Fondazione Capellino

What Fondazione Capellino does

Fondazione Capellino is an Italian non-profit foundation (ente senza scopo di lucro) founded in 2018 and headquartered in Genoa, Italy, with its legal seat in San Salvatore Monferrato. Its stated mission is safeguarding the biosphere and biodiversity through the proprietary "Reintegration Economy" model, under which commercial profits generated by human activities are reinvested into nature rather than distributed as financial wealth. The foundation owns 100% of two operating entities: Almo Nature, a commercial pet food company that serves as the foundation's primary funding engine, and RVF - Società Agricola Sperimentale, a wholly-owned experimental agricultural subsidiary established in 2023 that operates regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and an organic vineyard in collaboration with CREA.

The foundation's core activities are organized around four program areas: Restoring Biodiversity (international conservation and ecosystem restoration projects including wildlife corridors, marine protected areas, and species protection); Climate Change (urban nature-based solutions in Florence and Barcelona); Impact on Biodiversity (research on measuring human impact on ecosystems, in partnership with Eurac Research and Wageningen); and Villa Fortuna (the physical headquarters implementing biodiverse agriculture on 15 hectares, bio-architecture renovation of historic structures, and the planned International Biodiversity School opening in 2027). Operational programs span Italy, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Germany, the USA, Canada, and Tanzania.

The foundation's go-to-market model is non-commercial: it does not sell products or services in the traditional sense. Instead, it deploys capital through direct project implementation, grant funding to partner organizations (EuroNatur, Blue Marine Foundation, Y2Y, DVL, STEP, Centro Emys Piemonte, academic institutions), and educational programs. Its revenue base is structurally tied to Almo Nature's commercial performance, with identified multi-year grant commitments totaling roughly €2.6–2.8M across named conservation projects. The foundation also operates the REcommunity digital activism platform and has run public advocacy campaigns including a 55,000+ signature petition against Italy's proposed DDL Caccia hunting legislation. President Pier Giovanni Capellino leads the organization.

Name

Fondazione Capellino

Legal name

Fondazione Capellino

Website

https://fondazionecapellino.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Fondazione Capellino is an Italian non-profit foundation that funds biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration projects globally through the "Reintegration Economy" model, reinvesting profits from its wholly-owned pet food subsidiary Almo Nature into wildlife corridors, marine protected areas, urban climate solutions, and regenerative agriculture.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodiversity Conservation

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Biodiversity conservation
• Environmental nonprofit
• Ecosystem restoration
• Conservation grants
• Regenerative agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Genoa

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Almo Nature Ownership: Fondazione Capellino is the 100% owner of Almo Nature, a commercial company. The profits generated by Almo Nature are not distributed to shareholders but are reinvested into biodiversity conservation projects through the Reintegration Economy model.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fondazione Capellino is a non-profit foundation that safeguards biodiversity by directing all profits from its wholly-owned pet food company Almo Nature back into biodiversity conservation projects worldwide. Through its Reintegration Economy model, it funds field conservation projects, climate change initiatives, scientific impact measurement, and regenerative agriculture at its Villa Fortuna headquarters. It also wholly owns RVF - Società Agricola Sperimentale, an experimental agriculture entity.

Product overview

Fondazione Capellino is a non-profit foundation focused on safeguarding the biosphere and biodiversity, operating through the Reintegration Economy model where profits from its wholly-owned company Almo Nature are reinvested into biodiversity projects. The foundation's offerings are organized around four core program areas: Restoring Biodiversity (conservation and ecosystem restoration projects including corridors, marine protected areas, and species protection), Climate Change (nature-based climate solutions in urban settings), Impact on Biodiversity (research on measuring human impact on ecosystems), and Villa Fortuna (the foundation's physical headquarters implementing biodiverse agriculture, bio-building renovation, and an educational Biodiversity School). Key initiatives include RVF - Società Agricola Sperimentale for regenerative agriculture, various international conservation projects (Yellowstone to Yukon, Danube Biodiversity Corridor, Elephant Corridor in Tanzania, Emys Project), EU Biodiversity Corridors research, and the Scuola di Biodiversità for education. The foundation also maintains a video collection documenting its conservation work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Reintegration Economy: An economic model where profits from companies are reinvested into biodiversity rather than being transformed into financial wealth for few.

Products and services

• Reintegration Economy Model

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 55,000 citizen signatures collected for Diaccia Botrona protection
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• EuroNatur FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman foundation working to preserve European nature's beauty and diversity. 50% co-funder of Tripoint Brown Bear project for Dinaric-Pindos brown bear conservation across Albania, Macedonia del Nord, and Greece. Total investment €232,453.10 with Fondazione Capellino.
• Blue Marine FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK foundation dedicated to promoting Marine Protected Areas and addressing overfishing. Partnership for three Marine Protected Areas in Sardinia (Capo Caccia, Isola Asinara, Capo Carbonara-Villasimius). Total investment €144,000.
• Instituto Black JaguarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian non-profit working for Amazon rainforest and Cerrado reforestation. Fondazione Capellino joined in June 2023, suspended contribution in December 2023, and formally ended collaboration in June 2025. Contribution of €252,000.
• Eurac ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean center for research on environment, health, and innovation. Partner in EU Biodiversity Corridors project for mapping and identifying European ecological corridors. Investment of €175,328.
• Wageningen Environmental ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center of Wageningen University, Netherlands. Partner in EU Biodiversity Corridors project for scientific analysis of European ecological connectivity.
• Deutsche Verband für Landschaftspflege (DVL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman national association for landscape management with 200 member organizations. Lead partner for Danube Biodiversity Corridor in Bavaria with total investment of €625,670.
• Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization working since 2018 with communities to restore the Kilombero Elephant Corridor. Fondazione Capellino investment of €215,000 for 2024-2026.
• Centro Emys PiemontecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized center for European pond turtle conservation in Piedmont. Partnership for breeding, restocking, and monitoring of Emys orbicularis with investment of €88,000 (2024-2027).
• PPNEAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProtection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania. Local implementation partner for Tripoint Brown Bear project in Albania.
• WWF Adria / Macedonian Ecological SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal implementation partner for Tripoint Brown Bear project in Macedonia del Nord.
• CallistosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal implementation partner for Tripoint Brown Bear project in Greece.
• University of GenoasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated monitoring actions using BACI method (Before, After, Control, Impact) for marine protected areas in Sardinia.
• University of SassarisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific monitoring partner for Asinara Marine Protected Area including cetacean, seagrass, and coralligenous habitat monitoring.
• CREAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economy Analysis. Partner for experimental vineyard research at RVF Villa Fortuna.
• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth American conservation organization working to protect and connect habitats from Yellowstone to Yukon. Supported by Fondazione Capellino from January 2025.
• RISE UP Community / Valanga AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst strategic activism school, created in collaboration with Fondazione Capellino and Compagnia di San Paolo.
• Aree Protette Alpi Marittime (APAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject coordinator for Life WolfAlps EU, managing Maritime Alps protected areas and parks. Fondazione Capellino contributed €600,000 as second largest funder after EU.
• Almo NaturecoreOthersCommercial company 100% owned by Fondazione Capellino. All profits are reinvested into biodiversity through the Reintegration Economy model. Pet food company.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EuroNatur Foundation: German conservation foundation funding transboundary European habitat and species protection projects. Direct co-funder (50/50) of Fondazione Capellino's Tripoint Brown Bear project; operates at similar scale with a comparable cross-border corridor approach.
• Patagonia: Outdoor apparel company whose ownership structure channels profits into environmental activism (Holdfast Collective, 1% for the Planet). The closest commercial analogue to Fondazione Capellino's Reintegration Economy model — a profitable company whose owners redirect value to environmental causes.
• Blue Marine Foundation: UK-based ocean conservation foundation promoting Marine Protected Areas and addressing overfishing. Direct partner on the Sardinia marine protected areas project; directly comparable on marine biodiversity focus.
• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y): North American conservation initiative connecting and protecting 3,400 km of habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon. Directly funded by Fondazione Capellino since January 2025 and one of the foundation's flagship corridor projects.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation NGO focused on species protection, habitat connectivity, and biodiversity policy. Closely aligned on wildlife corridor and species conservation programs (bears, marine ecosystems) and operates at the policy/advocacy level Fondazione Capellino is moving into.
• Conservation International: International NGO protecting nature through science, policy, and field projects. Comparable in combining biodiversity measurement, ecosystem restoration, and corporate partnerships; differs in funding model and global headquarters.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental NGOs, operating conservation projects across marine, terrestrial, and freshwater habitats globally. Highly comparable in mission scope (habitat conservation, climate resilience) though vastly larger in scale and using a traditional donation-funded model rather than Reintegration Economy.
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Global wildlife conservation organization protecting large landscapes and keystone species. Comparable in species-and-habitat focus (tigers, elephants, marine species) and in working through field projects with scientific partners.

Regional players

• Legambiente: Italy's largest environmental association, active in biodiversity, climate, and environmental policy advocacy. Regional peer in the same Italian operating environment with overlapping advocacy focus (e.g., opposition to harmful hunting legislation).
• LIPU (Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli): Italian BirdLife partner focused on bird and wildlife protection, habitat conservation, and environmental education. Comparable on Italian wildlife conservation and education/outreach dimensions, though narrower species scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondazione-capellino

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fondazione Capellino