Bezos Earth Fund

Looking back at a joyful week as I engaged across the tech ecosystem in the Boston area, further developing big ideas and exploring new ones! Thank you to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for catalyzing this trip by inviting me to keynote the MIT Energy Conference - it was fantastic to be able to publicly share thoughts on how different types of institutions are best suited to play in the acceleration of technologies from idea to market to scale, and my “provocative questions” to induce discussion, feedback, and honing in on the solution spaces we’re exploring as one of the three pillars in tech acceleration portfolio at the Bezos Earth Fund! For others who have feedback (in any direction) feel free to reach out - here’s the readers digest version: —how do we overcome what I call the hammer and nail conundrum - where we have a plethora of brilliant “hammer” solutions getting pitched every day to supposed nails, but aren’t organizing around the “nails”, or mission-driven challenges? —how could we better prepare our tech ideas and teams for success before launching into start-up mode? —what are our blind spots when it comes to scaling, and scaling rapidly? —what would it look like for us to institutionalize TEA and scaling considerations earlier in the RDD&D process? —what would it look like to get the scalable IP off the “shelf” and into use? —what could we do to “flip the switch” in the direction of human decision-making including consideration of 7 generations into the future? Huge thanks to some fantastic conversations and ideas from MIT leadership including President Sally Kornbluth and Ian Waitz, MIT energy initiative leadership and faculty Evelyn Wang, Elsa Olivetti, Jeremy Gregory, Martha Broad, Yet-Ming Chiang, leadership from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian led by Director Lisa Kewley, speakers Amy Luers, Brian Deese, Vanessa Z Chan, the inspirational Greentown Labs crew Georgina Campbell Flatter, Marinna Teixeira, Aisling Carlson, Greg Ralich, the super impressive Andrew Grabowski who put together an amazing event, and many others! Plus eternal thanks to my tech acceleration partner in crime Marianne Fives who made this all happen! And I’ll end with an echo from the speech: Will we be bold enough to act with urgency, think beyond incremental measures, and to push the boundaries of what’s possible? It’s time to step up, not to step back! Who’s ready to dig in?

"We don't think about AI as a product...we think about it as a means for discovery. What can you do with AI that will change how we live, how we think about things?" The Bezos Earth Fund's Dr.Amen Ra Mashariki poses that question in Land & Carbon Lab's latest insights piece, which dives into the innovative technologies shaping environmental conservation. Read the full article and discover how AI foundational models are transforming the way we monitor and protect our planet: https://lnkd.in/eYvKPgWB

Really enjoyed learning about seaweed these past few years. The oracle of all seaweed knowledge Paul Dobbins from World Wildlife Fund US was my trusted guide through the forests of underground algae, and I learnt so much. It's a noble enterprise, that only produces good. Seaweed remediates oceans, it harbors biodiversity, it revitalizes coastal communities, and it even does a bit of carbon removal. It's also hard work - I saw this first hand on a trip to the Faroe Islands where Ocean Rainforest have seaweed beds in some of the most challenging waters on the planet. This is the first grant that finishes under my watch in the Bezos Earth Fund and I'm very happy to share the positive results that it generated. Productivity increased, the number of farms sky-rocketed, and dozens of coastal communities are now reaping the rewards. Next time you see some alternative to plastic made with seaweed, or have the opportunity to feed your livestock with a seaweed based product, or spot a seaweed product at your local super market, have a little think about the positive benefits it creates and give it a go. Seaweed is no regret.

I was recently back in Belém, where the Bezos Earth Fund brought together some of the most inspiring social enterprises and experts working to build a thriving forest-protecting economy in the Amazon. Cooperacre and the Terra do Meio Network are showing the world what Indigenous and local communities have always known — that the forest is worth more standing than cut down. They are producing rubber, Brazil nuts, tropical juices, seeds like acai, oils, medicines, fish, and more, for domestic and increasingly international markets. With the right investments in technology, facilities to collect and process harvests, product innovation, marketing, they can grow exponentially, reaching more producers and protecting more land. That’s what we’re working on with Idesam, Penn State University, and these incredible community leaders. If they can succeed, there are a host of others planning to follow in their footsteps. Leaving Belém, one thing was clear: protecting the Amazon means backing the people who live in it and protect it. They are the leading edge of an Amazon economy that delivers better for its people, protects their culture, and ensures these forests remain for generations to come.

A key question we explored at the Villars Summit is how we can advance restoration projects at the incredible scale we need to bring the planet back to operating within safe levels. As the Managing Director and Leader for Nature Solutions at the Bezos Earth Fund, Cristian Samper oversees the Fund's work related to the protection and restoration of nature.?? He outlined that in their approach, the key is to connect the dots between investment and the community projects on the ground, so that interventions can scale at the level we urgently need. #VillarsSummit #VillarsInstitute #NatureRestoration

For years, seaweed farming has been an underrated nature-based solution. It requires no land, no freshwater, and no fertilizers – yet it can absorb carbon, support marine biodiversity, and create sustainable jobs in coastal communities. Four years ago, the Bezos Earth Fund made a bold bet on seaweed through a grant to World Wildlife Fund. The goal? To accelerate seaweed farming as a tool for climate resilience and food security. The results speak for themselves: ?? Seaweed harvests in key regions have grown 246%, far outpacing the global average. ?? 300+ new farms are in development, and new strains will double farm yields. ?? Governments, investors, and local communities are stepping up – clearing regulatory hurdles and unlocking new market opportunities. But there’s a bigger question: Can we scale this responsibly? Right now, seaweed farming is still only widely practiced in eight countries. To reach its full potential, we need stronger supply chains, more investment in processing technology, and policies that ensure sustainable expansion. If we get this right, seaweed can be a cornerstone of a regenerative blue economy.

The ocean powers life on Earth. It produces oxygen, feeds billions, and regulates our climate. Yet, two-thirds of the ocean – called the high seas – remains unprotected. These vast waters, beyond any nation’s borders, are Earth's beating heart, driving planetary health. But this heart is under strain. Overfishing, pollution, and climate change are disrupting the ocean’s delicate balance. And when the ocean suffers, economies, food systems, and global stability suffer too. We must protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 to maintain a thriving planet. But that’s impossible without safeguarding the high seas. We have the science. We have the solutions. Now, we need action. A healthy planet needs a strong, beating heart. That’s why protecting the high seas is essential.

“The forest felt like the first place I could breathe.” This is how Dr. Tovah Siegel – Research Associate at the Bezos Earth Fund – describes how she felt about forests during her childhood. Since then, she has dedicated her professional life to countering the devastating impacts of deforestation. For this year’s International Day of Forests, read more from Dr. Siegel about why forests are critical to climate health and the abundance of life on our planet – including providing much of the resources that sustain us. And learn how the Bezos Earth Fund is working to protect and restore crucial forest ecosystems in the U.S. and around the world, from the Amazon to the Andes and from Canada to the Congo Basin. ?? bit.ly/4bOUPMU #ForestDay #IntlForestDay #30x30 #30by30 #Amazon #Andes #CongoBasin

???????????????? ???????? ???? #???????????????????????? We are proud to partner with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) on the Tropical Amphibian Resilience Initiative (TARI), a groundbreaking 5-year, 4-country project made possible by a $?? ?????????????? grant from the Bezos Earth Fund. This initiative represents an unprecedented opportunity to address amphibian conservation across Latin America. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dfxevJKR #AmphibianConservation #FundingNews

?? Exciting News for #WorldFrogDay! ?? The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute have been awarded a $2 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to launch the Tropical Amphibian Resilience Initiative (TARI)—a groundbreaking 5-year, 4-country project in partnership with the Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA). ???? This initiative will drive regional #conservation efforts, supporting some of the most endangered #amphibians in the Neotropics. With support allocated to the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project (PARC) for core operations and strategic priorities, and funds to ASA to bolster ex-situ conservation in Parque Explora (#Colombia), FUDECI (#Venezuela), and Centro Jambatu (#Ecuador), TARI promises transformative action for amphibian #biodiversity. ???? ???? ???? ???? This is a powerful step towards supporting Life on a Sustainable Planet and securing the future of amphibians and their habitats! ???? Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gEZFh8D6 #Resilience #Science #EarthOptimism #STRI #Panama Gina Della Togna, Ph.D.