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What are Nature-based Enterprises?
Nature-based enterprises are mission-driven businesses that work with and for nature to tackle environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. NBEs are key enablers of the transition to a nature-positive economy as these businesses embed nature into the heart of their operations, offering products and services that protect, restore, or sustainably manage ecosystems and biodiversity.
Diverse in form, NBEs share a commitment to addressing ecological impact and social value, striving to find a balance between social, environmental, and economic goals. NBEs also contribute to innovation, skills development and job creation, thereby building resilient local economies. Some NBEs work directly with nature through sectors such as green buildings, sustainable forestry, regenerative agriculture, and regenerative aquaculture, while some businesses operate in more indirect ways, contributing through sectors like nature-based health and wellbeing, smart tech or education.
A 2024 Invest4Nature Survey of 122 NBEs revealed that 46% of NBEs reported a strong increase in market demand for their products and services, with an additional 43% reporting a slight increase. This rapidly evolving landscape offers both significant opportunities and challenges for NBEs. While demand for their products and services is rising, many NBEs remain small, under-resourced, and disconnected from mainstream business and policy networks. Research findings* indicate that most NBEs are categorised as small or micro enterprises, typically employing fewer than 10 people and generating less than €2 million in annual turnover. Challenges faced by NBEs include limited access to finance, a lack of entrepreneurial training, and difficulties in measuring and communicating impact. This, combined with language and sectoral fragmentation, further limits visibility and collaboration. Yet, these enterprises hold great potential as they are uniquely positioned to deliver nature-based solutions, drive green innovation, and generate jobs, making them key actors in the transition to a nature-positive economy.
NBEs at Work
A Short Introduction to CNEP
The Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform (CNEP) is an online community for nature-based enterprises (NBEs) that facilitates collaboration, peer-to-peer learning, and knowledge exchange through Communities of Practice, webinars, training, and workshops, including CPD programmes. CNEP supports the scaling and growth of NBEs across several Horizon- Europe projects. Its mission is to increase awareness of the opportunities for NBEs in a nature-positive economy.
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