CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2023 19 Jul23060 Combining tree planting with tangible investment opportunities, French company Treesition is reviving the sustainable farming models of old. Aiming to improve the resilience and sustainability of farming practices whilst encouraging green investment, the company is using expertise and innovation to unite the city and the countryside. We speak with forward-thinking CEO, Daniel Dos Santos to find out more. In 2018, biotech engineer, Daniel Dos Santos discovered a type of tree that would inspire and motivate him to create a revolutionary business concept. When Daniel came across the paulownia tree (also known as the Empress tree), a fast-growing and resilient hardwood tree, he was quick to understand its potential in the realm of agroforestry. Along with his friend and associate, Michaël, Daniel began to learn all he could about the paulownia, with a clear aim in mind – to combat climate-related incidents. Roll forward four years and the pair launched Treesition. Operating within a circular economy, the company offers two distinct but interconnected services. The first involves the planting of paulownia trees on agricultural land. Working within agroforestry partnerships or via silviculture arrangements with landowners, Treesition produces saleable wood and its by-products. The second is the selling of planted trees to customers as an investment. Treesition takes care of these trees throughout their lifespan, from planting to harvesting. When the time comes to harvest, the customers receive a return on their investment, gaining a percentage of the value of their trees’ wood. The ingenious system encourages many environmental advantages including improving soil quality and regeneration. Daniel explains, “Many farmers have very low incomes and are increasingly affected by climate change. The paulownia’s canopy offers a habitat conducive to the development of biodiversity and protects both crops and animals from extreme weather events. The synergy between the trees and the ecosystem of the plot reduces the need for inputs, whether it be for water or pest control. This helps farmers save resources while diversifying and increasing their income through wood sales. And, since Treesition takes care of the trees, farmers don’t have the burden of extra work.” By connecting farmers with experts in organic agriculture, digital farming, agroforestry, and sources of finance, Treesition helps promote the transition towards more sustainable agriculture. Daniel says, “We offer tailor-made, profitable solutions. We take into account the specific issues and constraints of each party, all the while focusing on preserving ecosystems. Through agroforestry and collaborations with farmers and landowners, we aim to establish a new agricultural model in Europe.” But Treesition is not only working with farmers. The company aims to enable everyone to take action for the environment and see a profitable return on their investment. Individual investors can visit the Treesition eShop to invest in trees for as little as 50 Euros. Thanks to paulownia’s impressive CO2 absorption capacity (55 kg/year), investing in its plantation promotes carbon offsetting, makes agriculture more resilient, and combats climate change. On the surface, investing in trees as a way to make a profit may seem a little far-fetched for the individual investor. An oak tree can take over 100 years to reach maturity and may not even produce an impressive crop of acorns until it reaches 50. In fact, many European tree species take at least 20 years to grow to full size. But that’s where the paulownia is different, attaining its full potential in only seven years! Offering a straight grain hardwood similar to poplar, paulownia’s wood makes strong lumber. But the wood can also be used for fine work such as furniture production. Add to that the paulownia’s resilience to extremes of temperature (from -30 to +40oC) and it’s easy to see why Daniel is so enthusiastic. He says, “All these characteristics make paulownia suitable to meet the increasing demand for wood. Europe is facing a significant shortage of this raw material. This is partly due to the health crisis and the war in Ukraine, which reduced freight transportation, as well as the impact of climate change on indigenous species. With the support of INRAE (France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment), paulownia plantations offer a viable alternative to address these challenges.” As a CEO with a vision to make the world a better place, Treesition is not Daniel’s first entrepreneurial venture. After graduating from the National Polytechnic Institute of Bordeaux (ENSTBB), Daniel found his feet working with biotech start-ups. After five years in industry, he founded his first company, DDS Alliance, a pharmaceutical consultancy based in Switzerland. He explains, “Over the past eight years, DDS Alliance has been very successful. It’s enabled me to use my entrepreneurial skills to create other profitable models that benefit society and the environment. I began by offering affordable and ecofriendly luxury vacation rentals and later Treesition was born. My primary goal has always been to make each business beneficial for everyone involved. This approach ensures its sustainability and facilitates its growth.” With the green investment market in France growing year after year, it’s heartening to see the shift in attitudes and appetites towards more environmentally-friendly products. A reported 76% of French investors say that they take into account the impact of their ecological impact of an investment before making a decision to invest. And with around 65% of French investors seeking out local, sustainable investment opportunities, the tide appears to be turning against more traditional investment opportunities. The forecast profitability of Treesition’s operation is remarkable. On one 20-hectare forestry site alone, the company can produce 5,000 m3 of lumber per seven-year cycle. Based on current market figures in 2023, the company predicts that sales revenue will reach between €1.4 million and €1.8 million per harvest cycle. Daniel says, “We’re challenging the norms of finance to transform the economy into a servant of the planet. This will enable us to finance agricultural transition. The entry ticket is low and requires no expertise. This means everyone can make money and contribute to a more resilient agriculture. When we enter a partnership, we finance the planting and monitoring and provide free agricultural consulting services. Our teams are passionate about what they do. Each team member is an expert in their field.” When asked about his own career ambitions, Daniel tells us, “My aim is to show that it’s possible to build a lucrative business while considering ecological aspects. My current success is proof that we can consider all social classes and still be successful entrepreneurs. I want to continue in this direction and turn Treesition into a reference for green investment.” Looking to the future, Treesition is preparing the release of an app that will enable clients to follow the progress of their trees both in terms of biological growth and value. To find out more, or to enquire or invest, please visit the Treesition website.
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