September 25, 2025

Part 6: Where Corporate Problems and Tech Solutions meet

Josine oude Lohuis

This interview is part of 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲, weekly interviews with fresh takes on biodiversity in business.

While many corporates are getting bogged down in the complexities of reporting and regulation, a select few are quietly making major investments in their long-term resilience. To understand the technology and innovation that enables this forward-thinking approach, I sat down with Gilad Goren, co-founder of the Nature Tech Collective. As the central hub for the entire "Nature Tech" market, the Collective oversees the solutions that are being built to solve the biodiversity crisis. We talked about why the most effective narrative isn't about compliance but about survival, how his collective is a dating-app for companies selecting solutions in a crowded market, and the game-changing technologies on the horizon.

In your experience, what’s the real driver for the companies that are genuinely taking action on nature?

The smart companies, the ones that will lead the way, are the ones that don’t care so much about the noise of shifting regulations or the latest reporting framework. They are looking at this from a different plane: their own resilience.

And that’s often only the case when the CFO has realized the importance of nature for the business. I see them being sensitive to the argument that systemic risks that have been building up can suddenly materialize, and asset values can collapse overnight. When you talk to a CFO about a potential 40% value loss in their core commodities, they get it. Suddenly, you don’t need government incentives to get them moving. It’s a process of education, and our role is to help them get to that understanding faster by showing them the practical, tech-enabled solutions that can mitigate that risk.

The companies that will lead the way are the ones that don’t care so much about the noise in the market, and focus on their own resilience.

Once a company understands that risk, what’s the biggest barrier they face in finding those solutions?

They face an explosion of over 600 nature tech startups. They say, "I have to choose between 20 earth observation companies. I can’t tell the difference. I don’t know who’s legitimate and who’s not. There’s no resource to help me." And they’re right. The biggest challenge right now isn't a lack of will, it's a lack of clarity.

So how does the Nature Tech Collective help solve that problem?

Our core mission is to help the businesses and startups alike cut through the noise. We are a global network that brings together the full ecosystem: the nature tech startups building solutions, the large corporates who need them, the investors who fund them, and the NGOs who provide context. We intentionally bring all these players together to break the 'echo chamber' effect you see at so many industry events. Our work focuses on two key things: sense-making and matchmaking.

Let's break those down. What do you mean by sense-making?

It starts with creating a shared language. We developed the first real Nature Tech Taxonomy because you simply can’t categorize solutions if you don’t have a common framework. Now, we’re building on that by developing the Nature Tech Directory: a comprehensive database of tools with a GPT-powered agent on top to make it easy to find the right solution.

We’re working on a "TripAdvisor for Nature Tech," where these companies can share real, honest reviews and case studies of the tools they’re using.

And how does matchmaking work in practice?

A great example is a project we’re developing with the Nature Peer Group, a forum of over 300 large corporates. We’re working to create a "TripAdvisor for Nature Tech," where these companies can share real, honest reviews and case studies of the tools they’re using. This moves beyond a simple directory to provide peer-validated insights into what actually works, helping corporates cut through the marketing claims and find the solutions that are the best fit for their specific challenges.

What are the game-changing technology trends on your radar?

The holy grail is the convergence of three key areas. The first is biodiversity monitoring from space. This will dramatically lower costs. The second is the development of novel AI models that can make sense of this flood of data. But the crucial third piece, the one that makes the other two work, is the need for high-quality, on-the-ground data to train and calibrate those AI models. When you combine those three—remote sensing, ground-truthed data, and the AI to connect them—you have a total game-changer.

When you combine remote sensing, ground-truthed data, and the AI to connect them—you have a total game-changer.

And where do you see these new tools having the most immediate impact?

The most immediate focus for corporates will be on soil and water. For most companies, those are the foundational elements of their products and the source of their biggest risks. They understand that if their soil degrades or their water sources disappear, their business is in trouble.

This is why we see biodiversity often treated as an intentional and crucial byproduct of getting soil and water management right. It’s not that they don't care about species, but for a business to act, it needs a tangible entry point. Improving soil health and water cycles are concrete actions that directly link to their operational resilience. The positive impact on biodiversity then becomes a powerful co-benefit of a sound business decision.

Any questions? Get in touch.
Josine oude Lohuis
Product lead and Co-Founder
josine.oudelohuis@linknature.io

Related articles