biofin - undp biodiversity finance initiative

Name

biofin - undp biodiversity finance initiative

Legal name

BIOFIN - Biodiversity Finance Initiative (UNDP)

Website

https://biofin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodiversity Finance Consulting and Technical Assistance

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC), Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM), Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)

Keywords

• Biodiversity finance planning
• Conservation finance solutions
• Nature finance methodology
• Environmental expenditure review
• Sustainable development financing

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor Funding and Grants: BIOFIN is funded through bilateral and multilateral donor contributions. Major donors include GEF, Belgium, Canada, EU, Flanders, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, and UK Aid. Phase II was implemented in partnership with Governments of Flanders, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway.
2. Technical Assistance Services: BIOFIN provides technical support, methodology, and capacity building to countries implementing biodiversity finance plans. Services are provided at no cost to partner governments through UNDP Country Offices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BIOFIN provides countries with a standardized methodology and technical assistance to develop and implement national Biodiversity Finance Plans (BFPs). Its offering combines a four-component methodology (Policy and Institutional Review, Biodiversity Expenditure Review, Financial Needs Assessment, and BFP development) with knowledge products such as the Finance Solutions Catalogue (150+ solutions), the FIRE funding opportunities platform (300+ entries), the BIOFIN Workbook, and a free certified e-learning course.

Product overview

BIOFIN is a global initiative of the United Nations Development Programme launched in 2012, active in more than 130 countries. The product portfolio consists of a core platform of knowledge and finance solutions tools, including the Finance Solutions Catalogue (150+ solutions), the FIRE funding database (300+ opportunities), the Learning Course on Biodiversity Finance, and the BIOFIN Workbook. These are complemented by a Knowledge Hub library containing publications, webinars, podcasts, and case studies. BIOFIN also operates crowdfunding campaigns and publishes guidance documents including insurance guides, budgeting toolkits, and subsidy reform manuals. The ecosystem is designed to help countries assess biodiversity finance needs, identify solutions, and mobilize resources for conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FIRE: Finance Resource for Biodiversity - FIRE platform providing over 300 funding opportunities for nature
• BIOFIN Workbook
• Finance Solutions Catalogue

Products and services

• Finance Solutions Catalogue A searchable online catalogue profiling over 150 finance solutions, tools, and strategies for biodiversity finance. Solutions are categorized by financial result, instrument type, public/private finance, and economic sector, and are available free of charge to government partners, practitioners, and the public.
• Finance Resource for Biodiversity (FIRE) Platform Online platform providing access to over 300 funding opportunities for nature, including grants, equities, and loans worldwide. Used by governments, NGOs, and project developers to identify biodiversity finance sources.
• Learning Course on Biodiversity Finance Free certified e-learning course that teaches practitioners how to develop financially sound and politically feasible biodiversity finance plans, delivered via the Learning for Nature platform.
• BIOFIN Workbook (2024 Edition) Comprehensive guidance document for designing and implementing national Biodiversity Finance Plans (BFPs), drawing on lessons from 41 pioneering countries and expanded to support implementation across 130+ countries.
• BIOFIN Knowledge Hub Searchable online library of resources including flagship publications, country reports, finance solution case studies, webinars, explainer videos, and podcasts on biodiversity finance.
• Crowdfunding Campaigns for Biodiversity Innovative crowdfunding campaigns launched in selected countries to mobilize financial resources for conservation and address biodiversity finance gaps at the local level.
• Global Biodiversity Expenditure Taxonomy (GLOBE) Taxonomy categorizing all potential public expenditures for biodiversity, used by governments to standardize tracking of biodiversity-related spending across ministries and agencies.
• Designing Insurance for Nature: A Practical Guide Guidebook to assist countries in preparing National Biodiversity Finance Plans and selecting finance solutions that address nature-related risks, with a focus on insurance instruments for nature.
• Guidebook - Results-Based Budgeting for Biodiversity (2024) Guidebook for implementing results-based budgeting approaches for biodiversity under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• The Nature of Subsidies: A Step-by-Step Guide Step-by-step guide to repurpose subsidies harmful to biodiversity and improve their impacts on people and nature, addressing Target 18 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Quantifiable outcome

• $3.3Bn+ biodiversity finance catalyzed globally
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Global Environment Facility (GEF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012BIOFIN was initiated in response to the urgent global need highlighted during the 2010 CBD COP 10 in Nagoya, and is managed as a global partnership with GEF support. GEF has expanded support to over 130 countries implementing BIOFIN methodology.
• GCash and WWF PhilippinesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCash Forests initiative partnership between fintech company GCash, BIOFIN, and WWF-Philippines. Uses mobile money app to engage users in environmental restoration through virtual trees planted for Ipo watershed restoration.
• Grupo Financiero BanorteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexico's leading financial group becoming first Mexican early adopter of TNFD framework. BIOFIN supports integration of nature-related risks and opportunities into Banorte's core business.
• World Resources Institute (WRI) MexicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRI Mexico coordinates with BIOFIN Mexico on the Mesa de Financiamiento a la Biodiversidad platform, identifying opportunities for mobilizing financing toward biodiversity-positive projects.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO working on biodiversity protection and nature finance, with country-level programs and corporate partnerships comparable in scope to BIOFIN's government-facing work.
• World Wildlife Fund: One of the largest global conservation organizations with active biodiversity finance programming. WWF-Philippines is an explicit BIOFIN partner on the GCash Forests initiative, and both organizations serve country-level conservation clients and produce knowledge products in biodiversity finance.
• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature — global authority on biodiversity status, policy, and protected area standards. IUCN's work on biodiversity finance and its convening role with governments makes it a natural institutional peer to BIOFIN, particularly on standards and policy engagement.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental NGOs operating globally on biodiversity conservation and nature finance. Comparable to BIOFIN in mission scope (conservation + finance mobilization) but operates as an independent NGO with private fundraising rather than as a UN-managed technical assistance program.
• World Resources Institute: Global research organization producing data, tools, and frameworks on sustainability including nature-related financial disclosure and biodiversity finance. WRI Mexico is an explicit BIOFIN partner via the Mesa de Financiamiento platform, and WRI's work on nature finance (e.g., Global Forest Watch) is closely comparable in scope and audience.

Direct peers

• Green Climate Fund: Multilateral fund financing climate and nature-positive projects in developing countries. GCF is a primary channel for biodiversity finance flows BIOFIN methodology helps plan and access; both operate globally with developing-country governments and aim to mobilize public and private capital for nature.
• UNEP Finance Initiative: UN-convened partnership of financial institutions working to align finance with sustainability, including nature-related disclosure and biodiversity. Most direct UN-level peer to BIOFIN: both build methodology, mobilize financial institutions, and operate under UN auspices targeting biodiversity/nature finance.
• Global Environment Facility: Largest multilateral funder of biodiversity projects in developing countries and BIOFIN's founding and ongoing strategic partner (GEF support enabled expansion to 130+ countries). Operates as a peer/payer in the same biodiversity finance ecosystem, channeling the very resources BIOFIN methodology helps plan.
• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures: Global disclosure framework for nature-related financial risks, with growing adoption among banks and corporates (Banorte flagged as early Mexican adopter). TNFD is the dominant private-sector-facing nature finance framework and a complement/competitor to BIOFIN's FIRE platform and methodology.

Emerging players

• Climate Bonds Initiative: International organization operating standards and certification for green/sustainability bonds including emerging nature-related bond standards (e.g., Zambia $200M green bond). CBI's work on biodiversity bond standards overlaps directly with BIOFIN's finance-solution role for sovereign and corporate issuers.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@biodiversityfinanceinitiat342
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biofin-undp

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 biofin - undp biodiversity finance initiative