39:42 minutes
|
February 24, 2026
#37 Measuring Biodiversity
When Nature Becomes an Asset with Viraj Sikand
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About The Speaker
Viraj is an entrepreneur with a proven track record of successfully bringing innovative sustainability ideas to market, and has spent the past 10 years working at the intersection of environment and technology. Previously, he co-founded Kulisha, a startup that created sustainable protein from food waste. He later worked at Optoro, a company that raised $300M to accelerate circular economies before it was acquired. Viraj earned a degree in Environmental Studies from Brown University and enrolled in the joint program at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School before taking a leave of absence to launch and dedicate his efforts to EarthAcre.
Episode Description
In this episode of the Business and Society Podcast, Senthil speaks with Viraj Sikand, CEO of EarthAcre, about one of the biggest emerging frontiers in sustainable business: market-based solutions for biodiversity.
Viraj shares his journey from growing up in a conservation-focused family in Kenya to building climate and circular-economy ventures in the U.S., and ultimately launching a platform designed to help Indigenous and community landowners get paid to protect nature. The conversation explores how biodiversity can be measured at scale, what “biodiversity capacity” means, and how new technologies—from remote sensing to digital community platforms—are reshaping nature finance.
They also dive into complex challenges: land rights, trust, additionality, direct payments, and lessons learned from carbon markets. Viraj explains why aligning financial incentives with community stewardship is critical to preventing biodiversity collapse—and how businesses, philanthropies, and investors can play a role.
The episode closes with leadership reflections, practical advice for navigating cross-cultural collaboration, and a recommended read: The Case for Nature.
Topics covered: biodiversity markets, nature finance, Indigenous land stewardship, direct payments, measuring ecosystem outcomes, and the future of business in protecting nature.
Additional inspirations from Viraj Sikand
https://www.earthacre.com/about
