A banker walks into a rainforest... Diversification is a known strategy for financial assets, but it took a trip to the Amazon to see just how well the functioning ecosystem managed its own wealth of ecological assets. Taking a page from the rainforest's own tactics, the banker left the forest changed. What emerged was a dedication to finding a new business model that could raise the capital needed for sustained restoration. The Symbiosis Model emphasizes the interconnectedness of people, plants, and animals in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. It's a large-scale restoration model designed to be profitable and to create mutually beneficial relationships that enhance ecological health while also supporting human communities, expanding the benefits that healthy ecosystems provide, such as clean air and water, pollination, wood production and carbon sequestration. After 15 years of experimenting, the forest and business are thriving. Bruno Mariani is the CEO and founder of Symbiosis Investimentos, a company that reforests degraded pastureland to sustainably produce high-quality hardwoods. Unlike most plantation forests, which grow exotic species, Bruno plants species native to Brazil’s tropical Atlantic Forest, helping to conserve endangered trees while supporting biodiversity and improving soil and water. The company, a partner of Latin American restoration alliance Initiative 20x20, takes a scientific and innovative approach to help trees grow faster and more consistently while working in harmony with nature. In the process, Bruno is pioneering a business model that could be replicated across Brazil’s more than 65 million hectares of degraded land. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx