Livelihoods Fund

What Livelihoods Fund does

Livelihoods Fund is a Paris-headquartered impact investment platform structured as Livelihoods Venture SAS, founded in 2011 through Danone's nature-focused fund. It operates as a coalition of approximately 20 multinational corporate investors that mobilize patient capital to finance large-scale nature-based climate solutions co-created with rural communities across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Capital is deployed through two primary vehicles: the Livelihoods Carbon Funds (LCF1-LCF4), which monetize verified carbon sequestration and emissions avoidance, and the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F), which transforms agricultural supply chains through regenerative practices.

The underlying technology is ecological and operational rather than digital. Projects span mangrove and forest restoration, agroforestry systems covering cocoa, coconut, vanilla, coffee, and Tasar silk, regenerative agriculture across more than 50,000 hectares, and rural clean energy deployment (16,000 biodigesters in Bangladesh under LCF3). Carbon credits are certified to standards such as Gold Standard, and cumulative reported impact includes 5.4 million tons of CO2 avoided or removed, 160 million trees planted, and improved livelihoods for 2.4 million people across 47 large-scale projects. Livelihoods also operates a thought-leadership layer on the Voluntary Carbon Market, publishing position papers ahead of COP30 calling for certification pathways tailored to smallholder-led projects.

The business model is a multi-stakeholder impact investment fund manager. Corporate investors commit capital for 20-25 year horizons and receive in return carbon offsets, supply chain resilience, and measurable social and environmental impact rather than primarily financial returns. LCF4, launched in June 2026, raised €124 million at first close toward a €150 million target, with eight named anchor investors including Danone, Hermès, Mars, Schneider Electric, SAP, Mauritius Commercial Bank, McCain, and Voyageurs du Monde. Field execution is delivered through a network of local implementing NGOs — PRADAN in India, FUNDAECO in Guatemala, ARCOS in Rwanda, Naandi Foundation in India, and Solidaridad West Africa — rather than through a large direct workforce of 11-50 employees based in Paris.

Name

Livelihoods Fund

Legal name

Livelihoods Venture

Website

https://livelihoods.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Livelihoods Fund is a Paris-based impact investment platform that mobilizes patient capital from a coalition of roughly 20 multinational corporates to finance large-scale nature-based climate solutions, including ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, and regenerative agriculture, with rural communities across four continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Impact Investment Funds

NAICS

Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funds (FSANAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG), Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA)

Keywords

• Impact investment funds
• Carbon credit financing
• Nature-based solutions
• Sustainable supply chains
• Regenerative agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Carbon Credit Finance: The Livelihoods Carbon Funds (LCF1, LCF2, LCF3, LCF4) generate revenue by financing ecosystem restoration and agroforestry projects that produce certified carbon credits (verified by standards such as Gold Standard). Companies invest in the funds and receive carbon offsets in return, which they use to compensate for unavoidable emissions within their value chains. LCF4 targets 7-10 million tons of CO₂ sequestration or avoidance over 25 years.
2. Sustainable Sourcing Investment: The Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F) brings together companies (Mars, Danone, Firmenich, Veolia) to co-invest in transforming supply chains through regenerative agriculture practices. Companies benefit from more resilient and traceable supply chains while farmers receive technical assistance, financing, and market access. Revenue is generated through the long-term commercial value of transformed supply chains.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Livelihoods Fund operates as an impact investment platform that mobilizes private capital from a coalition of corporate partners (Danone, Mars, Hermès, Schneider Electric, SAP, and others) to finance large-scale nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, and rural energy projects developed with rural communities across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The platform delivers carbon credits and sustainable sourcing outcomes to corporate investors while improving rural livelihoods, with long-term 20-25 year investment horizons.

Product overview

Livelihoods Fund is an impact investment platform comprising two main product lines: the Livelihoods Carbon Funds (LCF1-4) and the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F). The Carbon Funds leverage the carbon economy to finance nature-based climate solutions including ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, mangrove restoration, and rural energy access projects. The Fund for Family Farming is a private investment vehicle that transforms agricultural supply chains through sustainable sourcing partnerships with companies. Together, these products mobilize private capital to support rural communities in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, combining climate action with improved livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Livelihoods Carbon Funds: Investment funds that leverage carbon economy to finance ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, and rural energy projects with tangible social, environmental, and economic added value for rural communities.
• Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F)
• Livelihoods Carbon Fund 4 (LCF4)

Products and services

• Livelihoods Carbon Fund 4 (LCF4) A €150 million investment fund dedicated to nature-based climate solutions, financing large-scale ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, mangrove restoration, regenerative agriculture, and rural energy projects developed with rural communities across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Targets 7-10 million tons of CO2 sequestration/avoidance over 25 years while improving living conditions for 500,000+ people.
• Livelihoods Carbon Funds (LCF1, LCF2, LCF3) Earlier-generation investment funds leveraging the carbon economy to finance ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, and rural energy projects with tangible social, environmental, and economic added value for rural communities. Previous funds have planted over 160 million trees and improved 2.4 million lives across 47 large-scale projects.
• Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F) A private investment vehicle bringing together companies (Mars, Danone, DSM Firmenich, Veolia) to improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers and transform agricultural supply chains. Empowers smallholder farmers with sustainable agricultural practices, improved yield, and income through long-term partnerships.
• Agroforestry Projects Large-scale agroforestry initiatives integrating trees with farming, livestock, and forests across coffee, cocoa, Tasar silk, and fruit systems. Enhances biodiversity, soil health, water management, and rural livelihoods while sequestering carbon.
• Clean Cooking Solutions (Biodigesters) Rural energy access projects deploying biodigesters that convert organic waste into clean biogas for cooking. Addresses indoor air pollution, deforestation, and provides organic fertilizer while avoiding CO2 emissions.
• Tasar Silk Production Agroforestry-based sericulture projects supporting Adivasi communities in Jharkhand and West Bengal, India to produce Tasar silk through Terminalia tree plantations, creating over 5,000 rural jobs and sequestering approximately 1.4 million tons of CO2.
• Sustainable Sourcing Initiatives Programs transforming agricultural supply chains through regenerative agriculture practices, working with companies to source commodities like cocoa, coconut, vanilla, palm oil, and shea sustainably while improving farmer incomes.

Quantifiable outcome

• LCF4 targets 7-10 million tons CO₂ sequestration/avoidance over 25 years
• +11 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SNVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Livelihoods and SNV announced a strategic partnership to accelerate transition to regenerative, deforestation-free supply chains. Starting with sustainable palm oil in Indonesia and expanding to other commodities and landscapes. Builds on the successful BIPOSC project in North Sumatra (2021-2025) that supported 3,000 farmers across 5,000 hectares. Jointly developing a regenerative palm oil framework for wider industry adoption.
• ATEC GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 August 2025LCF3 and ATEC Global signed a large-scale clean cooking initiative in Bangladesh, deploying 16,000 biodigesters across flood-exposed regions. ATEC manufactures and distributes biodigesters locally, creating employment for over 1,000 Bangladeshis. The project aims to avoid over 1 million tons CO₂e over 15 years (Gold Standard certified).
• ToutoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022Touton is a major player in global cocoa trade and Mars's main cocoa supplier. It is a partner in the Ghana cocoa project (L3F) alongside Mars, Solidaridad West Africa, and I4DI. Touton processes cocoa liquor in Ghana and has made its cocoa beans fully traceable along the supply chain.
• Solidaridad West AfricacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 October 2022Leading civil society organization providing technical assistance to cocoa farmers in the Ghana project. Provides intensive coaching on good agricultural practices, strengthens farmer groups, and facilitates access to service providers, inputs, and financial mechanisms.
• Institute for Development Impact (I4DI)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 October 2022I4DI serves as the scientific and learning partner for the Ghana cocoa project, overseeing assessment and evaluation of the project's impact using a data-driven, systems approach to global sustainability.
• PRADANcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action) is the implementing NGO for the Tasar silk agroforestry project in Jharkhand and West Bengal, India. It has 30+ years of experience working with marginalized tribal communities. PRADAN has established a robust scientific, technical, and economic model to revamp the Tasar silk value chain, including village-based seed production, forest-based cocoon production, and silk yarn commercialization.
• FUNDAECOcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFUNDAECO (Fundación para el Desarrollo Ecológico) is the local NGO implementing the Cerro San Gil conservation and community development project in Guatemala. Since 2013, the project has restored over 1,600 hectares and planted 1 million trees. FUNDAECO's founder Marco Cerezo emphasized addressing nature conservation and rural community development simultaneously.
• ARCOS NetworkcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerARCOS Network is the regional conservation organization implementing the agroforestry project in Rwanda's Northern Province since 2020. More than 24,600 farmers have planted fruit, timber, and firewood trees across 15,000 hectares. ARCOS also hosted a field visit in May 2025 with Livelihoods partners.
• Naandi FoundationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNaandi Foundation has partnered with Livelihoods Carbon Funds since 2010 in Araku Valley, India to help tribal communities regenerate forests and produce high-quality Araku Coffee. Naandi won the Rockefeller Foundation Food System Vision 2050 Prize for its 'Arakunomics' model. In 2020, over 10,000 Adivasi farmers planted 2.5 million trees in 5 days under the project.
• Franklin BakersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranklin Baker is a locally established manufacturer and exporter of coconut-based products in the Philippines. It partners with Livelihoods in the Mindanao coconut sourcing initiative, providing direct market access to farmers and benefiting from more secure supply chains and improved traceability.
• Musim MassupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusim Mas is involved in the blended finance initiative for sustainable oil palm in Sumatra, launched in March 2025 alongside ABLE Nordic, Temasek Foundation, Livelihoods Funds, and SNV. The initiative aims to support at least 400 independent smallholders.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Root Capital: Root Capital provides financing and capacity building to smallholder agricultural enterprises in coffee, cocoa and other commodities. Comparable focus on smallholder supply-chain transformation but more credit/loan oriented than PE-fund oriented.
• responsAbility Investments: responsAbility invests in sustainable agriculture, forestry and renewable energy via PE and debt vehicles for institutional investors. Overlap in food systems and natural capital impact investment mandate.

Direct peers

• Mirova Natural Capital: Mirova (Natixis affiliate) runs dedicated natural capital and biodiversity private equity funds investing in ecosystem restoration and sustainable forestry. Closely comparable fund structure, duration, and impact thesis to Livelihoods Carbon Funds.
• South Pole Group: South Pole develops and finances nature-based carbon projects and sells credits/offsets to corporates. Directly comparable to Livelihoods as a project originator and carbon fund manager serving corporate climate commitments.
• IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative: IDH convenes corporate coalitions (including Mars, Danone and others) to transform smallholder commodity supply chains, co-funding field programs in cocoa, palm and coffee. Highly comparable coalition / blended-finance model to Livelihoods' L3F.
• Climate Fund Managers (CFM): CFM is a climate-focused PE fund-of-funds/manager investing in renewable energy and nature-based assets with corporate and public LPs. Comparable in deploying corporate-backed capital into nature-based and decarbonization projects.

Broad incumbents

• NatureVest (The Nature Conservancy): Nature Conservancy's impact investment arm structures deals in nature-based solutions and habitat protection. A larger established impact investment vehicle with comparable conservation-and-finance thesis.

Regional players

• Permanent Crops / Off-Planet Natural Capital Funds: Broader European PE/impact investing community operating funds adjacent to Livelihoods' thesis (notably in France via France Invest). Comparable regional capital pool but not single competitor.

Others

• Gold Standard: Certification body for high-integrity carbon credits (cited explicitly in Livelihoods' project certifications). Enabling infrastructure / standard setter in Livelihoods' market.
• Verra: Verra operates the VCS registry — the largest voluntary carbon standard — through which Livelihoods and other project developers issue and sell credits. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but core to Livelihoods' go-to-market infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LivelihoodsEu/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/livelihoods-venture
• Xx.com/livelih00ds
• Facebookfacebook.com/191607447583042

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Livelihoods Fund