Last year, Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the Northeast, leaving 159 people dead and costing up to $50 billion in damages.
Businesses—and some 9 million people—were without power for weeks and in some cases months.
But Sandy's aftermath—along with the damage from storms like Hurricane Irene in 2011 and tornadoes in the Midwest this spring—is spawning renewed interest in products and services for businesses to prepare for and possibly even thrive during these disasters.
"Even though there were tools out there for businesses to use, Sandy was a wake-up call," said Jeff Ray, CEO of Ventyx, a software company that makes smart grid technology. "We've seen an uptick in the interest for our products."
Ray said his company's software helps utilities get a picture of where a power outage might happen before it occurs.
(Read more: Obamacare's Expedia: Health care startup success)
"We can assess the risk spots for outages and help companies know what people and tools are needed to contain and fix those spots as quickly as possible," said Ray.
"We also provide ways for workers to communicate better so they know what's been done and have a more efficient work process. That's crucial when it comes to getting power back up and businesses running during storms," he said.