Welcome to our new partners, The First Thirty!
The First Thirty (TFT) has become our latest partner, supporting our fundraising campaign and our impact work post-film release! TFT is a venture capital fund focused on investing in early-stage companies, particularly in the agri-food sector, that will lead to an accelerated transition to a regenerative economy.
Did you know that half the world's total GDP (USD $44 trillion, according to the World Economic Forum) - is "moderately or highly dependent" on nature and its associated 'ecosystem', including soil? This means that there is a significant risk to not only our planet, health, and well-being but also economic growth if we don’t work to maintain and preserve nature.
A judge for the Earthshot Prize, TFT promotes investment in the infrastructure necessary to measure, understand, and increase nature's capacity, and economic opportunity, at scale. This includes taking a system-level approach by building a portfolio of companies that complement and provide synergies to one another. Very much like how life and interactions work in the soil.
Their latest investment was into Ruumi, which provides farmers with digital tools to adopt regenerative grazing practices by leveraging satellite data to make recommendations on how to best move animals and prevent overgrazing. Farmers using Ruumi also benefit from financing and rewards for reducing inputs and removing emissions. Another portfolio company is Groundwork Bio Ag, which produces mycorrhizal amendments for the soil. Their products improve soil function, biodiversity, yields and increase carbon sequestration while reducing the need for damaging artificial inputs.
“Changing a system is changing its purpose. We look for this in the teams we look to support, business models that incentivise and reward regeneration of nature” Antony Yousefian, Partner, The First Thirty
TFT believes that their investments will provide both financial and societal returns, with an impact target of regenerating 30 million hectares with 30 companies. This transition will not only drive value but also yield significant planetary benefits.
“Soil is a rich, complex ecosystem that provides the life systems we need to survive. It contributes to our clean air, water, and nutritious food. Despite this, soil, and nature in general, are undervalued assets. We must recognise the value of nature and place it at the centre of economic decision-making.” Naeem Lakhani, Founding Partner, The First Thirty
The First Thirty Team
Antony Yousefian
Antony has a background in asset management and investment banking, with a strong focus on impact investing and where he developed his passion for solving the global issue of future food security. Antony has gained crucial agriculture experience through building from the ground up, 2 Agtech startups and was Agtech Director for one of the largest fruit farming businesses in the UK. Antony is passionate about driving systems change and leveraging technology to accelerate positive impact.
Naeem Lakhani
Naeem is a serial entrepreneur and impact investor with a focus on technology and the future of food and agriculture. He founded The First Thirty to support early-stage companies from around the globe that are focused on driving the paradigm shift in how we grow and what we eat. Naeem is a firm believer that innovation can drive system change and economic yield while addressing some of the planet's most pressing issues.