Paris-based biotech startup darwin, which equips ESG players with AI-driven tools to integrate biodiversity intelligence, has raised €1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round to strengthen its Tech and R&D teams. The round was led by Asterion Ventures, with support from several business angels.
- Established in 2024 by Cyprien Hallé, Antoine Vallier, Aurore Falque-Pierrotin, and Walid Chergui, darwin develops a modular platform to help consultants and ESG software providers assess biodiversity impacts and dependencies.
- The platform integrates the IPBES framework and location-specific analysis to evaluate businesses' interactions with the environment comprehensively.
- Darwin’s solution automates biodiversity calculations, standardizes data inputs, and supports compliance with frameworks like CSRD and TNFD. It enables users to identify biodiversity hotspots, set actionable targets, and design strategies aligned with planetary boundaries.
"Our goal is simple: we want to empower companies to rethink their business models and become key players in the ecological transition. At the end of the day, our mission is clear: to harness the power of technology for the benefit of nature," Darwin's team, commented in a statement.
Details of the deal
- The investment was led by Asterion Ventures, a Paris-based venture capital firm that supports impact-driven entrepreneurs with early-stage funding, long-term capital, and strategic guidance to scale sustainable innovations.
- Various European business angels in the climate and ESG space also joined the pre-seed round.
- The startup will use the funds to strengthen its Tech and Product teams, enhance its platform’s capabilities, and scale its solution to leading consultancies, enabling it to serve a broader range of companies.
