As money pours into climate technology, British biodiversity entrepreneur Dendra Systems said on Wednesday that it has raised a $15.76 million Series B.
Leading the $15.76 million Series B investment was London-based private equity company Zouk Capital, which has previously invested in climate-tech startups like Orb Energy and Green Hedge. Airbus Ventures, Understorey Capital, and new investor Aramco Ventures contributed further funds.
Dendra Systems was established in 2014 and aids in the restoration of natural ecosystems by using AI and drones.
RestorationOS, the company’s flagship tool, scans and analyzes terrain to create restoration plans for governments, infrastructure developers, and companies that operate former mining sites.
This is used by companies like Rio Tinto and Glencore and generates the majority of the startup’s revenue. The business also manufactures and runs drones that are designed to sow seeds in difficult-to-reach places.
Large volumes of data can be processed by its AI-powered ecosystem insights platform, which is particularly helpful for mapping and identifying the species on each square meter of land designated for protection. This enables more precise plant management and stewardship, according to UK Tech News.
CEO Susan Graham stated, “Our technology is particularly effective in mining infrastructure, mangroves, and arid ecosystem restoration,” while announcing the Series B.
“We help teams working on large-scale restorations do it more effectively and help them in planning, monitoring, and documenting the restoration,” she said.
According to Graham, the startup’s growth into new regions and the creation of its AI-enabled ecology platform would be financed by the Series-B investment.
In 2020, At One Ventures, Airbus Ventures, Future Positive Capital, Chris Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital, and other investors contributed $10 million to Dendra Systems’ Series A funding round. The money was used to increase its worldwide reach, with a particular emphasis on North America.
In 2023, the climate technology industry demonstrated its resilience compared to other sectors in a cold market. European climate tech companies defied the trend of diminishing investment by raising a total of $20 billion. Defending biodiversity is essential to the fight against climate change.
As per the historic Global Biodiversity Framework, which was ratified last year, investors must allocate $200 billion annually by 2030 to “innovative financial solutions to address biodiversity risks”.
One of the first group of European climate entrepreneurs to receive venture capital funding is Dendra Systems. For biodiversity data plays, other organizations including Pivotal, Natural Capital Research, and NatureMetrics have all obtained funding.