Sustainable Venture Studio OMTSE closed out the Philippines Pavillion's inaugural WEF year at Davos, presenting on financing ASEAN's natural capital. Co-Founder Apl.de.Ap and CEO Derek Ruth discussed embedding ecosystem value into finance, emphasising natural capital as essential infrastructure, and urging frameworks to mobilize investment, build resilience, and deliver equitable outcomes across Southeast Asia.
DAVOS, Switzerland, Feb. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The OMTSE team presented on Financing ASEAN's Natural Capital at a high-level session in Davos, exploring how sustainable investment and innovative financial frameworks can unlock resilient, equitable outcomes across Southeast Asia's diverse ecosystems. This panel concluded the Philippines Pavilion inaugural year at WEF.
The lively discussion featured Omtse Ventures Co-Founder Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas and Co-Founder and CEO Derek Ruth, with Kate Hancock, author and founder, moderating the dialogue. Together, they examined the emerging necessity of embedding natural capital—land, water, soil, and ecosystem services—into financial markets, economic planning, and investment strategies to build durable systems that support people, prosperity, and the planet.
In the current economic context, natural capital is increasingly recognized as essential infrastructure rather than a peripheral concern. As conditions such as climate volatility, soil degradation, and water scarcity become more systematically reflected in risk pricing, the value of ecosystems is being reassessed not just for conservation, but as a stabilizing asset that supports long-term economic performance and resilience.
Participants stressed that financing natural capital in ASEAN is both an urgent challenge and a significant opportunity. Southeast Asian economies depend heavily on natural resources; yet traditional financial systems often overlook ecological value, leading to underinvestment in nature-based solutions. Integrating nature into financial decision-making—through frameworks that recognize ecosystem services and sustainable land stewardship—will be critical to mobilizing capital at scale for restoration, conservation, and regenerative agriculture initiatives.
Derek Ruth underscored that natural capital is no longer optional in market and policy deliberations. As global markets adjust to climate-linked risks and structural uncertainties, understanding and investing in the productive capacity of ecosystems is foundational to durable economic systems. Natural capital is emerging as a lens through which long-term value, risk mitigation, and growth potential are increasingly judged.
OMTSE's contribution to the Davos session reflects its broader mission to bridge innovation, finance, and community empowerment across ASEAN. By advocating for inclusive frameworks that value nature's true contribution to society and economic stability, OMTSE aims to catalyze investment flows that benefit both the environment and local livelihoods.
As discussions continue on the global stage, OMTSE remains committed to advancing practical solutions that bring natural capital into mainstream finance — promoting regenerative outcomes that uplift communities, sustain ecosystems, and strengthen regional resilience.
About OMTSE
OMTSE is a climate and culture platform focused on building scalable, technology-enabled solutions to environmental challenges in the Global South, with a primary focus on the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Working across agroforestry, renewable energy, sustainable manufacturing, and data-driven climate infrastructure, OMTSE partners with governments, communities, and the private sector to turn climate action into real economic opportunity.
At the core of OMTSE's work is a belief that climate solutions must benefit the people closest to the problem. Through large-scale initiatives such as multi-hundred-million tree planting programs, intercropping and agroforestry systems, digital farmer identification and tracking, and public-private partnerships, OMTSE helps farmers, cooperatives, and local stakeholders participate meaningfully in global climate markets.
Bridging technology, culture, and impact, OMTSE also uses storytelling, music, and global advocacy to mobilize attention and capital toward climate-positive systems that are transparent, measurable, and built for long-term sustainability.
Media Contact
Kat Bailey, The Mother Lode, 44 7377144920, [email protected], https://www.the-motherlode.com
SOURCE Omtse Ventures
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