NatureMetrics Raises £9.8M to Advance Biodiversity Monitoring
London-based NatureMetrics recently secured £9.8 million to advance its biodiversity monitoring mission. Recognized as one of Europe’s best-capitalized firms, NatureMetrics has a valuation of £30.7m. In its last 2022 funding, the startup was backed by 2150, Systemiq, and BNP Paribas. The investors’ details from the recent fundraiser, however, remain undisclosed.
NatureMetrics specializes in DNA sampling technology for biodiversity assessment. The company identifies species at specific locations by collecting water and soil samples and cross-referencing with DNA databases. With its labs in the UK and Canada, this technology detects many species, including fish, algae, mammals, fungi, and soil microbiota.
The launch of the Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15 in 2022 spiked biodiversity awareness among large companies. The framework aims to halt biodiversity loss by 2030, requiring large companies and banks to report and mitigate effects on ecosystems. As a result, NatureMetrics’ client base and project demand started to expand.
The company has successfully delivered 3000 + projects to its 700 + client organizations. The diverse clientele includes infrastructure developers, water utilities, mining enterprises, and conservation organizations. Monitoring their operations’ ecological impact enables clients to design informed strategies for potential mitigations.
“With NatureMetrics’ innovative aquatic eDNA service, we at WWF Peru were able to fully achieve our survey goal of detecting spatial distributions of six culturally and commercially important aquatic species along the Maranon River, and we exceeded our goal by also detecting hundreds of additional vertebrate species, which we can start to take into account in designing a sensitive index of basin-ecosystem health,” said World Wildlife Fund Peru.
Moreover, initiatives like the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) also push for biodiversity transparency. Hence, tools like NatureMetrics’ DNA sampling will remain valuable in the long term.
