EPISODE · Aug 13, 2025 · 43 MIN
Mike Gulla: Power Outage Coverage Reinvented Amid 78% Surge
from Scouting for Growth · host Sabine VdL
On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Mike Gulla, CEO of Adaptive Insurance, whose team is redefining what it means to be resilient in an era of climate uncertainty and operational volatility. We’ll explore why now is the time for parametric and adaptive insurance, what inspired the creation of Adaptive, and how emerging technologies like AI, big data, and cloud computing are transforming the insurance landscape. KEY TAKEAWAYS Mike founded Adaptive in early 2024 to help businesses build financial resilience against climate change by leveraging parametric products and unique data assets. Starting a business comes with many challenges – revenue planning, product selection, and insurance. Our focus is on helping owners understand how environmental factors, such as extreme weather or business interruptions, could impact them over time. Power outages show that even with backup systems, grid failures can cause major disruptions – from dark streets to reduced customer traffic. As climate shifts, populations are moving into areas with new weather risks. My focus is on creating innovative insurance products that turn these challenges into opportunities for good BEST MOMENTS ‘The consumer needs knowledge to understand what the things are that are ultimately going to impact their business.’ ‘Speed is huge, which is why we use parametric products, a business owner needs to be able to make a decision very quickly after an event occurs. When you combine knowledge with speed, it helps them make a better decision for their business.’ The insurance industry has suffered from how fast things have changed.’ ‘Parametric insurance products are similar to streaming services in that they allow the consumer a new opportunity to have access to a different type of coverage that specifically focuses on something that might impact their business.’ ABOUT THE GUESTS Mike Gulla, CEO and Co-Founder of Adaptive Insurance, has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry and is passionate about transforming how insurance works by leveraging technology and innovative strategies. His career is marked by a commitment to making insurance more adaptive, efficient, and customer-focused. Mike’s leadership at Adaptive Insurance reflects his vision for a smarter, more responsive industry—one that meets the evolving needs of clients in a rapidly changing world. Known for his forward-thinking approach and dedication to excellence, Mike continues to inspire teams and drive meaningful change across the insurance landscape. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet. If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights. And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at [email protected]
What this episode covers
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.
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Mike Gulla: Power Outage Coverage Reinvented Amid 78% Surge
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