Nature Tech: Creating A Sustainable Future For All Of Us

Hanna Fedchyshyn, the Research Analyst at Ananda Impact Ventures, introduces a new report looking at the synergy between nature and technology

For many people, ‘hard’ technology is the answer to every pressing challenge we face today, whether it’s the battle against climate change, the drive to create greater global prosperity, or the need to improve well-being within our communities.?

And it’s absolutely true that technology has a major role to play in meeting these challenges, whether it’s via renewable energy installations, universal online access or remote health tech.?

But technology is often at its most effective when it’s working in concert with other solutions and resources, acting as an enabler and booster rather than the sole agent of transformation.?

At Ananda, an important area of focus for us is a sector we call ‘Nature Tech’, which we define as innovative solutions that help to protect, restore and/or improve the management of natural ecosystems. They are a synergy between ‘nature-based solutions’ and modern technologies – such as AI, big data, satellite monitoring, genomic sequencing and drone tech – which have the potential to not only mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss, but also create new jobs, provide food and water security, and protect our health.

Technology can also increase the transparency, traceability and accountability of nature-based solutions, and in doing so, overcome the lack of trust in their efficiency and enable their wider implementation.?

With the estimated potential of nature-positive solutions and policies to generate $10 trillion in new annual business value and create 395 million jobs by 2030, the growing Nature Tech market presents an attractive investment opportunity.?

Ananda has already invested in several start-ups in the Nature Tech sector, including nature intelligence provider NatureMetrics, wildfire monitor OroraTech, and sustainable agriculture platform Klim. We want to see more investment activity in this space, which is why we’ve produced a short report that gives an overview of the Nature Tech market.

The goal of this report is to highlight to VCs, innovators and policymakers the huge potential of this intersection of nature and technology. It provides an overview and market map of this sector, and gathers together by category some of the key start-ups working in this field. You can access it here:

We hope it provides some food for thought and a way into understanding this thriving, innovative sector. Technology doesn’t have to just benefit large corporations but can create an impact for everyone, from local communities to indigenous people.

Are you the founder of a Nature Tech start-up, or know one that might be of interest? If so, please feel free to get in touch.?