Scout InsurTech Interview with XyloPlan

XyloPlan is a wildfire-mitigation intelligence company helping communities and insurers understand where targeted actions can meaningfully reduce catastrophic fire risk. By combining fire science with geospatial analysis, the platform identifies the highest-impact mitigation measures, enabling fire agencies to strengthen community resilience and insurers to recognize and price the value of those efforts. Scout InsurTech’s Chris Luiz sat down with Co-Founder and CEO Scott Cheeseman to explore how XyloPlan is transforming wildfire risk reduction across the West.

Who are your clients?

We work with both fire agencies and insurers. On the fire agency side, we partner with departments across the West, ranging from Eagle River Valley in Colorado to San Luis Obispo in California. Our work helps these agencies guide their communities toward meaningful wildfire risk reduction. We also work with insurers, including Mercury Insurance, to help them recognize and quantify the value of those mitigation efforts.

What does your product do?

Our platform helps communities and insurers prioritize the most impactful wildfire risk reduction measures. We identify the actions that will slow the advance of a fire into a neighborhood, strengthen individual homes, and improve overall resilience. This supports community-level safety and provides insurers with a clear understanding of the value created through these mitigation steps.

How much capital have you raised?

We have raised three and a half million dollars from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and a family office with a wildfire resilience focus.

Was the company born from within or outside the insurance industry?

XyloPlan was born from the needs of a local fire chief. My own community experienced multiple wildfire evacuations, and I partnered with Chief Winnacker to create a platform that could help communities understand where and how to reduce fire risk. Our origin is rooted in fire science and community resilience rather than insurance, although insurance quickly became an essential part of the mission.

What growth metrics have you accomplished over the last 12 months?

Over the past year, we have added twenty-five communities across the West to the platform. Each new community represents homes and neighborhoods that are now taking meaningful steps toward wildfire resilience.

Within your domain, what is the current challenge the industry is facing?

There are two major challenges. The first is community resistance to change. Homeowners often do not realize how much their own actions matter. Key mitigation measures like clearing vegetation within five feet of the home, installing ember-resistant vents, or upgrading to a Class A roof can dramatically reduce vulnerability, yet adoption takes education, persistence, and trust.

The second challenge involves bringing insurers into a new way of thinking. Traditional models rarely capture the community-wide impact of mitigation work. Fire science increasingly shows how these measures slow fire spread at the neighborhood level. Helping insurers understand that, and incorporate it into pricing and underwriting, is essential for restoring market stability in high-risk regions.

How does XyloPlan take a unique approach to providing value?

We bridge the gap between community-level mitigation and insurer-level pricing decisions. Fire agencies trust our platform because it reflects fire science and on-the-ground operational realities. Insurers value it because it helps them see and quantify the protective effect of mitigation at scale. By grounding both sides in the same data, we increase resilience and improve the conditions needed for insurers to remain in or return to high-risk areas.

What inspired you to start the company?

Living in Sonoma County, I have been evacuated twice due to wildfire. My home was spared, but seeing the damage to surrounding communities makes the problem personal. California has faced widespread non-renewals, and it became clear that communities were being asked to do meaningful work that was not being recognized or valued in underwriting. The inspiration was simple. Reduce risk, help communities stay safe, and support insurers in making informed pricing decisions that reflect actual mitigation effort.

Can you share any goals for the next 12 months?

Over the next year, we plan to expand our footprint across the Western United States by bringing fifty new fire agencies onto the platform. We also want to add five to ten new carriers. These goals reflect our belief that the wildfire problem cannot be solved without closer coordination between the public safety community and the insurance industry.

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