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Join Our Journey: Why We’re Opening Ponda Up to Our Community
At Ponda, we have long admired the energy, creativity and determination behind RE-PEAT’s work. Their commitment to championing peatlands and the communities who depend on them - feels both urgent and deeply inspiring. RE-PEAT is a youth-led collective working across Europe, using creative advocacy to give peatlands the attention they deserve. Bringing together voices from art, science and activism, its members are united by a shared love for these vital ecosystems and a fierce commitment to protecting them.
Youth-led activism is essential in responding to the climate crisis, and it is always energising to connect with others who care about wetlands as deeply as we do. Over the coming months, we’ll be collaborating with RE-PEAT on a number of projects, but first, we wanted to introduce their brilliant team to the Ponda community. We’re delighted to sit down with them to explore how RE-PEAT began, the role of art in activism, and why peatlands deserve a much louder voice in the climate conversation.
To begin, could you share the story of how RE-PEAT first came to life? Where did the idea spark from, and how did it grow into what it is today? What are your best achievements in this time period?
Looking back now, it’s clear that September 2019 is a sort of BP and AP situation for a few of us: before peatlands and after peatlands. It was at this time that Bethany and Frankie were in Germany for a climate camp, which was set up to protest against a big chemical fertilizer company. They ended up spontaneously joining a peatland excursion and finding out about how vital peatlands are for the climate. On the bus ride home totally transfixed in this new mission, the name “re-peat” jokingly emerged. Since then, more and more people “re-peated” this moment of BP/AP, and so we formed a collective with many time-travelling multi-perspective starting points.
Over the course of the last five years together, we’ve learnt a lot more about peatlands. We have travelled across land and sea to visit them, listened to memories and built our own relationships with these landscapes. We’ve seen the importance of finding playful, metaphorical, collaborative, and imaginative ways of relating with peatlands and sharing their peculiar values. In return, the peatlands have guided us through explorations of grief, deep time, intergenerational thinking, migration, extraction, culture and more.
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Since starting RE-PEAT, what is one of your favourite or most surprising things you’ve learned about peatlands?
People often think about peatlands as wet places, but when they are dry they become places that attract fire. Zombie fires can smolder underground for weeks, months and in some cases years… waiting in the shadows for the right moment to emerge into the light and reignite the world above. The idea of zombie fires is totally ominous, but also strangely magical in the way that they escape our view and our control. This is why peatlands, when kept wet and healthy, are such important mitigators of fire and drought. With their absorbent properties, they can also help prevent flooding. Peatlands are vital, intelligent regulators of landscapes, they are ecosystems we urgently need to care for and protect.
Wetlands and peatlands are often overlooked in climate discussions. Why do you think they remain so underrepresented, despite their huge ecological importance?
Wetlands and peatlands are often overlooked in climate discussions because of how they have been framed culturally and politically. They are frequently portrayed as wastelands, as “scary” or “empty” places. As landscapes to be drained rather than valued, making their ecological richness easy to ignore. Their degradation is also a form of slow violence: like the frog in hot water metaphor, the impacts unfold gradually and go unnoticed until it’s too late. For example in the Netherlands, soil subsidence from drained peatlands happens slowly, yet over time the land sinks by meters. Restoring peatlands is also slow. It requires landscape-wide agreement and collaboration between many actors, which is far harder to organise than restoration efforts focused on a single plot of land, such as forests.
We delivered one of the largest peatland exhibitions to date, Limbo, created in collaboration with De Proef, a former horticultural school in the peat-rich province of Drenthe in the Netherlands. Inspired by the region’s long history of peat extraction, the exhibition brought together over 25 artists from around Europe, working across sound, data, video, and cartography to present peatlands as culturally complex landscapes rather than mere carbon stores. Alongside the exhibition, we hosted side-programming including lino-printing, artist talks, and a paludi dinner, pairing historical context with clear calls to action and significantly expanding the cultural and political visibility of peatland justice in the Netherlands.
The crowdfund supported the exhibition on a limited budget, ensuring fair artist compensation and enabling an interactive public programme, documentation, and a booklet that extends the work beyond the exhibition itself. Through over 200 pledges we reached just over €10,000! We are deeply grateful for the global network of supporters who made this possible.
Images from the Limbo exhibition taken by Caroline Vitzhum
Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
For a long time, the fashion industry has forced a difficult choice on us: rely on fossil fuel-based materials, or use animal-derived down. But what if the clothes we wear could actually help heal the planet instead of harming it?
At Ponda, we believe they can. We’ve created BioPuff®, a warm, high-performance plant-based jacket filling made from bulrush, grown on regenerated wetlands. But this isn't just about making a new material- it’s about how that material is grown. We work with farmers to grow bulrush on rewetted peatlands, actively restoring damaged wetlands that are vital for our climate (in fact, peatlands store about twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined!).
We have spent the last few years validating our technology, building our pilot facility here in Bristol, and getting BioPuff® into the hands of incredible brands like Berghaus, Ahluwalia and Stella McCartney.
Now, we are ready for the next big leap: scaling up so we can bring BioPuff® to the mainstream. And rather than doing it behind closed doors, we want to invite you to build this future with us.
What is equity crowdfunding?
When you hear "crowdfunding," you might think of platforms where you donate money or pre-order a product. Equity crowdfunding is a bit different. Through platforms like Republic Europe, it allows everyday people to invest in private startups alongside larger venture capital funds. Instead of just buying a jacket, you are actually buying shares (equity) in Ponda.
In short: you become a co-owner. If the company grows and succeeds, the value of your shares can grow, too. It is a way to directly support the businesses you want to see in the world, and share in their success. Please note that the value of your investment can go down as well as up.
Why are we crowdfunding?
We have been incredibly fortunate to receive £4.8 million to date through major institutional investors and vital government grants. While this is a massive milestone, much of this grant funding is strictly ring-fenced for specific, foundational research-such as farming innovation, land-use studies, and government partnerships.
These grants have been absolutely vital for validating our science and establishing our agricultural model. However, pioneering truly innovative material requires immense time, energy, and flexible capital to actually build the business around the innovation. As we look to scale, opening our doors to the public was a deeply intentional choice for three core reasons:
1. We want you on this journey with us
Since day one, we have been surrounded by an incredible community of nature lovers, climate advocates, and people who want better from the fashion industry. Until now, the only way to support our mission was to cheer us on from the sidelines. We want to change that. Crowdfunding allows the people who care most about regenerative farming and biodiversity to move from passive supporters to active participants in our growth.
2. Building the supply chain of the future takes a village (and a wetland!)
Grants are fantastic for funding specific research and proving that an idea works. But we aren't just making a concept material—we are building an entirely new, nature-friendly supply chain from the ground up. Crowdfunding provides the flexible, community-backed capital we need to expand our manufacturing, support more farmers, and get BioPuff® out into the world at a commercial scale.
3. The time is right
We have proven that BioPuff® works, we have the backing of major fashion brands, and we have the pilot infrastructure in place. Now, it is time to scale an emerging system that the planet and the industry desperately need.
How to get involved
We are currently in our private Pre-Registration phase. By signing up now, you will get priority access to our pitch deck, behind-the-scenes updates, and the chance to invest before the campaign opens to the wider public.
- Pre-register: Click the link below to visit our Republic page and register your interest (it takes 30 seconds and there is no obligation to invest).
- Learn more: Once we go live, you can review our full story, our future plans, and our community reward tiers.
- Become an owner: Choose your investment amount and officially join the Ponda family!
Want to stay up to date with the Ponda journey? Sign up to our monthly newsletter
Follow us on Instagram for updates @ponda.bio
Approved by Republic Europe on 17/04/26
Crowdfunding FAQ’s
What is equity crowdfunding?
A type of crowdfunding that enables multiple investors to buy shares in a company, using a crowdfunding platform like Republic.
What is a share?
An ownership interest in a company that entitles the shareholder to certain rights, for example, a share of profits or dividend payments from the company if it grows financially. Shares are also referred to as “stock”.
What is an ordinary share?
Shares that represent normal equity ownership in a company. Ordinary shares generally entitle the owner to vote at shareholder meetings, receive dividends, and receive distributions on the winding up of a company but do not carry preferential treatment. The nominee structure means that Republic will generally exercise these rights on your behalf. Businesses like those funded on platforms rarely pay dividends. This means that if you invest in a business through the platform, even if it is successful, you are unlikely to see any return of capital or profit until you are able to sell your shares. Even for a successful business, this is unlikely to occur for a number of years from the time you make your investment.
What is Republic?
Republic is the crowdfunding platform which will enable you to invest in Ponda. Republic, formerly Seedrs, has funded over 2,000 deals to date. The top companies they have funded include Revolut, Allplants, Cheeky Panda, Manilife, Oddbox, Mindful Chef, and TransferGo.
Who can invest?
To invest through Republic, you must be over 18 years old, legally entitled to invest, and a resident of the UK, Europe, or another country supported by the platform.
How do I become a shareholder?
You can become a shareholder of Ponda by opening an account with Republic and placing your investment through them. Your investment will be administered and held through your registered Republic account.
What is early access or pre-registration?
First, we will offer everyone the opportunity to register their interest in investing in Ponda. Everyone who pre-registers will be given the first opportunity to invest. They will receive an exclusive email inviting them to invest when the early access funding round opens. This will be open for a short period of time before the funding round is opened up to everyone else. Republic will guide you through the whole process, from pre-registering your interest to making an investment and beyond.
How do I sign up with Republic?
It's simple and free for anyone in the UK or EU to sign up. Once your investor profile is complete, you'll be able to access our campaign, ask us questions, request further information, and invest. When creating your Republic account, please make sure you create it in your own name, as the person investing. They cannot accept joint investments or investments made on behalf of someone else. Note: In order to make investments, you need to successfully complete the Republic Investment Authorisation Questionnaire or self-certify as a “high net worth individual” or a “sophisticated investor” if you reside in the UK or Europe. If you reside in an accepted jurisdiction outside of the UK and Europe, you will need to self-certify as an accredited investor in your local jurisdiction. This is intended to show us that you have the judgement and understanding to appreciate the risks of investing in private companies.
How do I pay for my investment?
Once you’ve made an investment, you’ll need to pay for it. If you are able to pay with a debit/credit card, you can do so as part of the investment confirmation process. If you’re unable to pay by debit/credit card, you will need to make a deposit into your Republic account and then allocate the investment amount to the investee campaign. You must deposit and pay for the investment before the campaign closes, or your investment will be cancelled, and you will not receive shares in the business.
How much can I invest?
You can invest from as little as £20 up to the full amount that the campaign is seeking—and note whether you’d like the investment to be public or anonymous. You will then be presented with an Investment Agreement, which is a standardised agreement between you and Republic with respect to your investment. If you’re happy with it, click to accept, and that’s it—you’ve made an investment!
What is overfunding?
Businesses must reach their targets on Republic within 30 days, and if they do not, all investors receive their money back. However, if a business hits its target before the 30-day period is over, it can accept additional investment—in exchange for additional equity—if it so chooses. This is called overfunding, and investors who invest during the overfunding period do so on the exact same terms as other investors. The one difference in overfunding is that businesses do not have to accept any or all of the funds they raise in their overfunding period. Republic will let you know if we have chosen not to accept your overfunding investment via email, and Republic will refund your payment to your Investment Account.
Can I cancel my investment or change my mind?
You can cancel an investment at any time before a campaign closes from within your Republic Investment Account. You have a minimum of 7 days to cancel your investment. By cancelling, funds already paid will be returned to your Republic account to be paid into other investments, if you like. If you have funds in your Republic account that are not currently committed to an investment, you may withdraw them at any time from your Investment Account. This can take up to 48 hours and must be returned to the account from which they originated.
What happens when the campaign ends?
Once our campaign closes, and the Republic team has successfully completed legal due diligence and investment documentation, Republic will transfer the funds to the company in exchange for shares. Republic will then send you an electronic share certificate, confirming that you are officially an investor in the business, and will include a link to our post-investment portal where you can keep in touch with us and our progress.
When can I sell my shares?
The main way you can make money from your investment is by selling your shares for more than you paid for them. There are a couple of ways that this might occur: if the company grows to the point where it floats on a stock exchange, is bought by another company, or conducts a share buyback, you are likely to be able to sell your shares—potentially at a profit—at that stage. You may also be able to sell your shares on the Republic Secondary Market, whereby investors can buy and sell shares from each other online. Bear in mind that the ability to buy and sell shares will depend on demand, meaning that you may not be able to sell them immediately.
Risk Warning
Investing involves risks, including loss of capital, illiquidity, lack of dividends and dilution, and should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio. Please read the Risk Warnings before investing. Investments should only be made by investors who understand these risks. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and is subject to change in future. Republic does not make investment recommendations to you, and any investment decision should be made on the basis of the full campaign. No communications from Republic, through email or any other medium, should be construed as an investment recommendation.
Seedrs Limited, trading as Republic Europe, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Seedrs Limited is a limited company, registered in England and Wales (No. 06848016), with a registered office at Cubo Soho, Ilona Rose House, Manette Street, London W1D 4AL, United Kingdom.
