The Generation Forest

What The Generation Forest does

The Generation Forest eG is a Hamburg-registered German cooperative (eingetragene Genossenschaft, GnR 1083) founded in 2016 by Iliana Armiën and Andreas Eke, the founding team of Panamanian forestry operator Futuro Forestal. The cooperative acquires degraded agricultural land in Panama's Canal Watershed and Darién regions and reforests it using the Generationenwald principle, a multi-story mixed-forest architecture modeled on natural tropical rainforests that incorporates more than 20 indigenous tree species including American Mahogany, Spanish Cedar, Cocobolo, Rosewood, Tigerwood, and Teak. The cooperative claims 20 tonnes CO₂ sequestered per hectare per year, validated by Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), with complementary Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) certifications. The core proprietary technology—the Generationenwald forestry model—was developed over 30 years by Futuro Forestal and yields 150-1,100 premium hardwoods per hectare versus 1-2 marketable trees in natural forest.

Name

The Generation Forest

Legal name

The Generation Forest eG

Website

https://thegenerationforest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Generation Forest eG is a Hamburg-based German cooperative that reforests degraded land in Panama via a multi-story mixed-forest model. It sells cooperative shares (€1,200 each representing 500 m²) to climate-conscious individuals and corporate partners, with long-term FSC-certified timber harvests providing returns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Reforestation & Carbon Offset Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Timber Tract Operations (1131), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (1132)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forest Carbon Projects & Ecosystem Services (Carbon Credits, Biodiversity) (IMAMAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM), Timberland Carbon & Natural Capital Project Development (Offsets/REDD+) (AFAMAKAH), Timber Tract Operations & Forest Ownership (Timberland) (IMAMAAAA)

Keywords

• Tropical reforestation services
• Carbon offset solutions
• Cooperative forestry membership
• Sustainable timber investment
• Biodiversity conservation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Share Sales: Members purchase cooperative shares (Genossenschaftsanteile) at 1,200€ per share plus entry fee. Each share represents 500 m² of forest. Entry fees reflect growing forest value and are set annually by the General Assembly. Share sales provide primary capital for land acquisition and reforestation operations.
2. Timber Sales: Long-term revenue from selective harvest and sale of FSC-certified tropical hardwoods. First selective harvesting begins after 12 years. First major distributions expected 2046 (27 years after first reforestation in 2019). Cumulative distribution expected to exceed initial investment (1,707€) by 2058.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Generation Forest operates a cooperative that purchases degraded agricultural land in Panama and reforests it using the Generationenwald concept — multi-story mixed tropical forests with 20+ indigenous hardwood species. Members purchase cooperative shares (€1,200 per share + entry fee) representing 500 m² of forest, receiving approximately 1 tonne/year of verified CO₂ offset, biodiversity impact, and a potential long-term green dividend from FSC-certified timber harvesting (first distributions expected 2046).

Product overview

The Generation Forest operates as a reforestation cooperative offering memberships through the purchase of cooperative shares. The core product is the Generationenwald (Generational Forest), a 500 m² tropical rainforest plot in Panama with multi-story mixed ecosystems. Members can purchase shares at €1,200 plus entry fees, with returns expected from selective timber harvesting beginning 25-45 years after planting. Related products include the Tigerenten-Wald collaborative reforestation project with children's author Janosh, gift forest shares for special occasions, share increases for existing members, a merchandise shop, and the Green Finance investment framework. The cooperative generates revenue through sustainable timber sales while providing CO₂ compensation, biodiversity habitat, and social impact through fair employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Generationenwald (Generational Forest) Core offering: members purchase cooperative shares corresponding to 500 m² of multi-story tropical forest in Panama. The forest sequesters CO₂, regenerates soils, stores water, and creates biodiversity habitat. Selective harvesting begins after 25-45 years to generate returns for members while maintaining a permanent forest.
• Genossenschaftsanteil (Cooperative Share Membership) Membership share in the cooperative costing €1,200 per share plus €507 entry fee (2026 pricing), representing 500 m² of generational forest and approximately 1 tonne of annual CO₂ offset. Monthly installment plans available from €32/month.
• Tigerenten-Wald A collaborative reforestation project with children's author Janosch (Tiger and Bear / Tigerente). Offers forest shares starting at 500 m² that compensate approximately 1 tonne of CO₂ annually, with a separate membership pathway via janosch-shop.com.
• Anteile Verschenken (Gift Forest Shares) A gifting option that lets members give forest shares as presents for occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, weddings, or christenings, with recipients receiving a personalized share certificate.
• Anteile Aufstocken (Increase Shares) An upgrade option for existing cooperative members to purchase additional forest shares, increasing their personal environmental impact and annual CO₂ compensation.
• Green Finance (Wirkungswald / Afforestation Sponsorship) The corporate / sponsor tier of the cooperative offering, providing afforestation sponsorships starting at 50 shares (2.5 ha). Includes regular transparent updates, impact reporting, and visibility benefits for sponsoring companies and individuals seeking deeper impact.
• TGF Shop (Branded Merchandise) Online merchandise shop selling The Generation Forest branded products (T-shirts, etc.) via the Goodbuy e-commerce partner platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 tonnes CO₂ sequestered per hectare per year (Verra certified)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Futuro ForestalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Panamanian forestry company founded by Iliana Armién and Andreas Eke. Developed the Generationenwald concept over 30 years. First B-Corp certified forestry company in Panama. Provides forestry operations, land acquisition expertise, nursery operations, and workforce management. Grounded in collaboration with indigenous communities, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and UN Environment Programme.
• ANCON (La Asociación Nacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanamanian conservation organization. Conducts regular biodiversity monitoring including camera trap studies. Provides biodiversity reports and species inventory documentation. Helps measure impact on flora and fauna diversity.
• Sociedad Mastozoologica de Panama (SOMASPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanamanian mammalogy society. Partner for biodiversity monitoring. Camera trap monitoring from 2018-2020 documented species proliferation including jaguar, puma, and endangered species recovery.
• Crowther Lab (ETH Zurich)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned research lab at ETH Zurich. Conducting broad field study on Finca Avendaño comparing natural rainforest regeneration vs active reforestation following generational forest principles. Findings to measure reforestation effect and improve practices.
• GoodbuyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketplace partner for merchandise. Operates The Generation Forest shop at goodbuy.eu/collections/the-generation-forest. Sells branded merchandise including T-shirts and promotional items.
• Janosch / Tigerenten-WaldcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with children's brand Janosch (Tigerente/Tiger and Bear) for special Tigerenten-Wald project. Joint marketing for reforestation with beloved children's characters. Separate membership pathway through Janosch shop. Brand partnership for extended reach.
• University of WageningenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for development of 100-year business plan. Provided financial modeling and research validation for Generationenwald economic model.
• Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution that contributed to development of Generationenwald concept through collaboration with Futuro Forestal founders.
• UN Environment ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations agency collaborated in development of Generationenwald concept with Futuro Forestal founding team.
• Indigenous Communities (Ngobe-Buglé, Emberá)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnerships with indigenous communities for workforce (forestry workers, nursery staff, seed collectors), land access, and traditional knowledge. Workers primarily from Ngobe-Buglé and Emberá communities including Piriatí, Arimae, and Guna de Wagandí. Communities provide food sovereignty areas on project sites.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• atmosfair: German non-profit that sells verified carbon offsets from renewable energy and forestry projects to individuals and businesses. Comparable to The Generation Forest as a German-market, mission-driven carbon offset provider, though atmosfair focuses on technology and cookstove projects in addition to forestry.
• Treedom: Italy-based platform that lets individuals and companies fund the planting of trees, which are then geo-tracked and photographed over time, with a marketplace of agroforestry projects. Most directly comparable to The Generation Forest: similar D2C subscription model, tree-sponsorship product, and carbon-offset focus, though Treedom plants single trees in smallholder farms rather than multi-hectare generational forests.
• One Tree Planted: US-based non-profit that partners with reforestation organizations to plant trees globally, funded through corporate partnerships and individual donations. Comparable in the tree-planting-as-carbon-offset D2C model and reliance on partner forest operators, though operating model is donation-based rather than share-based.
• Plant-for-the-Planet: Foundation that funds global reforestation through donations and corporate partnerships, with significant focus on the Trillion Tree Campaign. Comparable in mission, DACH/EU presence, and youth-driven community engagement model, though monetizes through donations rather than cooperative shares.
• myclimate: Swiss non-profit offering carbon offset projects (including forestry and reforestation) for individuals and corporations across DACH and Europe. Closely comparable in target customer (DACH companies seeking verified carbon offsets) and project structure (third-party-certified forestry and reforestation initiatives).
• Forest Carbon: UK-based company that develops and manages woodland carbon code-certified afforestation projects for corporate offset buyers. Comparable in certified afforestation project development, though focused on UK temperate forestry and serving institutional landowners rather than cooperative members.

Emerging players

• 8 Billion Trees: US-based reforestation non-profit that funds tree planting through corporate partnerships and consumer subscriptions, with impact tracking and carbon offset certificates. Comparable in subscription-based tree planting funding model and corporate ESG partnerships.
• Ecosia: Berlin-based search engine that uses ad revenue to fund reforestation projects worldwide, planting hundreds of millions of trees. Comparable as a Berlin-based, mission-driven reforestation funder, but with a radically different monetization model (search advertising) and broader geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• South Pole Group: Large Swiss-based carbon project developer and climate consultancy that develops and sells verified carbon credits across forestry, renewable energy, and engineered solutions globally. Comparable in verified carbon credit origination, but operates at much larger scale and as a commercial (non-cooperative) enterprise serving enterprise ESG clients.
• Pachama: US-based digital carbon credit marketplace using satellite monitoring and ML to verify nature-based carbon projects. Comparable in forestry-based carbon credit supply, though operates as a marketplace/platform intermediary rather than a direct project owner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCO5PsQL_gj2YgPhtqh5xz7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/thegenerationforest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thegenerationforest
• Instagraminstagram.com/thegenerationforest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 The Generation Forest