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Systemic change for a nature-positive future: insights from the HackSummit 2025

Last week, Innovate 4 Nature (I4N) had the privilege of attending the HackSummit 2025 – an energising gathering of innovators, executives, investors, and changemakers committed to shaping the future of climate, nature and technology. Over the course of several thought-provoking sessions, a clear message emerged: to ensure a liveable planet for generations to come, a systemic shift is needed – bridging policy, big business, innovators and philanthropy.

From philanthropy and venture building to biodiversity markets and stakeholder engagement, the conversations at the HackSummit illustrated both the promise and complexity of aligning innovation with planetary health. Here are some reflections from three key sessions at the summit.

Panel: Can NatureTech Bridge Biodiversity & Business?

Moderated by Adrian Dellecker (IMD), the panel featured leading voices: Julia Binder (IMD), Edward Thorne (Sand River), Loïc Pelissier (ETH Zürich), and Dr. Ulrike Pfreundt (rrreefs, I4N Award winner 2024). The conversation tackled one of the thorniest challenges in the NatureTech space: how to integrate biodiversity into economic value systems – without oversimplifying or commodifying its complexity.

Key learnings:

  • Valuing nature: we face a fundamental market failure: nature has no price tag. That might change in the future, with biodiversity credits possibly one potential pathway. Yet we must tread carefully, balancing measurable impact with ecological integrity.
  • Data and measurement: while biodiversity is inherently hard to quantify, we cannot let that be a barrier to action. Innovations like DNA-based monitoring hold promise. First movers, armed with the right data, stand to benefit as regulation and investor scrutiny increase.
  • Tech is only part of the puzzle: technology is an enabler, not a silver bullet. Biodiversity protection is inherently systemic and deeply contextual. Ulrike Pfreundt shared I4N Award winner rrreefs’ experience working hand in hand with local communities to build reef restoration projects – reminding us that success often lies in stakeholder inclusion, not just the availability of a promising technology.
  • Climate and nature are intertwined: nature and climate are two sides of the same coin. While carbon is abstract, biodiversity is visible and emotionally powerful, presenting a real opportunity for public engagement and business alignment.

Workshop: Powered by Purpose: Accelerating Climate Tech with Philanthropy

This philanthropy-focused discussion offered a candid look at the evolving role of philanthropic capital in tackling the dual challenge of the global climate and biodiversity crises. Moderated by I4N’s Head of Portfolio Philipp Staudacher, the workshop featured insights from Eugénie Cuny, Philanthropic Impact Investor at Raise Sherpas, Isabel Knobel, Project Manager at the Migros Pioneerfund, Valerie Remoquillo-Jenni, CEO at the Fourfold Foundation, and Yannick Ritschel, Director at Fondation Valery. A few core themes stood out:

  • Catalytic capital: philanthropy should not aim to scale solutions alone but rather de-risk and unlock other forms of capital. Grantmakers must see themselves as part of a blended finance continuum – acting early, absorbing risk, and enabling later-stage investment.
  • Patient, not passive: effective nature and climate philanthropy requires long-term vision and strategic involvement, not just financial support. This means working closely with portfolio organisations, building capacity, and facilitating partnerships across sectors.
  • Exit strategies matter: philanthropic involvement should be intentional and time-bound. Clarity on how and when funders will step back – and what success looks like at that point – is essential to avoid dependency and to enable true transition to self-sustaining models.

Philanthropy is at a turning point. Today’s social and environmental challenges require foundations to move beyond traditional grant-making. The old model of distant check-writing no longer works. Foundations need to be humble, flexible, and willing to embrace innovation and risk. Every foundation has a role to play in supporting climate solutions, even without impact investing. Now is the time to step up, lead by example, and help actively build a better future. The cost of inaction is already too high.

HackSummit side event: Investing in Nature: Unlocking Capital for Biodiversity

This interactive evening engaged investors, startups, academics and ecosystem builders in a dynamic discussion about the most pressing and complex challenges around investing in nature – from aligning timelines and incentives, to rethinking risk, to imagining new financial structures that serve both investors and ecosystems. Some common highlights emerged from the discussions:

  • Aligning financial and ecological value is essential: nature-based solutions must be designed to deliver both short-term returns and long-term resilience to attract investment.
  • Innovative financial structures and policy reforms are critical: blended finance, risk mitigation tools, and regulatory shifts can make sustainable investments more competitive and scalable.
  • Failing to invest in nature carries systemic risks: continued neglect of nature-based solutions could lead to ecological collapse, economic instability, and social unrest.

Final thoughts

The HackSummit 2025 offered a timely reminder: bridging nature and business is not only possible, it’s inevitable. But it requires a systemic shift in mindset. We must go beyond tools and frameworks and embrace the deeper work of changing incentives, narratives, and relationships across a wide range of different stakeholders to embed the true value of nature in everything we do as a society and economy.
At Innovate 4 Nature, this is our daily mission: accelerating innovators, communities, and ideas that make nature investable, without compromising its complexity.

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