November 2, 2026 : The Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), Bank of America and European investment group Eurazeo have joined hands to launch the Lighthouse Initiative, a dedicated investment programme aimed at mobilising private capital for nature conservation, biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration.
Launched on September 23, 2026, the initiative has secured aggregate capital commitments of $40 million, with Bank of America and Eurazeo serving as cornerstone investors. Managed by Eurazeo through its Future Industries Fund III, the initiative aims to support innovative business models and solutions in nature and biodiversity, areas that remain significantly underfunded.
The initiative seeks to attract additional investors and partners to expand its reach and accelerate private-sector investment in nature-positive businesses across developed and emerging markets.
Aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Lighthouse Initiative will make minority investments in project development platforms and selected technology-enabled solutions. Each investment is expected to contribute to at least one of the framework’s targets, including Target 3, commonly known as the “30×30” goal, which aims to conserve and effectively manage at least 30 per cent of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas by 2030.
The initiative also aligns with the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Terra Carta, which promotes placing sustainability at the centre of private-sector decision-making.
Four Strategic Investment Priorities
The Lighthouse Initiative will focus on four key areas: ecosystem protection and nature regeneration; the transition of industries and global supply chains towards nature-positive models; the development of nature finance mechanisms; and improved transparency and measurement of biodiversity impacts.
Investments will support businesses involved in regenerative agriculture and forestry, sustainable and bio-based materials, biological agricultural inputs, circular production systems and solutions that reduce pollution and resource extraction.
The initiative will also promote the development of financing platforms capable of attracting institutional investors, development finance institutions and public-sector partners. In addition, it will support technologies that improve biodiversity monitoring, including environmental DNA-based assessments, digital measurement and reporting platforms, and supply-chain traceability tools.
Eurazeo’s Future Industries team will manage the initiative’s investments, with performance monitored through the group’s impact framework, enhanced by dedicated biodiversity indicators, including biodiversity footprint assessments.
SMI Sees Opportunity in Private-Sector Investment
Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, President and Global Envoy of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, said the launch represented the organisation’s ability to mobilise global economic leadership and private-sector investment in support of nature and biodiversity.
She described nature as a fundamental pillar of the initiative’s mandate and a key driver of the global economy, emphasising the need to mobilise private capital for nature-based solutions that benefit people and the planet.
Brian Moynihan, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America and Chair of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, said companies and investors were increasingly looking for opportunities to invest in nature and biodiversity.
He noted that Eurazeo’s experience in supporting hundreds of companies could help create further investment opportunities through the Lighthouse Initiative.
Matthieu Bonamy, Partner for Future Industries at Eurazeo, said biodiversity remained one of the most underfunded investment themes despite being fundamental to the industries in which the group invests.
He said the initiative aimed to demonstrate that protecting and restoring nature could make commercial sense at scale while encouraging more investors to support entrepreneurs developing nature-positive businesses.
Mobilising Private Capital for Sustainability
Founded by King Charles III, the Sustainable Markets Initiative brings together business leaders, policymakers and innovators to accelerate the transition towards sustainable economic models. Through collaboration, investment and innovation, the organisation seeks to mobilise private-sector resources to support sustainability across markets, industries and global supply chains.
Eurazeo, meanwhile, is a European investment group with approximately €40 billion in assets under management. It invests across private equity, private debt, real estate and infrastructure, supporting more than 650 mid-market companies.
The launch of the Lighthouse Initiative reflects growing efforts to position nature and biodiversity not only as environmental priorities but also as potential areas for long-term investment, innovation and sustainable economic growth.
