The past five decades have witnessed a staggering average decline of 73% in global wildlife populations, encompassing mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians, as reported by the World Wildlife Fund. This trend is exacerbated by climate change, water scarcity, and resource depletion, which collectively threaten the integrity of our natural environment. Furthermore, a substantial 55% of the world’s GDP, equivalent to $58 trillion, is vulnerable to significant risks stemming from environmental degradation, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.

Over the past twenty years, we have been developing and refining technological tools and platforms designed to assist partners, non-governmental organizations, governments, and academic institutions worldwide in addressing the pressing issues of nature and biodiversity loss. Today, we are excited to announce the launch of three new initiatives aimed at accelerating the protection and restoration of natural habitats, ecosystems, and communities in critical regions.

Google for Startups Accelerator: AI for Nature and Climate

We are introducing our inaugural accelerator program, Google for Startups Accelerator: AI for Nature and Climate, which will focus on supporting startups that leverage technology to safeguard, manage, and restore natural environments. The World Economic Forum has identified biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse as prominent global risks over the next decade. Mitigating these risks necessitates advancements in data collection, analysis, and decision-making capabilities, which is why we are committed to supporting innovative startups that address these challenges. The program will offer ten weeks of virtual programming, including mentorship and technical support from Google engineers and experts, and will be open to startups in the Americas. Applications will be accepted from March 3, 2025, to March 31, 2025, with the program commencing in May 2025.

AI for Nature and Climate: A New Grant Fund for Nonprofits

Google.org has allocated $3 million to iCS to establish an open call for grant proposals, inviting Brazilian nonprofit organizations and research centers to submit AI-enabled solution proposals. The $3 million in funding will support organizations that utilize AI in the following areas:

1. Reversing biodiversity loss: This includes solutions that contribute to the “30×30” global initiative to protect 30% of the Earth’s land and ocean by 2030 for biodiversity conservation and the creation of protected areas, Indigenous territories, and compliance with the Global Biodiversity Framework.
2. Bioeconomy: This includes technologies that support the value chains of timber and non-timber forest products, as well as services associated with Brazilian socio-biodiversity.
3. Regenerative agriculture: This includes activities that promote regenerative and resilient agriculture, particularly for small-scale farmers.

Further information about the funding and areas of interest can be found on this website.

SpeciesNet: A New Open-Source AI Model for Wildlife Conservation

We are also announcing the open-source release of SpeciesNet, an AI model designed to identify animal species by analyzing camera trap photos. Since 2019, thousands of wildlife biologists have utilized SpeciesNet through the Google Cloud-based Wildlife Insights platform to streamline biodiversity monitoring and inform conservation decision-making. The open-source release of the SpeciesNet AI model will enable tool developers, academics, and biodiversity-related startups to scale biodiversity monitoring in natural areas.

Protecting nature and biodiversity is crucial for addressing climate change, and we look forward to supporting startups that focus on this critical challenge.