Why is RESI our Moonshot: A Blueprint for Resilient Communities

After nearly a decade immersed in impact investing, blended finance, and the public-private sector, I found myself at a crossroads. Having exited Bamboo to Palladium - being a global leader in the impact space - I took time to reflect deeply on what my next chapter would look like. This introspection, combined with my lifelong passion for creating sustainable and lasting change, led to the creation of Resilienture "RESI" - a bold vision aimed at disaster-proofing nations and building resilient communities.

The seed for Resilienture was sown years ago, but the organization truly came to life thanks to my co-founders, Rishi Bhattacharya and Ramon "Quique" Riancho . Rishi, with whom I’ve worked closely for almost a decade, introduced me to the blue-green economy, sparking my curiosity about nature-based solutions and their untapped potential in addressing climate change and infrastructure challenges. Ramon, or Quique, a dear friend from the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) , had been my partner in discussions and attempts to launch impact investing projects. So, with their expertise and shared dedication, us three musketeers laid the foundation for RESI, integrating impact investing, nature-based solutions, and resilient infrastructure into a single, scalable model.?

Our flagship initiative, reshore3?? is designed as a blueprint for sustainable coastal resilience. It merges infrastructure investment with nature-based solutions protecting at-risk communities from the growing threats of climate change. By combining nature and infrastructure, not just as a means to protect but to thrive, we aim to provide these communities with long-term sustainability.

Hence, we launched with the reshore3?? Institute (US-based 501c3) to stimulate the ecosystem of players and acts as a global catalyst for PPPs on the deployment of policies, projects and initiatives that protect at-risk coastal populations and promote sustainable development around the globe. Here we needed a 4th musketeer being able to build a non-profit from scratch to raise and deploy technical assistance and catalytic capital. We found this friend and non-profit leader in, Christian Meyer zu Natrup , who has joined to launch and lead the reshore3?? Institute .

On a deeper personal level, Resilienture’s vision crystallized for me during a phone call from Quique standing barefoot with my Mexican family on the beaches of the Riviera Maya . The ocean temperature was a shocking 34 degrees Celsius, and massive amounts of sargassum were piling up on the shores. I watched as truck after truck carted away the seaweed, a short-term solution to a long-term crisis. Just in that moment Quique had called me to discuss a water infrastructure project, and in that moment, it became clear to me: Hold a second! - The livelihood of coastal communities could only be safeguarded through a holistic approach. Needing to combine public-private partnerships, blended finance, and impact infrastructure solutions that ensure water, energy, and food security - with nature itself serving as a critical buffer against the ravages of climate change.?

Shortly after that conversation, category 5 Hurricane Otis struck, devastating over 300,000 homes, including one belonging to our family. The storm, which came "out of the blue," was a grim reminder that something needed to be done. Not tomorrow, not next year, but now.

Reflecting on this journey, I cannot overstate the significance of my YPO network in shaping this venture. The support, encouragement, and valuable feedback from fellow YPO members have been instrumental in driving our "Impact Moonshot" to build disaster-resilient nations. I owe a special thanks to my many YPO friends for constantly challenging me to push boundaries, from impact investing projects to my personal growth. On top of that my gratitude goes also to my current employer Palladium who embraced my entrepreneurial spirit and joined our journey as global implementing partner of RESI on the nature-based solutions side.

The journey toward launching Resilienture publicly has been both exciting and humbling. With Rishi and Quique by my side, we are now set to showcase RESI at the upcoming YPO UNGA Moonshot event in New York - a fitting stage for an initiative designed to disrupt conventional thinking around climate resilience and sustainable development.

At its core, RESI stands as a testament to the power of collaboration. Together with our global implementing partners we are combining our collective expertise in finance, infrastructure, and nature-based solutions to keep demonstrating that it's possible to align profit with purpose. In my view, it’s not just about "teaching someone to fish or giving them a fish; it’s about investing in their fishing business so that their entire community can thrive". This philosophy of long-term, systemic impact underpins everything we do at RESI.

As we prepare to officially launch, I am filled with immense gratitude for the journey that brought us here - a journey marked by resilience, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference. Together with my co-founders, the YPO community, and our global implementing partners around the globe, I am confident that Resilienture will continue to forge a path toward a more resilient, disaster-proof future for the planet’s most vulnerable communities.

This is not just the beginning of a company; it is the birth of a movement.

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