Feeding the world’s growing population and adapting to climate change are expected to require at least €1.3 trillion annually until 2050, a 40% increase compared to levels being invested nowadays. The public sector’s resources alone will be insufficient to meet this challenge, and private sector actors will be instrumental in closing this widening gap. However, private actors face a dilemma between the willingness to lend more to help adapt and feed a growing population and the increasing exposure to climate and price risks. Addressing this dilemma, French startup finres has developed an advanced AI and scientific platform that integrates climate and price risks into investment decision-making, bringing opportunities to light and reconciling financial and extra-financial performance.
finres has recently closed a successful €4.1 million seed round led by Speedinvest and Illuminate Financial Management. The funding round also saw participation from AFI Ventures, Kima Ventures, Plug & Play, Raise Sherpas, Tiny VC, and Better Angle, as well as notable business angels. This influx of funds will enable finres to accelerate the launch of its platform, ResADM, which is already in an advanced stage of development. Additionally, it will help the company expand its presence in Africa, Americas, Asia, and Europe, while intensifying its research and development efforts.
Florent Baarsch, CEO and founder of finres, emphasized the need for new solutions and collaboration between scientists, public, and private investors to ensure resilience in the agriculture industry. The support provided by the investors in this seed round positions finres to deploy its solutions globally and make societies and food systems more resilient to climate change. Baarsch highlighted that climate change is the most pressing issue facing the world today, and developing solutions to support agricultural resilience is of paramount importance. He stated that finres is the only solution bridging the gap between science and investment, enabling financial institutions to uncover investment opportunities that support agricultural resilience.
Founded in 2019 by Florent Baarsch, finres brings together his extensive background as a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, as well as his experience as a senior economist at the World Bank and the United Nations' International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Baarsch's scientific publications have been highly regarded in the field. The platform developed by finres leverages AI-assisted decision-making to underwrite climate risks and identify investment opportunities that promote agricultural resilience. By integrating science and investment, finres offers real-time loan underwriting that considers climate and price risks for any crop and location globally. The platform also recommends priority investments in agricultural technologies and practices based on profitability and robustness, while assessing the positive impact of investments beforehand.
With its innovative approach to agricultural finance decision-making, finres is poised to revolutionize the industry. By providing insights into climate risks and investment opportunities, the platform aims to contribute to the development of a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector. As the company expands its solution line and presence in key regions, the future of finres looks promising in addressing the pressing challenges of feeding a growing population and adapting to climate change.