The Biome Foundation exists to solve four structural problems in Australia's nature markets. Problems that sit upstream of where commercial returns can be priced. This is the substance.
The opportunity is real and the demand is mandated. But the technical, institutional and relational infrastructure to convert capital into credible projects does not yet exist at the scale the market requires. These are problems no commercial fund will solve. They sit upstream of where commercial returns can be priced.
Validated methodologies for Australia-specific project types (including biochar, blue carbon, biodiversity stacking and freshwater systems) do not exist, or face 18 to 24 month approval cycles.
First Nations corporations, who hold the land tenure and ecological authority required for high-integrity projects, often cannot access the technical, governance, or financial infrastructure to participate as principals rather than delivery vehicles.
High-quality technical assistance (including feasibility, MRVMRV = Measurement, Reporting, and Verification. The system that turns ecological work into auditable, defensible impact data. design and regulatory navigation) is either out of reach at commercial rates or unavailable, pricing smaller and First Nations-led projects out of credible participation.
The feedback loops between project developers, regulators, philanthropists, scientists and First Nations corporations are weak. Half the bottlenecks live in the gaps between these groups.
Each area addresses a specific structural gap in Australia's nature market that no other institution is positioned to fill.
Convening regulators, scientists and project developers in structured campfire sessions to fast-track validated methodologies for Australia-specific project types. Working directly with the Clean Energy Regulator and equivalent bodies to compress what is currently a 2 to 3 year approval cycle. Outputs are validated, regulator-accepted methodologies the entire market can deploy.
A regranting facility for First Nations corporations, providing direct funding for governance frameworks, technical capability building, ranger workforce development and project-readiness work. Native seed banks, conservation hatcheries and Indigenous land management workforces sit here as foundational ecological infrastructure, owned and operated by First Nations partners.
High-quality feasibility studies, MRV design, baseline ecological surveys and regulatory navigation made available to credible projects at deeply discounted rates. The objective is to remove the technical-assistance cost barrier that currently prices smaller and First Nations-led developers out of high-integrity participation.
Convening philanthropists, institutional investors, regulators, First Nations corporations and project leads in structured working sessions to design and stress-test the next generation of nature finance vehicles in Australia. Outputs are anonymised insight reports that map the bottlenecks blocking investment.
Philanthropic grants, concessional finance and government catalytic funding directed at activities the market will not fund.
Methodology development, First Nations capacity and regranting, discounted technical assistance, and market-testing convenings.
Australia's nature market gains validated methodologies, First Nations corporations participate as principals, smaller projects access high-quality technical assistance, and future commercial vehicles can be designed against demonstrated capability.
The architecture being built (methodologies, regranting model, Campfire convening format, integrated advisory body) is designed to be jurisdiction-portable. Once it works in Australia, the same pattern can be adapted for other places where the three preconditions stack: mandated demand, Indigenous or First Nations leadership, and regulatory architecture forming.
Not a charity. Not a generalist NGO. Built for the gaps the market actually has.
Glen Kelly as Chair. Oliver and Lorenzo as Co-Founders. Nicole providing strategic advice. Plus the Traditional Owner partners who are principals on the work itself.