Dutch-based Forestwise secures investment from Bali’s Terratai to protect rainforests in Kalimantan: Know more 

North Brabant, the Netherlands-based Forestwise, a company dedicated to halting deforestation in the rainforests of Kalimantan, on Tuesday, May 14, announced that it has received an undisclosed investment from Denpaser-based Terratai, a venture builder for nature.

In addition to the funding, the Indonesian venture builder also announced partnerships with the Dutch firm to drive the protection of rainforests in Kalimantan. 

Fund utilisation

Terratai’s investment will accelerate Forestwise’s efforts to harvest, produce, and distribute illipe butter, a sustainable and traceable alternative to cocoa butter. 

Illipe butter is derived from the fruit of the Shorea stenoptera tree, a rainforest giant found only on the island of Borneo. 

This tree plays a crucial role in the ecology of Kalimantan’s remaining lowland rainforests and in the cultural traditions of the indigenous Dayak communities in the region.

Why this partnership?

Forestwise and Terratai believe that the income from illipe nuts and other sustainably sourced rainforest products (wild harvested ingredients, rainforest value) could double farmers’ income with fewer costs than monoculture plantations.

By developing new markets for wild-harvested rainforest products like illipe, Forestwise and Terratai intend to establish long-term income streams for farming communities. 

This will provide financial alternatives to prevent, stop, and reverse destructive rainforest conversion for monoculture crops. 

This partnership alone will support the work of over 1,000 illipe nut collectors, who are custodians of rainforest land almost three times the size of Singapore (approximately 200,000 hectares).

As part of this partnership, the Bali-based company will offer strategic guidance, operational support, and working capital to help Forestwise achieve sustainable growth and attract future investors with aligned goals.

Terratai will also assist Forestwise in evaluating the additional benefits of this business model in their West Kalimantan sourcing area, by quantifying their impact on a wide range of ecosystem services, climate mitigation, and biodiversity protection.

Forestwise: Produces wild-harvested rainforest ingredients 

Forestwise, founded in 2018 by Dirk-Jan Oudshoorn and Theo Smits, aims to stop deforestation by establishing markets for valuable rainforest products, providing economic incentives for forest protection and thereby creating rainforest value. 

With a focus on preserving biodiversity-rich areas, Forestwise is committed to creating a regenerative business model that benefits both communities and the environment.

Dirk-Jan Oudshoorn, CEO of Forestwise says, “This collaboration with Terratai marks a significant milestone in our journey towards sustainable rainforest conservation. With their support, we are confident in our ability to scale our impact, diversify our product portfolio, and create lasting value for both communities and the environment.”

Terratai: Asia’s first venture builder for nature

Terratai is Asia’s first venture builder for nature, focused on small businesses delivering nature-based solutions. 

Established to address the shortfall in early-stage funding for nature-centric enterprises, Terratai is dedicated to amplifying and expanding impactful endeavors that tackle systemic hurdles within the realms of food sustainability and environmental preservation. 

Matt Leggett CEO of Terratai says “Forestwise has a unique ability to create meaningful progress to halt and restore critically important forests in Kalimantan and support local communities, all while bringing these unique commodities to a global market, so we’re honoured and excited to be joining Forestwise as an investor on their journey’.