Betting on biodiversity: Q&A with Superorganism’s Kevin Webb & Tom Quigley

Superorganism: A Venture Capital Firm Addressing the Biodiversity Crisis

How do you bridge the gap between ecology and the economy? It’s this question that guided both Kevin Webb and Tom Quigley, albeit from different perspectives.

Webb, a venture capitalist, was witnessing rapid progress in the deployment of climate technology, but wasn’t seeing similar enthusiasm when it came to tech solutions to deal with the biodiversity crisis. Similarly, conservation technologist Quigley was seeing some of the best talent being attracted to developing technology to mitigate the climate crisis, while biodiversity conservation was consigned to the backburner.

“It seemed like it was not getting as much attention within those circles as climate is, but it’s clearly as important of a crisis to solve for humanity as climate is,” Quigley says.

The Birth of Superorganism

With the aim of filling this gap, Webb and Quigley founded a venture capital firm dedicated specifically to addressing the biodiversity crisis. Launched in September, Superorganism is touted as the first ever venture firm that supports startups working to prevent biodiversity loss and protect nature. The firm has an early portfolio of 11 companies, including a startup that produces leather from dangerous invasive species, and another that’s automating sustainable insect farming.

Webb and Quigley say they invest in companies that are looking to tackle extinction drivers, that work at the intersection of biodiversity conservation and climate change, and that use cutting-edge technology to protect nature.

“Do we think that this could potentially make an ecological dent at scale? We have to get a conviction that the company’s impact is going to be something that scales with the business,” Webb says.

Interview with Kevin Webb and Tom Quigley

Mongabay: How would you describe Superorganism to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?

Kevin Webb: Superorganism is the first venture firm that is entirely dedicated to businesses that benefit biodiversity. We partner with pre-seed and seed-stage founders building ambitious, nature-positive startups. Climate tech has proven that you can look for climate-related opportunities across the whole economy. Our view is that since biodiversity loss also cuts across the world’s economy, there are countless places for startups to drive positive change.

At Superorganism, we invest in three big theses: extinction drivers, climate and biodiversity, and enabling technology. The first thesis covers any startup addressing extinction drivers — pollution, invasive species, habitat loss, overexploitation — and using new technologies and approaches to disrupt existing industries that cause harm. Our second thesis focuses on the fifth extinction driver, climate change, and how it overlaps with nature. In this theme, picture businesses that enable nature-based solutions, nature as a tool for climate adaptation, and arenas like wildfire, soil, and water, where there’s a nature story as well as a climate story.

Lastly, we’re obsessed with enabling technologies. Conservationists are incredible adopters of technology, and so we’re looking for the newest, most cutting-edge technologies, from AI to satellites to genomics, to see what can be really useful to people who are in the field doing the hard work. Stepping back, our role is to really help these startups as they deal with challenges unique to businesses that are interfacing with ecosystems responsibly.

Mongabay: What’s the status now? Where are you in the process of finding startups that are aligned with your mindset?

Tom Quigley: We’re currently allocating capital to startups. We have a portfolio of 11 companies, and we’ll be building a full portfolio of 30 to 35 different companies across software, hardware, biotech, and many different industries.

Mongabay: What

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water – Protect and restore marine ecosystems and promote sustainable use of marine resources.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
• Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• No specific indicators are mentioned in the article.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: news.mongabay.com

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