Founded in 1990 by social entrepreneurs Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons, Bioneers serves as a fertile hub connecting breakthrough solutions for environmental and social challenges with the people who can implement them. The organization celebrates the genius of nature and human ingenuity, spotlighting innovators working on game-changing initiatives in restorative food systems, biomimicry, rights of nature, indigeneity, and women’s and youth leadership. Through their acclaimed annual conference, extensive Bioneers Network of local events, award-winning media productions including radio series and podcasts, and influential role in projects like Leonardo DiCaprio’s The 11th Hour, Bioneers creates vital connections between visionary solutions and practical implementation. The organization operates on the principle that nature itself offers elegant designs for solving human challenges, and that indigenous wisdom, women’s leadership, and youth innovation hold keys to restoring both ecological and social health.
Why this matters: Bioneers bridges the gap between visionary ideas and practical action, demonstrating how biomimicry, indigenous knowledge, and collaborative innovation can address interconnected environmental and social crises. Their work exemplifies how learning from nature’s 3.8 billion years of research and development, combined with honoring diverse human wisdom traditions, creates regenerative solutions that serve both people and planet—embodying the integration of science, spirit, and practical action that systemic transformation requires.