BIODIVERSITY EXCHANGE LIMITED

What BIODIVERSITY EXCHANGE LIMITED does

BNGx, the trading name of Biodiversity Exchange Limited, is a UK-incorporated company that operates the world's first fully digital marketplace for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units in England. The platform was founded in February 2023 by Andrew Hicks (CEO, former NatWest capital markets executive) and Dr Alex Dowding (CTO, former Oxford researcher and software architect), and was publicly launched on 28 November 2024 following the UK's mandatory BNG regime under the Environment Act 2021. BNGx connects two sides of a regulated compliance market: property developers who must achieve a statutory 10% biodiversity net gain and need to source registered off-site units, and landowners and habitat bank operators who hold registered units and wish to monetise them. Named customers and suppliers disclosed in the source material include Thakeham, Nattergal, Iford Estate, and BioGains.

The platform's core technology is a proprietary matching algorithm that ingests buyer-submitted biodiversity metric files, considers spatial and temporal modifiers, habitat classifications, and BNG trading rules, and returns tailored unit packages in seconds. Once a match is selected, BNGx automates execution, documentation, allocation form generation for Natural England's register, and real-time portfolio updates for both buyers and sellers. The product surface includes Cash Purchase (live), Availability Certificates (live) and Reservation Rights (planned). Infrastructure is built on Stripe for payments and KYC/AML, with DLA Piper-supplied legal documentation underwriting automated trade execution and Intercom for customer support. Distribution is primarily self-serve via app.bngx.com, with channel partners (Nattergal, Joe's Blooms, Knight Frank, Iford Estate, BioGains) referring developers and landowners, and direct seller outreach for enterprise supply.

The revenue model is a marketplace take-rate with seller-set prices and price transparency; specific fee levels are not publicly disclosed. The company is private, has not disclosed any external funding rounds in the available source material, and operates from a single Birmingham registered office (C/O BDO LLP, Two Snowhill), suggesting a small, founder-controlled team supported by an advisory bench (Rupert Eastwood, Alexa Culver, Benedict James) and a non-executive director (Simon Evans). No revenue, headcount, transaction volume, or GMV data has been disclosed.

Name

BIODIVERSITY EXCHANGE LIMITED

Legal name

Biodiversity Exchange Limited

Website

https://bngx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BNGx operates the world's first fully digital marketplace for Biodiversity Net Gain units in England, matching property developers seeking statutory off-site biodiversity units with landowners and habitat bank operators using a proprietary matching algorithm and automated documentation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Compliance Marketplace

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) / No Net Loss Planning & Metrics (EUAHAHAJ)

Keywords

• Biodiversity marketplaces
• Biodiversity net gain
• Habitat banking
• Environmental compliance
• Biodiversity units trading

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Transaction/Platform Fees: BNGx charges fees for facilitating BNG unit transactions on the exchange. Sellers set prices for their units and BNGx processes the trade, documenting and executing transactions for both parties. The platform charges fees on transactions with price transparency (no unexpected add-ons).
2. Seller Subscription/Listing Fees: Sellers pay to list their biodiversity units on the exchange. Sellers upload metrics, set price parameters and availability, and BNGx matches them with buyers. The platform provides portfolio management and real-time tracking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BNGx operates the world's first fully digital marketplace for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units, connecting developers (buyers) with landowners and habitat bank operators (sellers) to trade registered off-site biodiversity units. The platform uses a proprietary matching algorithm to find optimal unit packages in seconds, then executes trades in one click with automated documentation, metric file updates, and Natural England registration forms.

Product overview

BNGx operates as a unified digital marketplace platform for trading Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units. The core offering consists of the BNGx Exchange, which facilitates the matching and transaction of registered biodiversity units between developers (buyers) and landowners (sellers). The platform's main products include Cash Purchase for immediate unit acquisition, Availability Certificates for planning application support, and the forthcoming Reservation Rights product. All units are registered with Natural England and the platform automates documentation, execution, and metric updates for completed transactions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BNGx Exchange The core digital marketplace platform that matches developers with off-site biodiversity units using a proprietary algorithm and automates the entire transaction process including documentation, execution, and metric updates.
• Biodiversity Units (BNG Units) Registered biodiversity units traded on the BNGx marketplace. Units are registered with Natural England and enable developers to satisfy their statutory BNG obligations through off-site enhancements.
• Cash Purchase Immediate purchase option allowing developers to buy biodiversity units directly on the exchange. Buyers upload their metric file, receive tailored matches, and complete purchases with one click.
• Availability Certificate Certificate confirming that a package of off-site biodiversity units is available on the BNGx Exchange to support a planning application. Ideal for developers who are not ready to purchase but need reassurance that suitable units exist.

Quantifiable outcome

• Minutes instead of months to source and purchase off-site BNG units
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NattergalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNattergal works to deliver nature recovery at scale, buying, leasing, and managing ecologically degraded land to recover biodiversity. They are a key unit supplier on the BNGx exchange and CEO Archie Struthers stated Nattergal sees BNGx as bringing an innovative scalable solution that allows both large and smaller volume buyers to contribute to landscape scale nature restoration projects.
• DLA PipercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal law firm DLA Piper helped produce the first-class legal documentation which underpins the BNGx exchange. Their documentation supports the automated execution and processing of BNG unit transactions.
• Joe's BloomsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoe's Blooms helps small property developers comply with England's biodiversity net gain regulations using best-in-class digital tools and specialist support to provide required legal documentation. They refer customers to BNGx.
• Knight FrankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKnight Frank's BNG services support developers and landowners with assessing, delivering, and managing Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. They refer clients to BNGx for unit transactions.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe processes all payments made via the BNGx exchange. They conduct Know Your Client (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks on behalf of BNGx for seller onboarding. Stripe is FCA-regulated and PCI DSS compliant.
• Natural EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body that runs the register for biodiversity gain sites. All units on BNGx must be listed on Natural England's register. BNGx generates completed allocation forms for registering new units with Natural England.
• Iford EstateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of the leading providers of off-site BNG units, providing funding for an 800ha nature recovery project in the South Downs National Park. Their Biodiversity Project was the first in the country to go live in July 2023.
• BioGainsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst habitat bank provider to secure a site on the national register with their Exeter habitat bank. Founded by ecologist Jon Garner and chartered surveyor Andrew Rowe with a team of 40 ecologists and land management operatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Habitat Bank: UK BNG unit marketplace and habitat banking business matching developers with landowners for biodiversity unit purchases. Operates in the same regulatory and customer environment as BNGx with a similar matchmaking role.
• Environment Bank: UK-based habitat bank and BNG unit provider that creates, registers, and sells biodiversity offset units to developers. Most directly comparable peer — competing in the same BNG unit transaction space, with overlapping developer and landowner customers in England.

Emerging players

• LandApp: UK land management and mapping platform used by landowners, agents, and ecological advisors to manage BNG and land use data. Adjacent ecosystem player with some overlap in BNG-related workflows and data.
• BioGains: Habitat bank operator (Exeter habitat bank) and supplier of BNG units to BNGx's marketplace. Founded by an ecologist and chartered surveyor; competes on the supply side of the same BNG unit ecosystem.
• Pachama: Digital marketplace for nature-based carbon credits using satellite and ML verification. Comparable marketplace business model applied to environmental commodity trading; emerging player addressing a related but distinct asset class.
• Patch: API-first carbon credit marketplace enabling businesses to embed offset purchases into their products. Comparable marketplace and developer-integration approach to environmental credits; overlapping GTM philosophy with BNGx.
• Cloverly: Environmental credits marketplace for carbon and biodiversity offsets serving enterprises and developers. Comparable marketplace mechanics applied to a related environmental asset class; emerging player with broader scope than BNGx.
• Trove Natural Capital Exchange (Linqxa): Natural capital asset marketplace for biodiversity, carbon, and ecosystem services trades across corporate and landowner counterparties. Closest peer to BNGx in the broader natural capital exchange category.
• Nattergal: Nature recovery company that buys, leases, and manages ecologically degraded land to create and sell BNG units. Listed as a BNGx supplier but also supplies units directly to developers — an emerging player with partial overlap on the supply side.

Others

• RSK Biocensus: UK ecological consultancy and designated Responsible Body supporting BNG compliance, metric calculation, and unit registration. Ecosystem participant enabling the supply side of the BNG market that BNGx serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bngx

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 BIODIVERSITY EXCHANGE LIMITED