Recognising nature in enterprise ownership and governance

I am seeking research and practice partners to explore how enterprise ownership, governance and investment can recognise the interests of ecosystems and species while strengthening Indigenous authority and community wellbeing. This opportunity builds on my experience establishing Māori biotechnology ventures, developing benefit-sharing arrangements, and exploring models in which nature holds a formal interest in commercial enterprises.

The central research question is whether changing who benefits from economic activity – and who participates in decisions – can produce measurable improvements in biodiversity. A collaborative project could compare conventional commercial arrangements with approaches that allocate revenue, equity or governance rights to entities representing ecosystems, species and their Indigenous custodians. The research would examine how these arrangements influence business behaviour, investment decisions, ecological outcomes and the distribution of benefits.

Potential activities include comparative case studies in Aotearoa New Zealand and Europe; participatory design with Indigenous communities, businesses and conservation organisations; and practical trials of selected governance and financing arrangements. Researchers could assess the legal feasibility, commercial viability and ecological effectiveness of different models, alongside questions of representation, accountability and power. Particular attention would be given to who is authorised to speak for nature and how competing interests are resolved.

I could contribute experience in Māori enterprise development, biotechnology commercialisation, Indigenous rights, environmental advocacy and international biodiversity discussions. Relationships with Māori landowners and enterprises could support the development of potential case studies, subject to their interest and agreement. I would welcome collaboration with environmental economists, legal scholars, behavioural researchers, ecologists and investors.

Potential outputs include tested governance frameworks, model benefit-sharing provisions, evaluation methods and policy recommendations. The ambition is to identify practical institutional changes that make ecological regeneration part of everyday economic decision-making. This provides a distinctive contribution to research on transformative change by connecting Indigenous knowledge and authority with experiments in how businesses are owned, governed and held accountable for biodiversity outcomes.

Call connection: HORIZON-NATURE-2027-01-03 — systemic change for biodiversity. Topic details, p. 127.