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Forestwise Joins Forces with RS Group and NTV to Advance Rainforest Protection and Community Empowerment

Press Release – 26 September 2024

West Kalimantan, Indonesia – Forestwise, a leading nature-based venture dedicated to protecting Kalimantan’s rainforests through sustainable wild-harvesting practices, has announced an investment from the RS Group and Nusa Transformation Ventures (NTV). This marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between the parties to support Forestwise’s mission to create #RainforestValue

The investment from RS Group and NTV will enable Forestwise to further develop its non-extractive economic model, which not only protects forests but also empowers local communities through sustainable income opportunities. By purchasing wild-harvested products such as Illipe nuts, Forestwise creates an economic incentive for local farmers to conserve the rainforest. Forestwise’s innovative approach includes working with over 1,000 raw material collectors across 31 villages in West Kalimantan, covering over 200,000 hectares of rainforest. By creating forest protection agreements and purchasing wild-harvested products, Forestwise aims to expand its impact, increase forest protection to 500,000 hectares, and reach 10,000 beneficiaries by 2030.  

Dirk-Jan Oudshoorn, CEO of Forestwise, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership: “With this investment and these new partners, Forestwise expands their network in the region, specifically Indonesia and Hong Kong, and we can build on their wide experience to help us to scale our wild harvested, traceable and transparent go to market approach, to create more #rainforestvalue, in both the food/confectionary and personal care industry.  
This is a substantial contribution to further scale our forest protection activities and to continue our work to empower the Indonesian farmers and communities by growing and diversifying their income."

Ronie Mak, Managing Director of RS Group also shared her excitement, “RS Group is delighted to be collaborating with other impact-driven organizations to support Forestwise in its first external capital raise. Our support is a first step in a long-term partnership which will help Forestwise unlock its next stage of growth and demonstrate a sustainable non-extractive economic model that works with and benefits local communities, protects biodiversity and mitigates deforestation in Kalimantan.”

Ernest Pang, General Partner at NTV, added: “We have been incredibly impressed by Dirk-Jan and the team’s ability to grow a strong business that shows how a high-demand global commodity can be delivered through sustainable, locally run supply chains. We are thrilled to partner with them in their first institutional capital raise, as they continue scaling their business to protect more forests and reach more local communities across Indonesia.

RS Group’s investment was facilitated by Terratai, Asia’s first venture builder for nature-based solutions incubated by RS Group. In-line with their mission to attract more private capital into impactful, nature-based ventures, Terratai helped introduce the opportunity and supported the due diligence and investment structuring process.

About Forestwise

Forestwise is dedicated to halting deforestation and promoting rainforest conservation in Indonesia. Founded in 2018, Forestwise manages the entire value chain of rainforest products, from sourcing and processing to selling them to sustainability-conscious brands worldwide. With a focus on preserving biodiversity-rich areas, Forestwise is committed to creating a regenerative business model that benefits both communities and the environment.  

About NTV
NTV is an impact venture capital firm dedicated to fostering social impact. Specializing in financing early-stage startups with impact potential, NTV focuses on solutions that tackle pressing environmental issues, such as climate change mitigation, sustainable energy, and green technology. By supporting these initiatives, NTV plays a pivotal role in driving sustainable development and propelling Indonesia toward a greener, more environmentally conscious economy.

About RS Group

RS Group, a Hong Kong-based family office, focuses on sustainable investing across its entire portfolio utilizing the full spectrum of capital. Its Natural Capital Initiative, launched in 2019, provides catalytic capital to nature-positive organizations and platforms, helping them demonstrate self-sustaining operating models while delivering significant outcomes for local communities, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Alexander Van Oord
CCO – Forestwise
alexander.vanoord@forestwise.earth
+31 6 41411973

RS Group Asia: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rs-group-asia/posts/?feedView=all
NTV: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nusa-transformation-ventures/
Forestwise: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forestwise/posts/?feedView=all  
Terratai: https://www.linkedin.com/company/terratai/

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