Collaborating to improve access to finance for regenerative entrepreneurs
How can we ensure that entrepreneurs working towards a regenerative food system receive the financing they need? Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI) brings together investors, entrepreneurs, farmers and other organizations to accelerate investment in regenerative food systems and share knowledge. During RFSI Europe 2026, held on 4–5 March, participants came together to discuss one another’s challenges. Not through investment pitches, but by collaboratively exploring solutions to real financing issues.
From pitching to collaborating
Many regenerative businesses struggle to secure financing because traditional funding models do not align well with the way they operate. This creates a gap between entrepreneurs and investors. To help bridge that gap, the DOEN Foundation and DOEN partner Fresh Ventures Studio introduced a new approach: the Collaborative Financing Mastermind.
During a Collaborative Financing Mastermind session, entrepreneurs and financiers work together to solve financing challenges. Entrepreneurs present a specific funding question, after which investors, fellow entrepreneurs and other experts collectively explore possible solutions. There are no investment pitches and no expectation of an immediate investment. Instead, the sessions foster open conversations, fresh perspectives and valuable new connections.
Four Real-World Cases
The sessions focused on four regenerative enterprises, each facing its own financing challenge. The discussions revealed that many entrepreneurs encounter similar obstacles. It is often unclear which type of financing best fits their business. Innovative organizational structures do not always align with the frameworks investors are accustomed to, and building trust takes time. The sessions demonstrated that entrepreneurs and investors have much to learn from one another when they engage early in the process.
“We invest in regenerative startups. But how regenerative are we and our financing instruments ourselves? As financiers, we also need to start experimenting with funding models and terms that better match the needs of regenerative startups.” — Maarten Derksen, Programme Manager, the DOEN Foundation
Learning Together
The key conclusion from the event is that regenerative finance does not emerge simply by talking about it. By working together on real-life financing challenges, participants generate new insights and practical solutions that better support regenerative entrepreneurs.
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