Selected funds will join the first cohort of Rio Changemakers and help shape a platform connecting investors with credible, locally-led climate and nature opportunities. The priority deadline is 26 September 2026
Bonn, Germany (31 August 2026) – The Government of Luxembourg and the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) are inviting impact funds investing in climate and nature solutions to become part of the first cohort of Rio Changemakers, an AI-enabled, science-guided global marketplace connecting capital with trusted, locally-led opportunities.
The call for funds follows the launch of a call for climate and nature projects in late July, bringing both sides of the marketplace into its first cohort ahead of the unveiling of the Rio Changemakers minimum viable product (MVP) at the 2026 UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026.
Rio Changemakers is being developed by the Government of Luxembourg and the GLF to enable investors and funds to discover high-integrity climate and nature opportunities while helping credible locally-led projects connect with financing partners.
“The problem is not simply a shortage of capital or credible projects. Investors often struggle to efficiently find, assess and compare suitable opportunities. Rio Changemakers is being built to close that gap, combining AI, science and trusted information while keeping locally-led action at the centre,” said John Colmey, Strategic Adviser and Co-founder of the Global Landscapes Forum and Senior Director at Landscape Alliance.
The call is open to impact funds, including from established funds and first-time or emerging fund managers, that:
- Invest in climate and nature solutions across emerging markets and developing economies
- Are committed to supporting locally-led action, including by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, women-led organizations, youth-led organizations and other grassroots initiatives
- Invest in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be priority regions for the first cohort
Selected funds will be among the first organizations to use and shape Rio Changemakers. They will have the opportunity to:
- Increase their visibility among investors and other capital providers, supporting their own fundraising and capital mobilization efforts
- Gain early access to a growing pipeline of credible climate and nature projects seeking finance and identify opportunities aligned with their investment strategies
- Create their fund profiles and test the platform’s matching and discovery features ahead of its wider launch
- Share feedback on the information, criteria and tools they need to assess opportunities and connect more efficiently with suitable projects
By bringing projects, funds and investors into the platform from an early stage, Rio Changemakers will test how capital and opportunities are presented, assessed and connected, and build a marketplace that responds to the needs of each part of the financing ecosystem.
“Rio Changemakers is being built with the organizations that will ultimately use it. Bringing funds into this first cohort is essential to ensuring the marketplace reflects how capital is actually deployed and can create stronger pathways between investors and locally-led climate and nature solutions,” said Kamal Prawiranegara, Director of the Global Landscapes Forum.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Funds are encouraged to apply by 26 September 2026 for priority consideration.
Apply here: https://globallandscapesforum.typeform.com/to/OxtH4vRO.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
- For more information, please contact Apoorva Bose, Strategic Communications and Partnerships Officer for Sustainable Finance, GLF (a.bose@landscapealliance.org)
- Download the photo “Mother and Nature” and find more images to illustrate your reporting on the GLF Flickr
- Explore more GLF updates in our media room
About Rio Changemakers
Rio Changemakers is an AI-enabled, science-guided global marketplace developed by the Government of Luxembourg in partnership with the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF). The platform connects investors, financial institutions and corporations with locally-led climate and nature projects, including nature-based and nature-positive solutions.
About the GLF
The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on integrated land use, connecting people with a shared vision to create productive, prosperous, equitable and resilient landscapes. It is led by Landscape Alliance – CIFOR & ICRAF in action, in collaboration with its co-founders UNEP and the World Bank, and its charter members. Learn more at www.globallandscapesforum.org.
