Natural Capital Project
The Natural Capital Project (NatCap) is a Stanford University-based non-profit research collaboration that develops InVEST, an open-source software suite for mapping and valuing ecosystem services, serving governments, development banks, researchers, and urban planners globally through institutional partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersStanford, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Natural Capital Project does
The Natural Capital Project, also operating as the Natural Capital Alliance and branded "NatCap," is a Stanford University-based non-profit research collaboration founded in 2006 with approximately 44 employees. It develops and distributes InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs), an open-source software suite that maps, measures, and values nature's benefits to people using ecosystem services science. InVEST comprises multiple spatial models (including Coastal Vulnerability and Seasonal Water Yield), a centralized Data Hub for input datasets, and a Plugin Registry for extensibility, with a recently launched Visual Reports feature that automates output reporting. The organization is headquartered on Stanford's campus at 327 Campus Drive, Bass Biology Building 123, and is housed within the Doerr School of Sustainability with connections to the School of Humanities and Sciences, the Center for Nature & Society, and the Woods Institute for the Environment.
NatCap serves government and development institutions, researchers and academics, and urban planners. Its primary distribution is the free InVEST software, accompanied by training resources, case studies, and an Implementation Toolkit. The organization does not sell commercial software licenses; instead, it operates as a grant- and partnership-funded research collaboration, with funding flowing from institutional grants and development bank engagements. Strategic partners include the Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, and the Gund Institute for Environment, and the 3Ps Project engages 16 pilot countries in co-developing natural capital approaches that directly inform policy and investment decisions.
The go-to-market motion is community-led: NatCap engages a global network of collaborators across Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Latin America/Caribbean, and North America through the annual Natural Capital Symposium, the NatCap Conversation Series, a quarterly newsletter, a Substack publication, social channels (LinkedIn, YouTube, Bluesky, WeChat), and educational resources. Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed, and there are no funding rounds, acquisitions, or commercial pricing tiers; the model is effectively an open-source, grant-funded research platform whose influence is exercised through policy and finance decision-support rather than direct software sales.
Natural Capital Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Natural Capital Project
- Legal name
- Natural Capital Alliance
- Website
- https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Natural Capital Project (NatCap) is a Stanford University-based non-profit research collaboration that develops InVEST, an open-source software suite for mapping and valuing ecosystem services, serving governments, development banks, researchers, and urban planners globally through institutional partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Natural Capital Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Decision Support Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Assessment / Valuation (EUAHAHAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM), Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)
Keywords
Where Natural Capital Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stanford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Natural Capital Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Institutional Funding and Grants: As a Stanford University-based research collaboration, the Natural Capital Project receives funding through institutional grants, development bank partnerships, and research funding from organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and World Bank.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free open-source access to InVEST software |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
Natural Capital Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Natural Capital Project develops and maintains InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs), a free, open-source software suite that models and maps the benefits that ecosystems provide to people. Through this platform, alongside customized training and an implementation toolkit, the organization enables governments, development banks, researchers, and urban planners to incorporate natural capital valuation into policy, finance, and land-use decisions.
Product overview
The Natural Capital Alliance offers InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) as its primary open-source software platform. InVEST consists of multiple ecosystem service models including Coastal Vulnerability and Seasonal Water Yield models, supported by a Data Hub for input datasets and a Plugin Registry for extensibility. The platform enables global decision-makers to consider nature's diverse benefits through spatial ecosystem service modeling and analysis.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- InVEST: Software platform providing decision-makers with information for policy and finance decisions through ecosystem service modeling
- 3Ps Project
Products and services
- InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs)
Quantifiable outcome
- Informs policy and investment decisions for development, climate, and nature-related goals across 16 pilot countries
Companies that use Natural Capital Project
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Natural Capital Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Natural Capital Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Asian Development BankcoreThe Asian Development Bank is formalizing its collaboration with the Natural Capital Alliance after years of joint work. Part of the 3Ps Project that worked with 16 pilot countries to co-develop natural capital approaches for policy and investment decisions.
- Inter-American Development BankcoreThe Inter-American Development Bank is formalizing its collaboration with the Natural Capital Alliance after years of joint work. Part of the 3Ps Project co-developing natural capital approaches with development, climate, and nature goals.
- Gund Institute for EnvironmentcoreThe Gund Institute is formalizing its collaboration with the Natural Capital Alliance, joining as a core collaborator following years of partnership work.
- World BankcoreThe World Bank collaborated with the Natural Capital Project on the 3Ps Project, working with 16 pilot countries to co-develop natural capital approaches that inform policy and investment decisions for development, climate, and nature-related goals.
- Stanford UniversitycoreHome institution of the Natural Capital Alliance. Located at Stanford's Doerr School of Sustainability, with connections to the School of Humanities and Sciences, Center for Nature & Society, and Woods Institute for the Environment.
- 16 Pilot Countries (3Ps Project)flagship16 pilot countries worked with Natural Capital Project, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and World Bank on the 3Ps Project to co-develop natural capital approaches that directly inform policy and investment decisions.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Natural Capital Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- NCX (Natural Capital Exchange): NCX is a marketplace and analytics platform for nature-based carbon and forest management credits. Adjacent to NatCap in translating natural capital data into financial decisions, but operating as a commercial marketplace.
- NatureMetrics: NatureMetrics provides biodiversity monitoring using eDNA and nature-related data products for corporate reporting. Comparable to NatCap in serving corporate and policy decision-makers with nature data, though focused on measurement rather than spatial valuation.
- Sylvera: Sylvera provides ratings and analytics for nature-based carbon and biodiversity credits. Comparable to NatCap in providing decision-grade environmental data for finance, but at a commercial, venture-backed scale in the private market.
- Earth Genome Project: Earth Genome built open-source environmental data infrastructure for valuation and risk analytics. Highly comparable mission to NatCap's data-hub and modeling stack but at a smaller, more venture-oriented scale.
Broad incumbents
- Esri: Esri's ArcGIS platform is the dominant spatial analysis ecosystem underpinning most ecosystem services and natural capital modeling work, including InVEST. Broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities but a much wider portfolio beyond environmental valuation.
Direct peers
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC): TNC develops science-based tools and methodologies (e.g., Conservation by Design) and operates globally with a network of country programs. Comparable to NatCap as a major environmental organization combining research, tools, and global field implementation.
- Vizzuality: Vizzuality builds technology for nature and climate data visualization and ecosystem monitoring, including partnerships with Google Earth Engine. Directly comparable to NatCap's InVEST as a software platform that maps and values nature's benefits for decision-makers.
- World Resources Institute (WRI): WRI develops environmental decision-support tools such as Global Forest Watch and Aqueduct. Operates as a research-driven organization producing open-access data and platforms for sustainability, comparable to NatCap's mission and tool-building approach.
Others
- Conservation International: Conservation International is a major global environmental NGO that develops scientific tools, country programs, and policy guidance. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but overlaps with NatCap in combining science, tools, and global field engagement for nature outcomes.
- QGIS (Open Source Geospatial Foundation): QGIS is the leading open-source GIS platform that often underpins or is integrated with InVEST workflows. Enabling/adjacent technology rather than direct competitor, but shapes the tooling ecosystem in which NatCap operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Natural Capital Project social profiles
Digital presenceNatural Capital Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Natural Capital Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Natural Capital Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Natural Capital Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Natural Capital Project
What does Natural Capital Project do?
Natural Capital Project develops and maintains InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs), a free, open-source software suite that models and maps the benefits that ecosystems provide to people. Through this platform, alongside customized training and an implementation toolkit, the organization enables governments, development banks, researchers, and urban planners to incorporate natural capital valuation into policy, finance, and land-use decisions.
Is Natural Capital Project a public or private company?
Natural Capital Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Natural Capital Project founded?
Natural Capital Project was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Natural Capital Project based?
Natural Capital Project is headquartered in Stanford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Natural Capital Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: institutional Funding and Grants.
Who are Natural Capital Project's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are NCX (Natural Capital Exchange), NatureMetrics, Sylvera and Earth Genome Project. Esri is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Vizzuality and World Resources Institute (WRI). Others are Conservation International and QGIS (Open Source Geospatial Foundation).
Does Natural Capital Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Natural Capital Project.
What industry is Natural Capital Project in?
Natural Capital Project's product category is Environmental Decision Support Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAHAI, Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Assessment / Valuation, with a secondary code of EUAHAJAM, Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.