Brazil Raises $150M to Plant Millions of Amazon Trees

Brazilian startup Mombak just closed the first round of funding for a $150 million reforestation project that will plant millions of native trees across the Amazon rainforest.

The company already has a track record. Over the past five years, Mombak's first $120 million fund planted nearly 15 million native trees across 15 Amazon farms. Now they're scaling up with support from Brazil's national development bank and a growing list of corporate partners.

Salesforce just signed a multiyear deal to purchase carbon removal credits from Mombak's reforestation projects. The tech company joins Google, Microsoft, and even McLaren Racing as buyers committed to offsetting their carbon footprints through verified tree planting.

The business model works by restoring degraded Amazon farmland with native trees. As those forests grow, they pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Companies can then purchase verified carbon removal credits to offset their emissions while supporting real environmental restoration.

Brazil's Climate Fund is providing a $38.88 million credit line to support the second fund. This government backing signals confidence that reforestation can be both environmentally and economically sustainable.

Mombak CEO Gabriel Silva says they only launched the second fund after proving the market exists. The company issued its first batch of carbon removal credits earlier this year and expects to issue roughly 80,000 metric tons worth by the end of 2026.

The Ripple Effect

The buyer pool is expanding beyond tech companies. Oil, mining, and steel companies are now approaching Mombak about carbon credits as industries across the board face pressure to address their environmental impact.

Improved techniques and productivity gains are driving costs down. That means carbon removal credits are becoming accessible to companies beyond wealthy tech giants, broadening the market for reforestation funding.

The timing matters for the Amazon. Deforestation rates have devastated large swaths of the rainforest over recent decades. Every restored acre helps stabilize local ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and pull carbon from the atmosphere.

When doing good for the planet becomes good business, everyone wins.