I'm excited to announce that we at GainForest.Earth and ETH BiodivX will be donating our entire XPRIZE Rainforest Impact Prize—a quarter million USD—to establish an endowment fund. This fund will support future generations of Indigenous Scientists and Bridge Builders, connecting the Amazon rainforest to the Global North. For me, this represents a modern Christmas story five years in the making.
When I learned about the XPRIZE Rainforest competition five years ago, it was after the devastating fires in the Amazon Rainforest. GainForest.Earth was just forming as an idea, and our team decided to apply, thinking we could disrupt the competition with our approach of decentralizing science.
During the last years of the competition, we merged with ETH Zurich's team to form the ETH BiodivX team. It was an honor of my lifetime to co-lead this amazing team (together with Kristy and Stefano) to the semifinals in Singapore's National Park and ultimately, the finals in the Amazon Rainforest.
We spent months in preparation in the Amazon Rainforest to teach but also listen and understand Indigenous communities such as the Sateré-Mawé, Tikuna, Munduruku, Kayapo and Witoto people. Surprisingly, we learned that none of the other finalists teams had reached out to the Indigenous communities in Manaus, that - in the past - western scientists often came only once, not sharing data or providing any insights to the communities they ask their questions. I wanted to guide my team differently. A team of scientists that returns, that commits to long-term partnership, a team that cares, shares and values the insights of Indigenous wisdom. We stayed with the communities and came back many more times - teaching dozens of workshops. It was a joy. I've met some of the kindest, most brilliant and amazing human beings in some of the most remote places of the world. Marina is one of them, a brilliant woman from the Mura people. She went from not speaking English when we first met to becoming our team's first Indigenous scientist, and finally giving our victory speech in Rio de Janeiro a year later.
It made me fall in love with science all over again as a great enabler of humanity - teaching and discovering talent in the most unexpected places.
Our other team members fell in love with Marina and the communities as well. We signed a benefit sharing agreement and went one step further, pioneering an Indigenous Data Council that is an executive member of our team's decision making. The communities prepared workshops, housed us, supported us with data collection, joined us in the finals to support us with their Indigenous wisdom and gave us their blessing by painting us with Genipapo in their ancestral patterns.
I still vividly remember the moment when my team and I - western scientists from Europe and US, and local and Indigenous scientists from Brazil and the Amazon - together took three speedboats on the beautiful and wild Rio Negro to the competition site. It was the culmination of what we had worked together so hard for so many years. It was a magical moment.
We want this deep collaboration between Amazonian and Western scientists to last for generations to come. That is why the team has decided to dedicate the prize money to an endowment fund that will build bridges into the future. Such that we will have many boat rides to come. For me, that is most likely the best Christmas present of my lifetime.
Join Us in Building Bridges for the Future
We believe in the power of connecting Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, and there are many ways you can be part of this journey:
Share Knowledge: Are you a scientist, educator, or expert willing to teach workshops or mentor Indigenous scientists? We're always looking for dedicated individuals to share their expertise.
Open Doors: Help create opportunities for Indigenous scientists in your institution, company, or network. This could mean internships, research positions, or collaborative projects.
Contribute Resources: Support the endowment fund to enable more Indigenous scientists to access education and research opportunities, or help provide essential equipment and tools for local research stations.
Spread the Word: Share our story and mission with your network. Help us connect with others who share our vision for inclusive, collaborative science.
To learn more or get involved:
Visit: GainForest.Earth
Email: team@gainforest.net
The future of conservation science lies in these bridges we build—between cultures, between knowledge systems, and between generations.
Related Articles on the GainForest’s XPRIZE Journey
