Dutch Climate Tech Company Wins UNESCO Recognition for Urban Heat Management Technology

2026-02-28 green

Netherlands, Saturday, 28 February 2026.
FortyGuard’s breakthrough Large Temperature Models deliver street-level heat intelligence at 2-meter resolution, helping cities combat rising temperatures with unprecedented precision. The Dutch company was selected for UNESCO’s IRCAI Top 100 global AI innovations in February 2026, recognizing their ability to process over 50 billion data points daily for climate-smart urban planning decisions.

UNESCO Recognition Highlights AI Innovation for Climate Adaptation

The International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) under UNESCO’s auspices selected FortyGuard as an Excellent Project in its Top 100 2025 Global AI for SDGs Index on February 15, 2026 [3][4]. This recognition spotlights AI innovations advancing the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with FortyGuard’s work specifically addressing SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities [1][3]. The company’s founder and CEO Jay Sadiq emphasized that this third-party validation signals FortyGuard is “building something real and reliable” that customers can deploy with confidence [4]. The recognition comes as cities worldwide grapple with increasing urban heat challenges amplified by climate change and the Urban Heat Island effect [5].

Advanced Technology Stack Transforms Temperature Data into Urban Intelligence

FortyGuard’s technology consists of a sophisticated two-layer stack combining Large Temperature Models (LTMs) with a Temperature Operating System (tOS) [2]. The LTMs are AI models that predict ambient air temperature using satellite data, GIS layers, meteorology, and in-situ observations, while tOS serves as the operational platform managing data, model training, and output delivery through dashboards and APIs [2]. The system delivers temperature intelligence at 2 meters above ground level with hourly updates at street and building scale, extending forecasts up to 14 days ahead [2]. This hyperlocal precision enables the platform to capture temperature extremes and local variability through probabilistic forecasting methods [2].

Real-World Applications Drive Climate-Smart Decision Making

The Temperature Dashboard® provides real-time insights with unprecedented 2-meter resolution, enabling cities to manage urban heat with data-driven precision [1]. FortyGuard’s platform supports comprehensive urban heat management decisions by determining what interventions to implement, where to deploy them, and their expected cooling impact [2]. The system offers scenario simulations across various interventions including shade installations, material changes, and greening projects, producing detailed before-and-after comparisons with key performance indicators [2]. According to the Climate Proof analysis, FortyGuard processes over 50 billion data points daily to deliver these urban heat insights [5].

Strategic Expansion Across Global Markets

While FortyGuard’s headquarters are located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the company has been expanding its presence internationally [5]. The company successfully graduated from the inaugural InnoQube Switzerland Startup Program in early 2026, marking a significant milestone in their European expansion strategy [7]. This two-month intensive program included workshops with over 30 mentors and culminated in a Demo Day held in Chur, Switzerland, where the team showcased their temperature intelligence technology to international investors, corporate partners, and researchers [7]. The company also offers a free Startup API for US ClimateTech startups and students, providing up to six months of complimentary access to encourage innovation in the climate technology sector [4].

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urban planning climate AI