Sporos Regeneration Institute

What Sporos Regeneration Institute does

Sporos Regeneration Institute is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization headquartered at the Garden of Friends farm on the coast of Gera Bay in the Dipi-Larsos wetland (Natura 2000 network) on Lesvos, Greece. It delivers certified Permaculture Design Courses, Forest School sessions, school garden programs, a seed bank, internships, and youth climate workshops targeting three principal cohorts: asylum seekers and refugees on Lesvos, local Greek residents (including primary school children), and international volunteers and students. The organization combines environmental regeneration with humanitarian integration, explicitly using nature-based ecotherapy and shared agricultural work to bridge displaced and host communities, and it documents outcomes such as 43 students trained across 3 free PDCs in 9 months and events drawing nearly 100 international participants.

The underlying "technology" is grounded in applied regenerative agriculture: permaculture ethics and design, chinampas coastal adaptation on wetland land, aquaponics via Juice PLUS+ Tower Garden systems for schools lacking outdoor space, traditional non-GMO seed saving, and a Forest School pedagogy drawing on Waldorf and Montessori methods. Programmes are operationally interlocked — the seed bank supplies the school gardens and EcoHub, EcoHub hosts the PDC curriculum, and Garden of Friends serves as the demonstration and event hub.

Sporos is funded almost entirely through donations (GlobalGiving, PayPal), foundation grants (Emergence Foundation UK, Civic Europe/Stiftung Mercator), corporate support (LUSH cosmetics), and EU programme grants (Erasmus+ RURAL 2.0, CERV GREEN EU). The only direct commercial revenue stream is New Roots Olive Oil, sold directly to consumers and described as the organization's most important step toward self-sustainability; all team members are unpaid volunteers, and the GTM motion is community-led via word-of-mouth, EU project networks, and partnerships with humanitarian NGOs on Lesvos.

Name

Sporos Regeneration Institute

Legal name

Sporos Regeneration Institute

Website

https://sporosinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sporos Regeneration Institute is a volunteer-run non-profit on Lesvos, Greece that delivers certified permaculture, regenerative farming, and Forest School education to refugees, local residents, school children, and international volunteers, funded by donations and EU grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regenerative Agriculture Education

NAICS

Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAD

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYAFAGAMAA

Regenerative Agriculture (Soil Carbon, Cover Crops, Reduced/No-Till)

Agriculture & Food Production/Crop Farming/Sustainable Farming Practices

SECONDARYEDAOAOAO

Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

SECONDARYBPAGAGAI

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

Keywords

• Permaculture education
• Regenerative agriculture training
• Organic gardening programs
• Forest school education
• Refugee vocational training

Headquarters

HQ city

Mytilene

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Sporos is entirely volunteer-run and relies on donations from individuals and institutional donors. They raise funds through GlobalGiving and PayPal, and receive project-specific EU funding (CERV, Erasmus+). The organisation states volunteers regularly redistribute their surplus to support the organisation's goals.
2. New Roots Olive Oil Sales: New Roots extra virgin olive oil is sold as a revenue-generating initiative, with proceeds supporting environmental and social programmes. It represents the organisation's most important step towards becoming self-sustaining.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sporos Regeneration Institute delivers certified Permaculture Design Courses, Forest School sessions, school gardens, and seed bank programs on Lesvos, Greece. It also runs community regeneration projects (EcoHub, Garden of Friends, Make It Green Lesvos) and sells New Roots extra virgin olive oil to support environmental and social programmes for refugees, locals and internationals.

Product overview

Sporos Regeneration Institute is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on permaculture education, environmental regeneration, and community integration. The core offerings include EcoHub (permaculture integration project), Permaculture Design Courses (certified training), Garden of Friends (educational farm hub), Forest School (outdoor child education), School Gardens, Seed Bank and Nursery, and internship programs. Supplementary programs include New Roots Olive Oil (social enterprise product), Make It Green Lesvos (youth engagement), Lesvos Positive Parenting Approach, and EU-funded projects like RURAL 2.0 and CERV-Green EU. The organization operates as a platform of educational and regenerative programs rather than a single product, with programs supporting each other through shared knowledge, volunteer networks, and proceeds from olive oil sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EcoHub: Educational and integration-focused permaculture project creating human-centered spaces that nurture, inspire, and raise environmental awareness. Originally launched by Better Days, now operated by Sporos.
• New Roots Olive Oil
• Garden of Friends

Products and services

• EcoHub Educational and integration-focused permaculture project bringing displaced and host communities together through environmental stewardship and regenerative practices.
• Permaculture Design Courses Certified Permaculture Design Courses and shorter seminars teaching regenerative land and settlement design to refugees, locals, and internationals on Lesvos.
• Garden of Friends Headquarters and educational farm demonstrating growing, building, and living techniques while growing produce for the community on Lesvos.
• Forest School Child-led outdoor learning sessions influenced by Waldorf and Montessori methods, helping children reconnect with nature and develop environmental identity.
• School Gardens Permaculture and organic gardening programmes and gardens established in primary schools across Lesvos, including an aquaponics/Tower Garden project.
• Seed Bank and Nursery Seed-saving initiative building a bank of traditional, non-GMO, locally-adapted seeds, with seedlings grown for internal use and community sharing.
• Make It Green Lesvos Youth-focused environmental workshop programme teaching environmental awareness and restorative practices through drama-based activities.
• New Roots Olive Oil Extra virgin olive oil produced using permaculture and regenerative agriculture principles, made by refugees, locals and internationals, with proceeds supporting environmental and social programmes.
• Internship and Volunteer Programs Live-in programmes offering education in organic agriculture, agroforestry, and permaculture, where interns care for cultivations while learning regenerative farming techniques.
• Lesvos Positive Parenting Approach Network providing interactive workshops for parents and caregivers on positive parenting based on Attachment Theory, focusing on secure emotional attachment and child development.
• RURAL 2.0 EU Erasmus+ funded project promoting democratic participation among rural youth through digital tools, Rural Leadership Academy training, and Rural Youth Parliaments.
• CERV – Green EU EU-funded climate engagement project under the CERV programme hosting events and workshops on climate resilience, permaculture, and civic participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 43 students trained in permaculture in 9 months across 3 free PDC courses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WWFminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 March 2026WWF appears as a partner organisation for the Civic Climate Future Workshop (March 2026) on the event materials.
• University of the AegeancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2025Collaborated on the 'Resilient Futures' Conference (March 2025) and GREEN EU events at the Department of Oceanography and Marine Biosciences. The university's Environmental Team (EPOPA) co-organises events with Sporos.
• Better DayscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017EcoHub was originally launched by Better Days in 2017, with Better Days being the initiating organisation. Sporos continued and expanded the EcoHub project after its initial launch.
• One Happy Family Community Center (OHF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreviously unused land at the One Happy Family Community Center was transformed into the EcoHub garden space. Sporos works closely with OHF to integrate sustainability across all centre operations.
• Juice PLUS+ / Tower GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for the aquaponics project at schools with insufficient outdoor space. Tower Garden systems provided to schools as part of the school gardens initiative.
• Indigo VolunteersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSporos uses Indigo Volunteers' services to recruit and manage volunteer placements for internships and volunteer positions at the organisation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Better Days: Greek NGO operating on Lesvos that originally launched the EcoHub project which Sporos now runs. Direct peer in geography, humanitarian focus and operating model for refugee support.
• Roots of Peace: International non-profit removing landmines and replanting farmland in post-conflict regions. Directly comparable in combining regenerative agriculture with conflict/displacement-affected communities.
• Trees for Life: Scottish charity rewilding the Highlands through reforestation and conservation volunteering. Comparable in combining land regeneration with a volunteer-driven educational model.
• Navdanya: India-based movement running a community seed bank and regenerative agriculture programmes. Comparable in combining seed sovereignty, biodiversity preservation and educational regenerative agriculture.
• Starfish Foundation: Greek non-profit providing education, accommodation and integration services for unaccompanied refugee minors. Comparable in Greek refugee-support context, though without the regenerative-agriculture component.
• The Permaculture Association: UK-based charity promoting permaculture design, education and land-based solutions. Direct comparable on permaculture education and charitable educational model.
• Movement on the Ground: Non-profit operating on Lesvos providing humanitarian support to refugees and asylum seekers. Comparable target population and Greek-island operating environment.

Broad incumbents

• Permaculture Research Institute: Global leader in permaculture education and certification. Comparable because Sporos delivers certified Permaculture Design Courses using the same curriculum lineage, but PRI is the broader global incumbent.
• Kiss the Ground: US-based regenerative agriculture advocacy and education non-profit. Comparable in promoting regenerative agriculture literacy, though much larger and focused on media and policy.

Emerging players

• Ecosystem Restoration Camps: Global network running volunteer-driven ecosystem restoration camps. Comparable volunteer-driven, land-based regenerative education model with similar small-team project delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Sporos Regeneration Institute