BreezoMeter, the company that delivers street-level air quality, pollen, pollutants and fire data to consumers through connected devices and apps in 100+ countries, today announced the appointment of Paul Walsh as its Head of Growth, N.A. Walsh is a decades-long veteran in the weather industry and an expert on the impact of weather and climate on consumers and business. He previously served as Vice President of Weather Analytics at The Weather Company and Global Director of Climate and Sustainability at IBM. At BreezoMeter, Walsh will focus on guiding North American businesses as they leverage environmental intelligence and air quality data for product forecasting, development and planning.
BreezoMeter’s environmental intelligence currently powers features in more than 100 smart products and apps by companies including Apple, Bosch, Dyson, Verizon Media and L’Oréal. AstraZeneca, for instance, is using BreezoMeter’s hyper-local air quality data to measure the effects of environmental exposure on patients, and make personalized care recommendations specific to patients’ personal conditions and triggers.
This trend toward integrating hyper-local air quality data into products is only expected to grow as consumers become increasingly aware of how their regular exposure to hazardous air quality–caused by pollution, wildfire smoke, pollen and other sources–can negatively impact their health. As a result, companies are looking for new ways to help customers and users make more informed everyday decisions to protect their health, such as taking alternative driving routes or exploring new walking paths that won’t expose them to toxic pollutants, as well as larger life decisions, such as which city to live in.
In his new capacity as Head of Growth with BreezoMeter, Walsh seeks to expand the role that environmental data and insights play in product development and business forecasting by companies in the healthcare, insurance, smart home and automotive industries. Walsh specializes in developing and creating weather-based analytical products that enable companies to discover, understand, forecast and execute business strategies based on the effects of weather and climate change on consumer demand, sentiment and needs.
“Businesses have learned over the past year that they must be flexible and quick to adapt to new environments–be that in the face of a sudden global pandemic or ongoing climate change,” said Ran Korber, CEO of BreezoMeter. “The only way to make informed decisions about how the latter will affect their businesses and consumers is through accurate, real-time and geographically specific data. Paul’s experience will be instrumental as we work to transform our air quality data and environmental intelligence into tools that companies and consumers can use to both forecast long-term decisions and protect their everyday health.”
BreezoMeter combines data from multiple sources — including more than 47,000 sensors worldwide, meteorological data and satellites that track weather, fire and sandstorm events, as well as live traffic information. It detects 12 species of pollen and 34 different pollutants, allowing it to forecast air pollution up to 96 hours and allergens three days ahead of time. BreezoMeter uses AI and machine learning to gather this intelligence in real time and deliver it to consumers at street-level acuity (~5 meters) in 100+ countries. The company recently closed its $30 million Series C funding round to refine and scale its three-part model: data infrastructure, technology and delivery to consumers through connected devices and experiences.
“BreezoMeter’s ability to transform real-time environmental data into actionable insights is helping consumers make informed decisions about how to best protect themselves and giving businesses the ability to proactively support the consumers they serve,” said Walsh. “I’m looking forward to playing an active role in BreezoMeter’s growth story and helping companies power product and business decisions through our data and analytics.”
Walsh’s deep expertise on the impact of weather on consumers and businesses has resulted in regular on-air appearances and commentary with media outlets, including The Weather Channel, CNBC, FOX Business, Bloomberg, MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and others.
He began his career as a meteorologist in the United States Air Force where he provided weather-based intelligence support to war fighters and mission planners and served as the Chief of Weather Operations for the US Army’s elite 101st Airborne Division during Operation Desert Storm. Prior to IBM and The Weather Company, Walsh held senior roles at Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Storm Exchange and Planalytics, Inc. Walsh is based in New York City.
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About BreezoMeter
BreezoMeter transforms live environmental intelligence into actionable insights and delivers them to consumers through mobile apps, smart home IoT devices, cars and other connected experiences. Brands like Apple, L’Oreal and AstraZeneca rely on BreezoMeter to provide real-time air quality data to their customers, so they can make informed decisions about when to go outside, how to best protect themselves, which travel routes to take, and even where to live. BreezoMeter uses AI and machine learning to gather and understand data from multiple sources — including more than 47,000 sensors worldwide. The result is street-level air quality resolution (within 5 meters), and pollen, pollutants and fire data, in more than 100 countries.
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