How to amplify climate solutions.

a no brainer for any committed business.

Twelve months ago, at Surfer’s Point, we had a moment of clarity. A glimpse of a win:win model to tackle the greatest challenge of our (and possibly any) generation; the Climate Emergency. Little did we know what 2019 had in store for us, our colleagues and the country we now call home, Australia.

Through our own businesses and those we’ve advised, we’ve continually asked the questions, “how can we create the biggest impact?” And, ultimately, the question which led us here, “how can we catalyse industries to do this at scale?”

As we explored the idea and fully immersed ourselves in the intricacies of a new industry, the model came into focus and the urgency to act grew.

We’ve developed a mechanism to easily invest in scalable businesses providing viable climate solutions. Our investment partners? Led by the tourism industry, they are businesses (and individuals), committed to playing a more active role in solving the climate crisis.

We knew the typical venture capital model was broken. Yet, in essence, this is what we are; a venture capital fund investing in early-stage impact ventures. So, we had to tear up the VC playbook and piece together a model that would work for us. We quickly discovered we weren’t alone. Recently, bold pioneers in the VC world had been breaking the mould and carving out new models to enable founders to keep autonomy and scale responsibly. Meanwhile, a movement has been growing, a community of zebras (entrepreneurs who place equal weight on profitability and benefit to society) who seek the type of funding we’re providing.

The facts are indisputable; the solutions to the climate emergency already exist, many with compelling ROIs.

They lie in surprising places, all of which bring benefits to society, beyond helping to bring us closer to Drawdown and creating resilience within communities at the coalface of the emergency. Businesses across energy, food, materials, transport, gender balance and more, each have a diverse role to play.

So, we’ve created rippl., enabling [tourism] businesses to invest in these solutions and provide access to capital that traditionally wouldn’t be available. What do our investors gain? An opportunity to play an active role in solving the crisis, engaging stories, measurable impacts and excellent financial returns.

When you look at the bigger picture, it needs to be a collective fund, powered by industry leaders, as all industry’s future relies on us solving this crisis.

For those who think they’re already doing enough, through their foundations, or their sustainable business practices, the simple answer is, “you’re not”. We’ve past that point.

They’re vital to the overall mix and play an important role, but now is the time to step up and join a collective, cross-industry movement to tackle this global emergency head on. Governments won’t do it and alone we won’t achieve it. Collectively, across industry, we just might.

Together, we can help to inspire the change we all hope to see.

Please get in touch if you’re interested in applying for funding or joining the movement.

• Why is the climate crisis so personal? Read here about how 17 years of work was razed to the ground and how the communities continue to suffer in Mozambique.