Highlights from the Nature Tech Unconference
London, March 2025
About the Nature Tech Unconference
On Friday, March 28, 2025, the Nature Tech Collective and London School of Economics hosted the inaugural Nature Tech Unconference.
This groundbreaking event brought together innovators from across the nature tech ecosystem.
Participants engaged in collaborative workshops and panel discussions during the first-ever Nature Tech Week.
One full day
160+ nature tech stakeholders
19 nature tech collaborative workshops & panel discussions
Session Highlights
1. Watch the Opening Plenary
Watch the opening of the inaugural Nature Tech Unconference here.
Featuring Gilad Goren (Nature Tech Collective), L J Silverman (LSE), Ali Swanson (Conservation International), Esben Brandi (BTG Pactual), Sathya Raghu V Mokkapati (Soul Forest), Teal Brown Zimring (Nature X) Giora (Gig) Kaplan (Nature X).
2) Digital MRV & Tokenization: Scaling Transparent and Equitable Nature-Based Solutions
Key Themes
dMRV, Tokenization, Carbon markets, Blockchain, Community finance, Verification, Decentralization
This session explored how digital MRV systems and blockchain-based tokenization can improve transparency, credibility, and equity in nature-based solutions. Karen Hardy shared how these technologies can streamline verification, boost investor trust, and support community-led climate and biodiversity projects.
Transparency remains a market bottleneck
Conventional verification methods are costly and opaque, limiting trust and scalability.
Digital MRV boosts credibility
Sensors, AI, and digital workflows enable real-time, verifiable impact tracking.
Tokenization expands access
Blockchain-backed credits can simplify transactions and open new funding pathways.
Equity must be embedded
Tech must serve communities, not just investors, through inclusive governance and benefit-sharing.
3) Scaling Nature-Based Solutions with Tech
Key Themes
Planetary Boundaries, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), Agri-food systems, ESG investment, Impact vs Feasibility, Financing, MRV
At the Nature Tech Unconference in March 2025, FAIRR hosted a session exploring how the Planetary Boundaries can serve as a compass to scale nature-based solutions (NbS) in the agri-food sector. Led by Sajeev Mohankumar and Patrick O’Malley, the session brought together investors, researchers, and nature tech practitioners to tackle two key questions: 1) Which NbS should we prioritize? 2) How can technology help scale them?
High-potential: Cover crops
Sequester soil carbon, reduce nitrous oxide emissions during peak winter months, and improve soil health with minimal disruption to existing farming practices
High-potential: Crop rotations
Improve soil fertility and reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals.
High-potential: Hedgerows and tree intercropping
Culturally and visually accepted in farming landscapes, while delivering biodiversity and carbon benefits.
Strong role for specific nature tech solutions
In particular: Geospatial mapping tools, soil monitoring and remote sensing, digital decision-support tools for farmers & satellite imagery and artificial intelligence (AI).
There are specific barriers to implementation
Such as demonstrating credibility, lack of common standards, challenging business case for investors, regulatory uncertainty, ambiguity in valuing ecosystem services, fragmented markets and small project scale & capacity and knowledge gaps.
Nature tech can solve the implementation gap
Through: Improved Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV), better standardization through open-source platforms, AI-enabled business model innovation, Quantifying ecosystem services, project aggregation and securitization & more digital certifications and trust-building.
4) Enabling AI for Nature Tech
Key Themes
AI training data, Synthetic data, Remote sensing, Satellite imagery, Nature monitoring, Data gaps, Model performance
This session explored how synthetic data can unlock the full potential of AI in nature tech, especially where data scarcity limits model performance. With trillions of gigabytes generated daily from satellites, drones, and ground sensors, the real bottleneck lies in transforming this raw information into usable insights. Maya Pindeus from Another Earth shared how synthetic data can fill critical gaps, enabling better model training, reducing bias, and enhancing satellite imagery, ultimately making AI more robust and impactful for nature monitoring.
Training data is the key bottleneck
90% of AI model performance depends on training data quality, yet nature monitoring suffers from major data gaps.
Synthetic data fills critical gaps
It can simulate rare events, generate data for underrepresented species or regions, and strengthen model robustness.
Enhancing satellite and sensor insights
AI trained on synthetic data can better interpret satellite imagery, detect environmental changes, and address dataset bias.
5) How to Get the Best of Both Worlds with Remote Sensing and Field Data
Key Themes
Coastal ecosystems, Remote sensing, Field data, Seagrass, Coral, Data standardization, Restoration monitoring
This session addressed the challenge of collecting and using coastal field data to support restoration. Jeremiah Nieves shared strategies to better integrate local field efforts with scalable remote sensing, making data collection more useful and cost-effective.
Coastal data is hard to scale
Field collection remains fragmented, limiting impact for seagrass and coral restoration.
Standardization boosts value
Simple fixes, like consistent formats and shared storage, can unlock more value from field data.
Collaboration is key
Solutions should build on existing workflows and local knowledge, not replace them.
6)Advancing Interoperable Nature Tech Data Streams: Aligning on Principles and Paradigms
Key Themes
Interoperability, Data principles, Ethical standards, Scientific rigor, Community alignment, Market readiness
This session addressed the need for shared principles and paradigms to guide how nature tech data is developed and integrated. Without transparent standards, the field risks fragmentation, limiting trust and adoption. Participants began defining a foundation to support seamless, ethical, and scalable nature data use.
Fragmentation erodes trust
Lack of shared standards creates confusion for funders, users, and regulators.
Principles guide responsible practice
Ethical, scientific, and engineering standards improve transparency and credibility.
Paradigms enable scalable integration
Shared approaches help automate data workflows and ensure interoperability.
A clear need for sector alignment
The community recognizes the urgency of agreeing on baseline standards and shared frameworks.
7) Scaling Nature Tech Solutions: The Future of Damage & Recovery Assessment
Key Themes
Ecosystem damage, Recovery estimation, Carbon insurance, Financial incentives, Risk management, Cost scalability
This session explored how nature tech can improve the accuracy and scalability of ecosystem damage and recovery assessments. Paul Young and Mansi Agrawal highlighted the financial implications for conservation and carbon markets, and stressed the importance of local collaboration and cost-effective methodologies.
Finance sector holds scaling potential
Nature tech is gaining traction in investment, insurance, and carbon markets.
Incentives must align with impact
Sustainable business models depend on affordable, reliable measurement frameworks.
Local collaboration is critical
Community input improves accuracy and accountability in ecosystem assessments.
8) How to Listen Better: Using Technology to Enhance Participatory Landscape Approaches
Key Themes
Participatory approaches, Landscape management, Indigenous knowledge, Co-design, Digital inclusion, Power dynamics
This session explored how technology can support inclusive, participatory landscape approaches if designed with equity in mind. Edita Chavez emphasized the importance of centering Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and challenged the sector to rethink how tech tools are built and used for engagement.
Inclusion barriers remain high
Digital literacy gaps, cultural mismatches, and weak design processes limit true participation.
Tech must be co-designed
Tools only succeed when developed with and for communities, not just imposed on them.
Structural issues compound tech limits
Short-term funding, poor monitoring, and donor-driven agendas often derail long-term success.
Critical questions must be addressed
Participants raised concerns about accountability, power balance, and when tech is appropriate.
9) From Pilots to Proof: How to (Finally!) Scale Nature Technology
Key Themes
Validation, Nature tech stacks, Biodiversity monitoring, Standards, Cost effectiveness, Scaling, Independent testing
This session explored why nature tech tools remain stuck in pilot mode. Paul Bunje called for independently validated tech stacks to help conservation actors select proven tools by context, enabling smarter procurement and real scaling.
Pilots aren't scaling
Many tools exist, but few are validated for real-world use across landscapes.
Missing: A trusted evaluation hub
No central system exists for comparing tech on cost, durability, and performance.
Shared standards are essential
Participants discussed evaluation criteria like cost, reliability, and context fit.
Independent validation must reflect use cases
Suggestions included testing across terrain types with partners like NGOs and regulators.
Broader coalitions can drive adoption
From voluntary markets to local councils, many groups can support scaling.