Landseed Aims to Make Nature a New Investable Asset Class

A new startup called Landseed is seeking to transform the way conservation projects are financed by creating a financial market around biodiversity and ecosystem health. Founded by Greg Curtis, executive director of Holdfast Collective, alongside Alex Roessner and Eric Dinerstein, the company aims to make the full value of nature measurable, verifiable and economically useful. According to AgFunderNews, the initiative combines sensor technology, ecological monitoring and financial instruments to create new revenue streams for conservation organizations.

The company was launched after Curtis observed the financial challenges faced by conservation groups while working at Holdfast Collective, the nonprofit organization that owns 98% of the shares of the Patagonia apparel and food brand. According to AgFunderNews, many conservation initiatives depend heavily on fundraising and grants, creating long-term financial uncertainty.

Landseed's model is built around collecting real-world ecological data rather than relying solely on estimates. The company deploys networks of sensors across conservation areas to measure a broad range of environmental indicators, including biodiversity, soil carbon, water quality, soil moisture, temperature, humidity and wildlife activity.

The technology was developed with the participation of conservation biologist Eric Dinerstein, former chief scientist at the World Wildlife Fund. According to AgFunderNews, the sensors capture information every 10 minutes, creating a continuous stream of ecological data that provides a detailed understanding of ecosystem health.

Curtis explained that while satellite imagery already provides valuable information from above, measuring what happens beneath forest canopies requires sensors on the ground. This approach allows conservation projects to document ecological outcomes beyond carbon sequestration.

The first layer of the company's system is called Earth Pulse Node, which gathers environmental information through sensor networks. The second layer, known as Earth Credits, converts verified ecological outcomes into tradable credits. Similar to carbon credits, these environmental assets would belong to conservation organizations, which could then sell them in voluntary markets.

Potential buyers include corporations seeking sustainability solutions, municipalities interested in protecting natural resources, foundations and philanthropic organizations. According to Curtis, these credits offer a broader environmental perspective than carbon-focused markets because they account for biodiversity and ecosystem health.

A third component of the model, called Earth Signals, consists of structured ecological data feeds that can be licensed to industries such as insurance, finance and conservation research. This creates an additional revenue stream while expanding access to environmental intelligence.

Landseed recently secured a $400,000 social impact investment from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, bringing total funding to approximately $500,000. The company believes that nature-based financial assets could become a new category within global markets.

According to AgFunderNews, Curtis argues that Landseed is not simply creating another offset mechanism. Instead, the goal is to establish what he describes as a new commodity class grounded in ecological science and property rights, enabling conservation projects to become financially self-sustaining.

The initiative arrives at a time when interest in climate technologies continues to grow, while biodiversity loss remains a global concern. Curtis believes that creating economic incentives tied directly to ecosystem outcomes could help scale conservation efforts and provide long-term financial stability for organizations working to protect natural resources.

As environmental challenges intensify worldwide, Landseed is betting that technology, data and market-based solutions can help bridge the gap between conservation goals and sustainable financing. According to AgFunderNews, the company's ultimate objective is to create a transparent and credible marketplace where nature itself becomes a measurable and investable asset.