What Is Mombak? Why Is Google Interested in It?

 

What Is Mombak? Why Is Google Interested in It?

 #Mombak is a Brazil-based reforestation startup that focuses on removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by restoring forests in the Amazon region. Mombak started by Peter Fernandez (former CEO of 99) and Gabriel Silva (former CFO of Nubank) in 2021.

Instead of using untested technologies, Mombak relies on a natural and well-understood process: trees absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and store it in their trunks, roots, and soil. This makes forests one of the most trusted methods of long-term carbon removal.

What Exactly Does Mombak Do?

01.  Identifying degraded land
Large areas of the Amazon were cleared in the past for cattle grazing. Much of this land is now degraded and underused.

02.  Partnering with landowners
Mombak either buys land or partners with local landowners who agree to restore it.

03. Replanting native Amazon trees
The company plants native tree species, helping recreate natural forest ecosystems rather than monoculture plantations.

04.  Growing forests that absorb carbon
As these forests grow, they naturally remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it for decades.

05.  Measuring and verifying carbon removal
The amount of carbon absorbed is carefully measured and independently verified using scientific methods.

06. Selling carbon removal credits
These verified carbon removals are sold as high-quality carbon credits to companies seeking to offset their emissions.

Why Are Companies Interested in Mombak?

Many global companies especially technology firms such as Apple, Google, tesla, Microsoft, Facebook produce large carbon emissions due to energy-hungry data centres and artificial intelligence systems. Some emissions are unavoidable in the short term.

Mombak offers them:

• Credible and measurable carbon removal
• Long-term storage of carbon, not temporary fixes
• Transparent verification, reducing the risk of #greenwashing

As a result, major companies such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, and McLaren have signed agreements to buy carbon credits from Mombak.

Why Is Mombak Getting Global Attention?

Mombak has attracted strong backing because it focuses on quality rather than cheap offsets.

• It is supported by well-known investors like Union Square Ventures, Kaszek, and Bain Capital
• It has raised millions of dollars to scale up its reforestation efforts
• It meets strict international standards for scientific credibility, transparency, and environmental integrity

In November 2025 #Google has signed its largest-ever carbon removal deal with Mombak:

ØUnder this agreement, Mombak will help remove 200,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide by 

    restoring degraded pasture land into native Amazon rainforest.

Ø  Google DeepMind's Perch AI model will be leveraged to analyze bioacoustic data and help 

     quantify the biodiversity benefits of the reforestation efforts.

Ø  Google will use these verified removals as high-quality carbon credits to balance emissions from 

     its growing data centres and AI operations.

Ø  The agreement reflects Google’s shift toward credible, long-term carbon removal rather than low-

      quality offsets.

Ø  The financial value of the deal has not been disclosed.

Ø  For this deal, Google used the Symbiosis Coalition, an alliance it formed with Meta, Microsoft and 

    other firms—to source high-quality, science-based carbon removal credits.