Darwin, a biodiversity startup, has recently secured funding to further develop its nature-based solutions platform. The platform leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, to address complexity around biodiversity analysis and footprint assessment for consultancies. The company’s core mission is to assist the private sector to be agents of change in the protection of global biodiversity, recognising its critical importance for a healthy planet.
The funding round illustrates a growing understanding of the urgent need for innovative solutions to address the global biodiversity crisis. The 2024 Living Planet Report shockingly outlined a loss of 73% of all vertebrate wildlife in the last half century. Up to 1.2 million other species of plants and animals are also thought to be under threat or on a worrying trajectory. The unabated encroachment of human civilisation into natural habitats plus threats related to climate change has nature biodiversity on the back foot.
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But why is biodiversity so important? Diversity matters because it influences the productivity and stability of natural ecosystems. The services provided by natural ecosystems frequently benefit humans such as by providing stable food chains or unique foods or medicines. Diverse systems tend to be more resilient to changes in climate as well. Loss of biodiversity impacts poor or subsistence based communities disproportionately. For example less genetically diverse marine environments impacts fish restocking capacity.
Darwin’s platform is designed to be utilised by a range of stakeholders, from governments implementing conservation strategies to businesses seeking to minimise their environmental impact and contribute to restoration efforts. The platform’s AI-driven analysis enables users to craft end-to-end biodiversity strategies, covering data collection and processing, risk and impact assessment, action plan development and reporting. With both consumers and investors demanding more transparency about how businesses minimise impact on biodiversity, Darwin empowers users to make data-driven decisions about how biodiversity should be integrated into business strategy. Timely given the increasing institutional focus and evolving international frameworks on biodiversity.
The €1.5 million investment will be instrumental in expanding Darwin’s team, broadening its product offerings and growing the customer base across Europe and UK. The funding round positions Darwin to become a key player in the growing field of nature-based solutions, contributing to the global effort to protect and restore the planet’s vital biodiversity.
Image Credit: Profmauri, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
