climate intelligence company shaped how AI and micrometeorology are understood within the utility industry. The communications system I built helped translate Gridware’s Active Grid Response (AGR) platform into regulatory language, investor case studies, and procurement-ready collateral—accelerating adoption across utility partners and public safety agencies.
This work contributed to a 40% increase in global visibility and a 35% boost in stakeholder trust, with Gridware featured in TIME’s Best Inventions, Forbes, Grist 50, TechCrunch, and CleanTechnica. The CEO was appointed to the California Public Utilities Commission Wildfire Risk Working Group, and Gridware’s voice influenced legislative discussions tied to SB 1003 and SB 436, advancing the future of AI governance in grid safety.
Internally, the systems I implemented enabled executive alignment across five global offices, supported Series B investor readiness, and established Gridware as a credible contributor in AI, cybersecurity, and climate resilience. Communications became a foundational pillar—bridging product innovation and public trust during a defining moment for the utility sector.
