Who is Who
Valkyrie Holmes is the CEO and Co-Founder of Faura, an insurtech company using advanced property and climate analytics to help insurers and homeowners reduce natural disaster risk. With a background spanning NASA, SpaceX, and wildfire innovation, she is recognized for her leadership in climate resilience, property intelligence, and shaping the future of high-risk insurance solutions.
Rising from a World on Fire
When Valkyrie Holmes first entered the world of wildfire science, she wasn’t just stepping into a technical field; she was stepping directly into a crisis that was reshaping the American landscape. With entire communities threatened by destructive storms, rising temperatures, and unprecedented natural disasters, she found herself facing a question that would come to define her career: How do we build resilience when the world is changing faster than our systems can keep up?
This early realization planted the seed for what would eventually become Faura. It also sparked a purpose that would carry her from engineering roles at NASA and SpaceX to the forefront of insurtech innovation. Her path has been anything but typical, but it has always been guided by a clear belief that technology can help protect people, homes, and communities when it matters most.
Key Takeaways
Valkyrie Holmes is the Co-Founder and CEO of Faura, leading an insurtech company dedicated to helping insurers and homeowners reduce risk through advanced property and climate analytics. She also serves as the Chapter Director at InnSure on the West Coast, contributes globally as a Villars Fellow, and is recognized for her pioneering wildfire containment work through Project Firefly. Her leadership has earned her multiple industry awards, including top honors in State Farm and Guidewire Software pitch competitions, highlighting her impact within property risk intelligence.
Charting the Course: A Mission Rooted in Resilience
Valkyrie’s journey into climate resilience and wildfire research began long before Faura. What started as a personal curiosity grew into a defining mission as she witnessed how unprepared many communities and insurers were for the realities of modern climate risk.
As CEO of Faura, she leads a company that transforms how insurers and homeowners understand vulnerability. Her team’s work helps carriers anticipate the impact of natural disasters, empowers policyholders to take meaningful action, and supports a future where risk is not just measured but actively reduced.
Her philosophy is clear: survivability is not a passive metric; it is an active pursuit. This belief is reflected in her public insights. She often states, “Customer centricity is a superpower. The one who controls first-party data wins, not just because of accuracy, but because of the relationship built while acquiring it.” Her view is that stronger relationships lead to safer homes and healthier insurance ecosystems.
A Tapestry of Experience: From Aerospace to Climate Intelligence
Valkyrie’s career is shaped by experiences that blend scientific rigor with real-world impact. At NASA and SpaceX, she honed her skills in electrical engineering and data science. Her work at Project Firefly, where she helped prototype new wildfire containment methods using pressurized air cannons and drone-based strategies, demonstrated her ability to bring bold ideas into high-risk, high-impact environments.
These experiences prepared her for the technical and strategic challenges of leading an innovation-driven company. Her transition into insurtech was sparked by a renewed awareness of how misaligned incentives can limit climate resilience. She identified a gap in how homeowners and insurers shared responsibility and realized that improved systems, clarity, and data accessibility could bridge that gap.
Her insights continue to guide Faura’s mission. She often notes, “A homeowner who does more work to protect their property is a more profitable homeowner.” Her work focuses on creating the tools that make property improvements easier to verify, easier to incentivize, and easier to reward.
Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Innovators
Valkyrie is passionate about inspiring emerging leaders in climate and technology. As a TKS alumna and a 776 Foundation Fellow, she continues to mentor and empower young talent working on global sustainability issues. She emphasizes community, collaboration, and inclusion, recognizing that meaningful climate solutions require diverse perspectives and shared effort.
Throughout her public speaking and writing, she frequently reflects on the power of community support. “Being part of this community has changed our lives,” she once wrote, acknowledging the mentors and peers who shaped her journey. Whether she is speaking at conferences, sharing insights online, or mentoring young innovators, her commitment to lifting others underscores her leadership philosophy.
Leadership Lessons
Valkyrie’s career reflects the power of diverse experience, courageous innovation, and purposeful leadership. Her work demonstrates the value of turning unconventional ideas into practical solutions and embracing challenges with resilience and clarity. She believes in empowering others, drawing strength from community, and leading with a clear sense of mission and responsibility. Her approach shows that impactful leadership is built through a balance of adaptability, generosity, and unwavering direction.
Vision for the Future
Today, Faura is expanding rapidly, now partnering with major carriers and reaching homeowners across high-risk regions. Under Valkyrie’s leadership, the company raised significant venture capital, deepened its presence in national media, and strengthened its position as a rising force in property risk intelligence.
Her vision for the future is centered on creating a world where every homeowner and insurer has access to the insights they need to make safer, smarter decisions. She believes that data should be a tool for empowerment, not intimidation. Her reflections capture this outlook: “We feel the pressure, and we’re ready for it.”
This mindset drives Faura’s work forward, inspiring a new era of clarity and collaboration in climate resilience.
Editorial Notes
Valkyrie Holmes’ story reflects the power of purpose-driven innovation in an era marked by uncertainty. Her leadership at Faura is reshaping the intersection of climate intelligence and property risk, offering hopeful solutions at a time when resilience is needed most. Her journey encourages readers to embrace their own paths with courage, clarity, and a commitment to meaningful impact.
