Holocene

Our TOP 5 early-stage carbon projects in Africa While the nature tech industry on the continent continues to develop, we are seeing an increasing number of carbon project developers that are positioning themselves in a unique way - either from a methodology/focus (afforestation, grazelands), technology (type of tree, AI models, etc.), or some other form.  Here are some of the most interesting projects we're currently seeing: 1️⃣ ReWild: Tech-driven carbon and biodiversity projects in rangelands. 2️⃣ Iroko Analytics (Techstars '22): Reforestation focused on land integrity and community welfare. 3️⃣ Conservation Capital SA: Agroforestry with Paulownia trees for carbon sequestration. 4️⃣ EarthAcre: Empowering landowners in ecosystem conservation with advanced tools. 5️⃣ Few & Far: Rewilding and eco-tourism while sequestering CO2 in South Africa. These projects are paving the way for a greener, more sustainable future. What project do you think should be added to the list? 🌍

Quick reminder to sign up if you haven’t already! Don’t miss out! ✨

Baotree is on a mission to use data to drive global climate action. 📊 🌳 Dimitri Syrris joins us to talk about his venture, Baotree, a nature-based SaaS platform. His team is building inclusive technology that creates trust in sustainability and impact in the nature-based world, driving positive outcomes for our planet and scalable businesses. We need fresh minds, bold ideas, and new perspectives to make real change happen, so we love meeting founders like Dmitri who are finding commercial opportunities to help make a positive impact on our beautiful continent!

What startups are driving nature tech innovation in Africa? 🌍✨ From geospatial solutions for conservation to regenerative farming networks, these companies are making a real impact on the environment and society. 🙌💡 1️⃣ M.A.P Scientific Services: Empowering conservation efforts with geospatial tech 2️⃣ Baotree: Streamlining data for environmental & social impact 3️⃣ RhizoSource: Verifying regenerative cacao farming for global buyers 4️⃣ Conservio: Connecting eco-conscious travelers with sustainable stays Who would you add to the list? 🌱

Great to have Romain Diaz join us for our weekly team Apres Hour! We love having conversations with other funders like Satgana who are as passionate as we are about "building the Future of Earth." 🌍 Hope to see you back in SA soon, Romain!

Calling all UCT students, faculty and alumni! 🌍✨ The The University Technology Fund and Holocene are hosting their first event at UCT to discover and support entrepreneurs and innovations with real impact- in the climate space and beyond! Date: 1 April 2025 Location: Hasso Plattner d-School Afrika, Cape Town Time: 17:30 - 20:00 SAST Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, researcher, mentor, or just curious about venture capital and startups, this event is for you! 🎤🔥 Hear from local founders, learn from experts, and connect with like-minded people. Panel Discussion: Universities Driving Climate Innovation 🔹 Wayne Stocks, The University Technology Fund (UTF II)  🔹 Philippa Tumubweinee, Associate Professor, UCT School of Architecture 🔹 Jon Kornik, CEO, Plentify 🔹 Giancarlo Beukes, Co-founder, Impulse Biomedical 🎤 Moderated by Joshua Romisher, CFA, General Partner, Holocene Don’t miss out—join us and be part of the future of climate tech and university-driven innovation in Southern Africa! 🌱⚡ Sign up here: https://lu.ma/v25rt9uk

🔑 Unlocking Climate Innovation: A conversation with University of Cape Town, The University Technology Fund & Holocene Are you a UCT student, faculty member (professor, researcher, etc.), or alumni with a startup—or an idea with potential? Join us for an evening of insights, connections, and opportunities! UCT, UTF & Holocene are growing Southern Africa’s climate tech ecosystem, supporting the ideas and individuals coming out of South Africa's universities to build fundable, scalable solutions with real-world impact. This session highlights UTF II’s partnership with Holocene to back cutting-edge climate solutions, but whether or not your venture is in the climate sector, you’re welcome to join, learn, and network with fellow entrepreneurs and investors. Panel Discussion: Universities Driving Climate Innovation 🔹 Wayne Stocks, The University Technology Fund (UTF II)  🔹 Philippa Tumubweinee, Associate Professor, UCT School of Architecture 🔹 Jon Kornik, Plentify 🔹 Giancarlo Beukes, Co-founder, Impulse Biomedical 🎤 Moderated by Joshua Romisher, CFA, General Partner, Holocene Who should attend? ✅ UCT faculty members, students & alumni interested in entrepreneurship ✅ Founders & aspiring founders—across all industries ✅ Investors, researchers & ecosystem partners About the Investors: 💡 Holocene – Africa’s leading early-stage climate tech investor 💡 UTF II – A sector-agnostic early-stage fund backing SA university spinouts & alumni-led startups Sign up here: https://lu.ma/v25rt9uk

🌱 Welcoming our new fellow! 🚀 The Holocene team is excited to introduce our newest fellow- say hello to 🌍 Sneha Iyer! Sneha has spent the last 4.5 years at Zipline, developing and launching cutting-edge technology at the intersection of hardware, software, and operations. With expertise in applied AI, robotics, and scaling tech in emerging markets, she has a proven track record of deploying technology in new markets and building products that operate reliably in the real world. She’s particularly focused on the role AI can play in advancing climate and healthcare solutions. When she’s not working you can find her anywhere outdoors — chasing sunsets, spending time in the ocean, or diving into a new adrenaline-filled hobby. Join us in welcoming Sneha to the Holocene family—we’re excited to see the incredible impact she’ll have working on our Investments team and bringing her technical background to help our portfolio companies with strategic product initiatives! 🌟 #Holocene #ClimateInnovation #MeetTheTeam #Sustainability #ClimateTech

Kicking off our second theme of the year: Conservation & Nature Tech! 🌿 At Holocene, our passion for nature fuels our work—and we believe conservation is not just a necessity, but an opportunity to do well and do good. Here’s why this sector is one of the most exciting spaces for investment in Africa: 1. A Global Push for Biodiversity 🌍 The Global Biodiversity Framework aims to conserve 30% of the planet’s nature—with specific provisions for developing nations, many of which are in Africa. With four million hectares of forest loss every year (the size of Switzerland!), conservation has never been more critical for the continent. 2. Nature Protection as a Business Model 💰 From carbon markets and green bonds to NPOs, donor funds, and ecotourism, conservation is already being layered into existing financial systems—creating both impact and opportunity. 3. Tech-Powered Conservation 🤖 New software and machine learning tools are revolutionizing biodiversity monitoring, using audio and visual tracking to assess ecosystem health. The better the data, the bigger the investment potential. Over the next eight weeks, we’ll dive deep into how startups, finance, and technology are shaping the future of conservation. Stay tuned! 🌱✨ 

Apply now for the Zimi EVs and Infrastructure conference ⚡️𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞⚡️ Zimi is proud to announce the Investing in EVs and Infrastructure conference at The Sustainability Institute in Lynedoch, Stellenbosch, on Thursday, 27 March 2025. This exclusive, invitation-only event will connect 100 investors and industry professionals with a distinguished panel of experts in climate and clean tech investing. The session will focus on what’s needed to accelerate EV adoption and infrastructure investment—offering valuable insights for both investors and those working in the industry. Seats are limited, so secure your spot today by applying here 👉 https://lnkd.in/d9Wamr4v #Investing #ClimateTech #CleanTech #EVInfrastructure #Sustainability #Innovation #SouthAfrica #Networking