NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2023 — Superorganism announced its launch as the first venture capital firm dedicated to the global biodiversity crisis. Founded by a seasoned venture capitalist and a conservation technologist, Superorganism aims to support early-stage technology startups working to prevent biodiversity loss.
Superorganism’s mission is to back visionary startup founders who are determined to create a more abundant future for humans and nature alike. In a world that has seen a staggering 69 percent decline in wildlife populations since 1970, Superorganism supports entrepreneurs building ambitious businesses to combat the primary drivers of biodiversity loss: land and sea use change, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change.
“Because so many industries are linked to biodiversity loss, there are endless opportunities for startups to help incumbents transition, or to compete directly against them,” said Kevin Webb, co-founder of the firm. “Every day we meet founders using cutting-edge technologies to build nature-positive businesses, where their impacts grow with scale.”
The firm has backed tech-driven startups across categories including AI, fintech, forestry, fintech, and materials, and is actively expanding its portfolio. It also invests in frontier technologies, enabling powerful new tools for conservationists such as advanced genomic techniques or next-generation remote sensing.
“Hands down, Superorganism has been our most valuable investor,” says Aarav Chavda, founder of INVERSA Leathers, an organization that uses invasive species like lionfish to produce luxury leather products, disrupting the exotic leather market while funding invasives removal at scale. “Superorganism’s network is completely unique, and they’ve supported us in so many ways.”
Other Superorganism investments include Funga, which is leveraging the soil microbiome of healthy forests to improve forestry outcomes and address the climate crisis, and AI startup Amini, which delivers insights for corporate customers by creating environmental data infrastructure for Africa.
The co-founders of Superorganism have a unique blend of expertise. Kevin Webb has over a decade of experience in venture capital, with a track record that includes investments in billion-dollar companies such as Ginkgo Bioworks, Turo, and Ironclad. Tom Quigley, a coral reef conservationist turned startup operator, brings a deep understanding of the intersection of technology and nature.
Superorganism has also pledged to allocate 10% of its profits to support ongoing conservation efforts. This commitment underscores its support for closing the biodiversity financing gap of $711 billion per year, and helps to bring new partners and stakeholders into the conversation around how tech can be used to protect nature.
SOURCE Superorganism
