Crowther Lab

What Crowther Lab does

Crowther Lab is an interdisciplinary academic research laboratory at ETH Zurich, founded in 2017 by Prof. Thomas Crowther, that studies global ecosystems to understand the relationships between biodiversity and climate change. Its work combines satellite observations with ground-sourced data from over 1.2 million forest plots (GFBI) and 11,000+ soil samples (GSBI), producing foundational ecological science including the landmark 2015 estimate of 3.04 trillion trees globally, the 2019 global tree restoration potential paper, and the 2023 Integrated Global Forest Assessment (IGFA) published in Nature, which quantified 226 Gt of forest carbon potential.

The lab operates a portfolio of interconnected platforms and programs rather than commercial products. Its core platform is Restor, a science-based open data platform founded by Crowther Lab and spun off as an independent not-for-profit in 2021 that connects 76,000+ conservation and restoration projects worldwide. Supporting initiatives include the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI) and Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) data networks, the Global Experiments Network (GEN) linking scientists with restoration practitioners, and the Flagship Cases program documenting 20 exemplary restoration sites across multiple continents.

Crowther Lab's business model is non-commercial: it is funded through ETH Zurich institutional support and research grants, with no product pricing. Its go-to-market is community-led open science—peer-reviewed publications, media engagement, advisory roles (UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, WEF 1T.org), and partnerships with NGOs (WWF, FAO, Plant for the Planet) and governments—serving scientists, policymakers, restoration practitioners, and indigenous and local communities as primary stakeholders.

Name

Crowther Lab

Legal name

Crowther Lab

Website

https://crowtherlab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crowther Lab is a non-profit research laboratory at ETH Zurich that combines satellite and ground-sourced ecological data to study global biodiversity and climate change, operating the Restor open data platform connecting 76,000+ restoration projects worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecological Research and Conservation

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity Baseline Studies & Long-Term Monitoring Programs (EUAHAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brownfield Site Assessment & Remediation (BPALAKAA)

Keywords

• Ecosystem restoration research
• Biodiversity conservation science
• Global forest assessment
• Ecological data platforms
• Climate change research

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Academic Funding: Crowther Lab operates as an academic research institution at ETH Zurich, funded through research grants and institutional support rather than commercial revenue
2. Platform Services: Restor launched as an independent not-for-profit organisation in 2021, providing a platform connecting restoration projects but operating as a non-profit entity

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Crowther Lab is an academic research laboratory at ETH Zurich that conducts interdisciplinary research on global ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate change. It operates several interconnected platforms and programs: the Restor open data platform connecting 76,000+ conservation and restoration projects worldwide, the Integrated Global Forest Assessment (IGFA) combining satellite and ground data from 1.2 million+ forest locations, the Global Experiments Network linking scientists with restoration practitioners, and research networks GFBI and GSBI managing the world's largest tree-level and soil biodiversity databases.

Product overview

Crowther Lab is a research laboratory at ETH Zurich focused on studying global ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate change. Rather than offering commercial software products, the lab operates several interconnected platforms and programs: Restor is the core science-based open data platform connecting the global restoration movement with over 76,000 conservation projects worldwide. The Integrated Global Forest Assessment (IGFA) is a landmark research initiative combining satellite and ground data from over 1.2 million forest locations. The Global Experiments Network connects scientists with restoration practitioners to study best practices, while Flagship Cases documents 20 exemplary restoration case studies. Supporting these are the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI) managing tree inventory data and the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) focused on soil microbiome research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Integrated Global Forest Assessment (IGFA): A collaborative assessment bringing together over 200 leading scientists to address controversies in forest-climate science, published in Nature in 2023.
• Restor
• Global Experiments Network (GEN)

Products and services

• Restor A science-based open data platform that supports and connects the global restoration movement, providing ecological insights, transparency, connectivity, and high-resolution satellite imagery to conservation and restoration projects worldwide. Currently connects over 76,000 projects.
• Integrated Global Forest Assessment (IGFA) A collaborative research assessment combining satellite observations with ground-sourced data from over 1.2 million forest locations worldwide, featuring both aboveground plant biomass and belowground data on soil, roots, dead wood, and litter. Published in Nature in 2023.
• Global Experiments Network (GEN) A partnership initiative connecting scientists with on-the-ground restoration projects to identify successful restoration approaches and best practices through direct collaboration between academic researchers and restoration practitioners.
• Flagship Cases A collection of 20 selected restoration case studies from around the world documenting effective and long-lasting restoration practices that provide social and environmental benefits, documented on the Restor platform.
• Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI) A consortium of foresters and forest scientists managing the world's largest tree-level forest inventory database, with over 1.2 million tree-level plots from over 70 countries, supporting cutting-edge research and forest education internationally.
• Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) A global network of scientists promoting expert knowledge on soil biodiversity in environmental policy and sustainable land management, with a dataset of over 11,000 soil samples from over 50 countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Forests can capture 226 Gigatonnes of carbon if allowed to recover in regions with low human footprint - representing ~30% of carbon drawdown targets
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• RestorcoreOthersFounded by Crowther Lab, Restor is a science-based open data platform to support and connect the global restoration movement. It provides transparency, connectivity, and ecological insights to restoration efforts worldwide. Launched as an independent not-for-profit in 2021.
• UN Decade on Ecosystem RestorationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFocused on preventing, halting, and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. Prof. Thomas Crowther serves as chair of the advisory council, helping scale up global ecosystem restoration efforts.
• 1T.org (Trillion Trees Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobilising, connecting, and empowering the global reforestation community to conserve, restore, and grow one trillion trees by 2030. Launched by World Economic Forum in support of the UN Decade. Crowther Lab serves as scientific advisor.
• Together With NatureflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal coalition of leaders in science, conservation, restoration, development, and sustainability convened by Crowther Lab. Provides a framework for responsibly tackling the climate crisis, restoring biodiversity, and benefiting human well-being.
• Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of foresters and forest scientists studying the world's largest tree-level forest inventory database. Supports cutting-edge research and has gathered more than 1.2 million tree-level plots from over 70 countries.
• Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromotes expert knowledge on soil biodiversity in environmental policy and sustainable land management. Global network of more than a hundred scientists with dataset of over 11,000 soil samples from over 50 countries.
• WWFsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner/collaborator of Crowther Lab restoration networks.
• NASAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner/collaborator supporting Crowther Lab research efforts.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner/collaborator of Crowther Lab restoration networks.
• Plant for the PlanetsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner/collaborator supporting Crowther Lab restoration initiatives.
• Global Experiments Network (GEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnects scientists with on-the-ground restoration projects to reveal which restoration approaches work best. Partners academic researchers with restoration practitioners.
• Forestoration InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerResponsible for researching, verifying, and documenting flagship case studies selected from thousands of restoration actions around the world, showcasing how effective restoration provides social and environmental benefits.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• World Resources Institute (Global Forest Watch): WRI operates Global Forest Watch, the closest direct comparable platform to Restor. Both combine satellite observations with ground-level ground data to track forests globally and publish open-access datasets for researchers, policymakers, and conservation practitioners.
• MapBiomas: MapBiomas is a multi-institution collaboration producing annual land cover and land use change maps from satellite data, conceptually similar to Crowther Lab's Restor and IGFA. Both rely on multi-country collaboration, open-access data, and integration of satellite observations with ground-based verification.
• Global Fishing Watch: Global Fishing Watch is an open-access platform using satellite and AIS data to monitor global ocean activity — same architectural pattern as Restor/IGFA: combining satellite observations with ground/machine-sourced data to expose a previously opaque global system to researchers and the public.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: TNC is a major conservation NGO combining scientific research with on-the-ground restoration projects across millions of acres globally. Their combination of restoration practice and science overlaps with Crowther Lab's research-plus-Restor model and comparable biodiversity monitoring capabilities.
• Conservation International: Conservation International conducts biodiversity research, supports restoration projects, and advises global policy — closely mirroring Crowther Lab's positioning at the intersection of biodiversity science, restoration practice, and international policy advisory.
• World Wildlife Fund: WWF is a global conservation organization with parallel focus on biodiversity research, ecosystem restoration, and policy advisory. WWF is also an active collaboration partner of Crowther Lab and overlaps directly in restoration networks, soil/forest research programs, and international policy influence.

Emerging players

• Sylvera: Sylvera combines satellite analytics with ground data to monitor forest carbon projects and rate nature-based carbon credits. Their use of satellite + ground data and forest monitoring methodology overlaps with Crowther Lab's GFBI/IGFA approach, while their commercial focus contrasts with the lab's non-profit model.
• Pachama: Pachama is a forest carbon credit marketplace leveraging satellite data and ML to assess forest projects. Its focus on forest carbon quantification and restoration aligns with Crowther Lab's 226 Gt quantification work and the carbon-credit ambitions of GFBI/Restor, though operating in a different business model.
• Planet Labs: Planet Labs operates one of the largest commercial satellite constellations producing daily Earth imagery. Its data underpins much of Crowther Lab's satellite-based forest and biodiversity monitoring work and represents the foundational data layer adjacent to Crowther's research outputs.
• Microsoft AI for Good Lab: Microsoft's AI for Good Lab applies AI to environmental challenges including biodiversity and forestry. While broader in scope, the program competes with Crowther Lab for AI-driven biodiversity monitoring capability and represents a well-capitalized entrant in the same applied AI + ecology category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CrowtherLab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crowtherlab
• Facebookfacebook.com/CrowtherLab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Crowther Lab