The accelerating biodiversity and climate crisis is already reshaping supply chains and economic resilience — making locally anchored, scalable action more urgent than ever.

Innovate 4 Nature (I4N) is responding by launching MENA Regional Hub in partnership with Goumbook, to catalyse nature-positive innovation and enable communities to drive regenerative change from the ground up

The MENA Hub identifies and supports vetted, early-stage nature-positive solutions (seed and pre-seed) that address region-specific challenges. The focus is on surfacing high-potential innovations that can be replicated locally, scaled regionally, and connected globally.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is rich in biodiversity, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin, which hosts some of the world’s highest endemism (20–30%). Yet MENA is among the most water-scarce regions globally; according to the World Economic Forum, 12 of the world’s 17 most water-stressed countries are located there. Despite limited freshwater, the region contains major biodiversity hotspots, including the Red Sea and Arabian Sea coastlines.

Climate change, water scarcity, rapid urbanisation, and weak environmental protection are pushing ecosystems toward collapse, threatening livelihoods and economic resilience. MENA is projected to be the first region to face extreme water depletion, with climate-related water scarcity expected to cost 6–14% of GDP by 2050. Safeguarding and sustainably managing biodiversity is therefore essential for the region’s long-term prosperity.

The goal of the MENA Hub is to help build a resilient, regional economy through nature-positive innovation. By connecting the most promising startups of the region with industry and business stakeholders, the MENA hub will play a central role in catalysing nature-positive action.