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Newsletter in English, click here |
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An ecosystem that learns, adapts and expands its reach |
The feature article in this edition, drawing on the experience gained from more than 100 ventures supported by Fundo Vale, is part of the analyses we are completing based on the first five years of our 2030 Theory of Change. The findings indicate that the most consistent progress rarely comes from isolated initiatives. Instead, it results from combining financial resources with management and governance support, strategic planning and market connections.
On another front, the ECOSociobio program demonstrates how lessons developed in local communities can be scaled up and transformed into public policy. Inspired by the experience of Sustenta.Bio—an initiative led by Fundo Vale in partnership with the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio)—the new program seeks to expand the social and biological diversity agenda in federal conservation areas and strengthen the connection between conservation, income generation and community leadership.
This edition also features an article on the international debate surrounding regenerative agriculture. Discussions at a recent event in Piracicaba made it clear that the productive transition no longer depends on convincing the sector of its importance. Instead, the priority is to create the conditions needed to make it economically viable, consistent and scalable.
Meanwhile, the Amazon Bio-Innovation Challenge points to a promising model for bringing together R&D and community knowledge. Rather than simply developing products, this initiative aims to reshape the relationship between knowledge, biodiversity and markets through an approach that values standing forests and social and biological diversity value chains.
This combination of learning, scale and shared responsibility runs throughout this edition and reinforces the importance of continuing to strengthen the foundations of the impact we seek to sustain in the long term.
We hope you enjoy this edition.
Patrícia Daros
Director, Fundo Vale |
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Impact Business Structuring and the Complexity of Support
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A survey of more than 100 ventures participating in programs supported by Fundo Vale highlights lessons for funders and catalyst organizations in the impact ecosystem. The study is one of the highlights of analysis marking the first five years of the organization’s 2030 Theory of Change.
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Co-created with communities in Terra do Meio and Acre, Idesam’s initiative seeks innovators and R&D specialists to develop products from Amazon social and biological diversity value chains, offering prizes of up to R$200,000 |
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Regenerative agriculture: accelerating the transition
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International forum featuring Geoffrey Hawtin, winner of the 2024 World Food Prize, brings science, markets and producers together in Piracicaba |
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ICMBio initiative is unveiled at an event at Japan House São Paulo featuring Fundo Vale, which shared lessons learned from Sustenta.Bio — a program focused on strengthening Amazon social and biological diversity value chains |
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co-CEO and co-founder of Climate Ventur |
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The Climate Ventures study “Structuring the Nature-Based Solutions Market,” launched during Brazil Climate Investment Week and published on the “A Onda Verde” platform (aondaverde.com.br), argues that this market cannot scale up in silos. What does that mean in practice for those trying to get projects off the ground?
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It means that isolated projects do not in themselves create a market. The bottleneck is not the lack of strong solutions, but rather the absence of end-to-end market infrastructure. To scale up, all the pieces need to work together, with a visible project pipeline, regional coordination, technical assistance, governance, appropriate financing and buyers. Without these elements, every initiative has to be structured from scratch, at a high cost. When these layers come together within the same region, isolated projects become a pipeline of more predictable and financeable opportunities.
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What types of capital and financial structures are needed for this market to move forward, and what role does philanthropic capital play?
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Nature-based solutions operate with a timeline and risk profile that traditional financing still struggles to accommodate, because project cycles are long and returns may be generated in stages. The study highlights the need for financial structures that can accommodate both risk and longer time horizons, such as blended finance. At the same time, it makes an important point: philanthropic capital should not be used solely to de-risk private investment. It should also support systemic investments, strengthen intermediary organizations and test mechanisms and models that help accelerate projects. This is where business promotion organizations such as Fundo Vale play a key role, by mobilizing resources, providing technical support and strengthening the structures that enable the market to function more effectively.
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The study proposes organizing ecosystem segments according to levels of affinity. How does this approach help distinguish what truly qualifies as a nature-based solution from what merely has an interface with the environmental agenda?
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This distinction does not create a hierarchy. Instead, it helps calibrate expectations and financial instruments while providing a more accurate understanding of the market. We began with the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) definition, which describes nature-based solutions as actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage ecosystems while delivering simultaneous benefits for climate, biodiversity and people. Based on this definition, the study distinguishes between segments with a direct role in delivering nature-based solutions, those that must demonstrate measurable outcomes and those that merely interface with the agenda. The latter only qualify as nature-based solutions when they demonstrate integrity, regenerative origin and additionality. Nature tech companies are positioned as enablers, providing traceability, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV).
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Meet the people driving the Forest Goal
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Imaflora is a partner of Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal and Fundo Vale, supporting the management of social and environmental safeguards and certifying progress in land restoration. Giulia Andrich, an agronomist who assesses the social and environmental performance of restored areas, describes how the situation has changed over the past five years.
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Climate justice in shanty towns and underprivileged urban communities
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Presented at the 2026 Impacta Mais forum, a study by TETO found that 86% of Brazilian shanty towns experienced extreme weather events in the past year. The research underscores the urgent need to create “cool islands” and mitigate heat stress, which is especially critical in low-income communities such as those found in Rio de Janeiro. |
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Did you like the new format of Fundo Vale’s newsletter? |
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Fundo Vale’s priority is to ensure the protection and privacy of our data, so we have reinforced our commitments regarding the collection, storage, treatment and sharing of our personal data, in accordance with Brazil’s General Data Protection Law. |
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