Kaya
KAYA Climate Solutions GmbH is a Berlin-based nature-based solutions project developer that designs and operates large-scale reforestation, agroforestry, and fire management projects in Angola to generate verified carbon credits for corporate buyers, investors, and governments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kaya does
KAYA Climate Solutions GmbH is a Berlin-registered, for-profit nature-based solutions project developer operating primarily in Angola's Malanje province. The company develops large-scale reforestation, agroforestry, and fire management projects on a potential footprint of more than 500,000 hectares over a 30-year horizon, with two anchor projects: the 50,000-hectare Malanje Reforestation Project (estimated ~9.3 tCO2e/ha/yr removal potential) and the 25,000-hectare Malanje Agroforestry Project (estimated ~7.6 tCO2e/ha/yr), both with 40-year crediting horizons. Underlying methodology and species selection are developed and tested at the KAYA Lab, a 200+ hectare research and development hub in Malanje that conducts native species trials, multistrata agroforestry experiments across 7,300 m², and community training.
KAYA generates revenue through verified carbon credits issued via the Voluntary Carbon Market and, post-COP29, potentially under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, with additional revenue expected from climate finance and impact investment into project development. The go-to-market is B2B enterprise field sales targeting governments, corporate carbon credit buyers, and impact investors, supplemented by event-driven positioning at COP29, the European Climate Summit, the Forestry & Agriculture Investment Summit, and Climate Week NYC. Customer segments span national and provincial governments (Angola as primary), carbon credit buyers and impact investors, and local farming cooperatives across eight municipalities representing 80,000 hectares of cooperative land, with delivery supported by partnerships including Crown Energy (capital), CarbonSolve (soil/grassland methodology), ECOTOP (dynamic agroforestry), Face the Future (feasibility), and institutional bodies such as IDF, EDA, and INBAC. Certification work is in progress with Verra and Equitable Earth (Q2 2026 eligibility target) and Isometric (agroforestry eligibility already passed), with alignment to ICVCM Core Carbon Principles.
Kaya firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kaya
- Legal name
- KAYA Climate Solutions GmbH
- Website
- https://kaya.global
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- KAYA Climate Solutions GmbH is a Berlin-based nature-based solutions project developer that designs and operates large-scale reforestation, agroforestry, and fire management projects in Angola to generate verified carbon credits for corporate buyers, investors, and governments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kaya industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nature-based Carbon Project Development
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Carbon Removal Project Development, Financing & Offtake (Developers, Aggregators, Buyers Clubs) (EUABAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems (EUABABAD), Avoided Conversion & Ecosystem Protection (REDD+, Blue Carbon Conservation) (EUABABAC), Grassland/Rangeland Management & Restoration (EUABABAF)
Keywords
Where Kaya is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Kaya business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) Credits: KAYA generates high-integrity GHG emissions reductions and removals through NbS initiatives, with carbon credits issued via the Voluntary Carbon Market. Revenue comes from companies purchasing carbon credits for offsetting purposes.
- Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (Article 6): Following COP29's Article 6 agreement, KAYA can generate credits under the international carbon market mechanism supervised by the UN, enabling credits to be traded internationally between countries.
- Climate Finance and Impact Investment: KAYA attracts private investment for nature-based solutions projects, positioning itself as an investment opportunity for impact investors and corporate sustainability partners seeking ESG benefits.
- Alternative Funding Sources: Exploration of emerging nature markets, philanthropic capital, and non-market approaches to supplement carbon credit revenue.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kaya product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KAYA designs, develops and operates large-scale nature-based climate projects (reforestation, agroforestry, fire management) in Angola, generating certified carbon credits via the Voluntary Carbon Market and the Paris Agreement Article 6 mechanism. The company sells verified carbon removal credits to corporate buyers and impact investors, secures project financing from partners such as Crown Energy, and runs the 200+ hectare KAYA Lab R&D facility to test native species, syntropic agriculture, and multistrata agroforestry methodologies before scaling them across the 50,000 ha Malanje Reforestation Project and 25,000 ha Malanje Agroforestry Project.
Product overview
Kaya is a for-profit, for-purpose Nature-based Solutions (NbS) project developer focused on large-scale conservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems. The company's portfolio consists of two primary carbon credit projects — the Malanje Agroforestry Project (25,000 ha) and the Malanje Reforestation Project (50,000 ha) — both located in Angola's Malanje province. These projects are supported by The KAYA Lab, an R&D facility spanning 200+ hectares that conducts species trials, nurseries, and community training. Kaya generates verified carbon removals through reforestation, agroforestry, and fire management interventions, with credits issued via the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) or Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism. The three offerings are integrated: the Lab develops and tests methodologies that are then applied at scale across the two project areas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Malanje Reforestation Project A 50,000-hectare reforestation project in Angola's Malanje province that generates verified nature-based carbon removals. It restores native habitat across degraded landscapes using 20+ native tree species while improving watershed function, long-term ecological resilience, biodiversity and soil health, with a 40-year crediting horizon and estimated carbon removal potential of approximately 9.3 tCO2e/ha/yr.
- Malanje Agroforestry Project A 25,000-hectare agroforestry project in Angola's Malanje province that generates verified nature-based carbon removals (~7.6 tCO2e/ha/yr) through integrated native and fruit tree systems combined with smallholder farmer crops. It improves soil health, strengthens farm productivity and resilience, restores ecological function, and engages 150+ cooperatives across 80,000 hectares of cooperative areas.
Quantifiable outcome
- Restore or conserve over 500,000 hectares over 30 years
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Kaya
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kaya technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Kaya partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and core.
- Project Developer Forum (PD Forum)majorLeading global association of carbon market practitioners. Membership provides KAYA with platform to contribute to international policy discussions, stay at forefront of carbon market developments, and collaborate with peers advancing high-integrity climate action.
- Global Environment Facility (GEF)majorKAYA was invited by Angola's Ministry of Environment through INBAC to become a member of the GEF Safeguards Group. GEF is the world's largest multilateral environmental fund providing grants and blended finance for environmental projects. KAYA's membership supports government climate agenda advancement and provides private sector investment opportunities.
- ADPP AngolasupportingNGO focused on education, health, and community development in Angola. KAYA engages with ADPP Angola to leverage regional knowledge and networks in Malanje, bridging gap between global best practices and local realities.
- ADRA AngolasupportingNational NGO working on rural development, environmental sustainability, and social justice. KAYA engages with ADRA Angola for community empowerment and advocacy work, utilizing their expertise in sustainable development practices.
- Face the FuturecoreClimate experts with nearly 30 years of experience in climate forestry projects who assisted KAYA with feasibility studies for reforestation and agroforestry projects. Face the Future accompanied KAYA on field trips to visit rural communities in Malanje Province, providing valuable insight into socio-economic, cultural and landscape conditions.
- ECOTOPcoreECOTOP pioneered Dynamic Agroforestry over 20 years ago and is supporting KAYA's agroforestry assessment mission in Malanje. Their expertise in understanding natural succession principles and ecosystem dynamics informs KAYA's approach to sustainable agroforestry implementation.
- CarbonSolvecoreStrategic partnership with one of the leading grassland and soil carbon project developers. CarbonSolve's expertise informs KAYA's approach to landscape interventions, providing valuable guidance on carbon methodology implementation.
- ClimateFocussupportingFeatured partner in KAYA's partner network. Climate consultancy with expertise in carbon markets and climate finance.
- Landscapes and LivelihoodssupportingPartner organization in KAYA's network, bringing expertise in landscape restoration and livelihood development.
- Soils for the FuturesupportingPartner organization supporting KAYA's soil restoration and sustainable land management initiatives.
- Value for NaturesupportingPartner organization contributing to KAYA's environmental and biodiversity initiatives.
- Government of AngolacoreKAYA works closely with national and provincial governments including support at COP29, assistance with NDC planning, and collaboration on carbon regulations. Government backing increases credibility in carbon markets and supports project scalability.
- Angolan Institute for Forest Development (IDF)coreAngolan government body supporting KAYA's field operations, providing institutional coordination for reforestation activities.
- Environmental Development Assessment agency (EDA)coreGovernment agricultural authority in Cacuso Municipality that assists KAYA in identifying suitable farming cooperatives for agroforestry projects, providing local knowledge and data.
- Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM)majorKAYA adheres to the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) developed by ICVCM to identify high-quality carbon credits. The company aligns with ICVCM standards for transparency and credibility in carbon markets.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kaya competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pachama: Nature-based carbon credit project developer and marketplace combining remote sensing/MRV with project origination for forestry and reforestation credits. Directly comparable to KAYA's NbS project development model, with a heavier emphasis on technology-enabled verification.
- Carbon Growth Partners: Project developer focused on nature-based carbon credits across reforestation, ARR and blue carbon, supplying high-integrity credits to corporate buyers. Closely comparable to KAYA's NbS project development, certification-driven approach, and corporate offtake model.
- South Pole Group: Global carbon project developer and consultancy that develops nature-based and technology-based carbon projects and sells credits to corporate buyers. Highly comparable to KAYA across business model (NbS project development, certification, corporate offtake) and customer base, but at vastly greater scale and geographic breadth.
- Chestnut Carbon: US-based reforestation project developer generating nature-based carbon credits through improved forest management and afforestation. Directly comparable as a developer of high-integrity forest carbon credits for the voluntary market, with similar certification strategy and corporate buyer focus.
- re.green: Brazilian reforestation and native species restoration project developer producing verified carbon credits from large-scale Atlantic Forest restoration. Comparable to KAYA in native-species reforestation focus, multi-decade project horizon and use of high-integrity certification standards.
- Permian Global: Nature-based carbon project developer focused on large-scale forest restoration and conservation projects that generate verified carbon credits. Comparable to KAYA in project scale, NbS focus, and reliance on high-integrity voluntary and Article 6 markets.
Others
- Patch: Carbon credit marketplace and API connecting corporate buyers with carbon credit suppliers including nature-based projects. Comparable as a distribution channel and ecosystem participant through which KAYA-style NbS credits are sold to corporate offtakers, rather than as a competing developer.
- Sylvera: Carbon credit ratings and analytics provider that assesses the quality of nature-based and technology-based carbon projects. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that influences pricing and buyer confidence in the same voluntary carbon market KAYA sells into, rather than as a competitor for project origination.
- Verra: Operator of the VCS Program, the dominant voluntary carbon standard against which KAYA's Malanje Reforestation Project is being certified. Comparable as the standards-setter whose methodology decisions directly gate KAYA's ability to issue and sell credits.
Broad incumbents
- Indigo Ag: Large agriculture technology and carbon program operator with a carbon farming business unit offering soil and agricultural carbon credits. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the agriculture-carbon intersection, with overlapping agroforestry/sustainable agriculture themes, but operating at much larger scale and with a fundamentally different go-to-market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kaya social profiles
Digital presenceKaya compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Kaya financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kaya leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Kaya funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kaya 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 Kaya
What does Kaya do?
KAYA designs, develops and operates large-scale nature-based climate projects (reforestation, agroforestry, fire management) in Angola, generating certified carbon credits via the Voluntary Carbon Market and the Paris Agreement Article 6 mechanism. The company sells verified carbon removal credits to corporate buyers and impact investors, secures project financing from partners such as Crown Energy, and runs the 200+ hectare KAYA Lab R&D facility to test native species, syntropic agriculture, and multistrata agroforestry methodologies before scaling them across the 50,000 ha Malanje Reforestation Project and 25,000 ha Malanje Agroforestry Project.
Is Kaya a public or private company?
Kaya is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kaya founded?
Kaya was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kaya based?
Kaya is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Kaya make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) Credits are the primary driver. The others are paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (Article 6), climate Finance and Impact Investment and alternative Funding Sources.
Who are Kaya's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pachama, Carbon Growth Partners, South Pole Group, Chestnut Carbon, re.green and Permian Global. Others are Patch, Sylvera and Verra. Indigo Ag is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Kaya have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kaya.
What industry is Kaya in?
Kaya's product category is Nature-based Carbon Project Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAFAL, Carbon Removal Project Development, Financing & Offtake (Developers, Aggregators, Buyers Clubs), with a secondary code of EUABABAD, Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems. Its NAICS code is 1153 and its SIC code is 8731.