Adessium Foundation support for enterprise development

April 30, 2012

Rewilding Europe team is delighted to have received funding from Adessium Foundation for the purpose of developing conservation-based enterprises.

Adessium Foundation is a private foundation based in the Netherlands that aspires to a world in which people live in harmony with each other and with their environments. Adessium Foundation team has taken a deep interest in the enterprise development process and has made many helpful suggestions during the course of discussions in the past months, demonstrating a solid understanding of the opportunities and challenges involved in this difficult area of our work.

The funding received will cover a 2-year period and will go towards research and development of conservation-focused businesses which are either based in or are relevant to our rewilding areas. Rewilding Europe enterprise team will be forging links with potential investors and with existing businesses.

We will also be supporting the development of new businesses where appropriate, with probable emphasis on the tourism sector (nature-based / wildlife tourism), natural food products, ecosystem services, forestry and clean energy. A key aspect of our work will be assessing legal structures and land ownership models which will support the development of conservation-based enterprises. The team will place particular focus on the Western Iberia and Eastern Carpathians regions.

It is anticipated that by the end of the 2-year period there will be a network of conservation-based businesses in place across our rewilding areas, which Rewilding Europe will have helped through a combination of promotional support, technical support in business planning and also with direct finance if appropriate. Some of Adessium Foundation funding will go towards exploring the possibility for, and hopefully thereafter developing, a dedicated investment finance mechanism to support relevant businesses. Within all of our work, particular effort will be made to ensure that the linkages with such businesses and our rewilding activity are strongly emphasised.

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