Investing in Regeneration: Transforming Planning and Finance through Systems Thinking
Investing in Regeneration: Transforming Planning and Finance through Systems Thinking

Investing in Regeneration: Transforming Planning and Finance through Systems Thinking

Monica A. Altamirano de Jong

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Episodes

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What if finance could be the carrot that pulls us toward a regenerative future? Investing in Regeneration is a podcast about changing how we understand, plan, and finance projects — unpacking real deals and initiatives to show how money can move differently, and why that matters for climate action, nature restoration, and social justice.Each episode takes you inside a real transaction or initiative through three lenses: 1. Understanding the context and theory of changePlanning the deal: how it originated, who was involved, and what it took to bring it togetherFinancing: the instruments, structures, blended components, and lessons that made it possible (or nearly didn't).We bring together the people who are actually making these deals happen: financiers and fund managers sitting alongside project developers, community leaders, and indigenous voices. The providers and the recipients of finance, in the same conversation. Because the gap between those two worlds is exactly where the most important knowledge lives, and where the biggest systemic barriers hide.The podcast is built around a simple but powerful idea: the three revolutions we need aren't just technological or political. They are revolutions in understanding — how we read and value complex systems; in planning — how we originate deals that work for people and planet; and in finance — how capital is structured, de-risked, and deployed to unlock regenerative outcomes at scale.Listeners are leaders in finance, development, infrastructure planning, policy, and mission-driven organizations who are tired of siloed thinking and hungry for practical models. You'll hear about nature-based solutions, water and soil restoration, public-private-community partnerships, blended finance structures, and the kind of innovations that rarely make it into mainstream investment conversations — but urgently need to.This is not a podcast about theory. It's about practice: the origination story, the partnerships forged, the financial architecture, the friction that had to be overcome, and the honest lessons guests would share with anyone trying to replicate or scale what they've built.Hosted by Mónica Alejandra Altamirano, Investing in Regeneration bridges the gap between bottom-up changemakers and top-down decision-makers — because systemic change only happens when both are in the room.If you believe regenerative investment is not only necessary but possible, this podcast is for you.

Recent Episodes

Clean Water and Empowered Participation: Scaling Regenerative Infrastructure Systems in the Amazon
MAY 8, 2026
Clean Water and Empowered Participation: Scaling Regenerative Infrastructure Systems in the Amazon
In this episode of Investing in Regeneration, Mónica Altamirano de Jong is joined by Nancy Santullo, founder of Rainforest Flow, and Samuel Schwan, board president and philanthropist, to explore a powerful, place-based model delivering clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services to indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon.What begins as access to clean water evolves into something much deeper: improved health, strengthened social cohesion, empowered communities, and healthy forest and freshwater ecosystems that ensue. Nancy and Samuel share how a community-driven, culturally integrated approach, built over 20+ years, has not only reduced disease dramatically but also fostered cooperation, local ownership, and long-term sustainability.▶️ How Community-Driven WASH Systems Transform Health, Ecosystems & Social Cohesion00:00:00 Introduction to Investing in Regeneration00:04:06 The Rainforest Flow Model: Water, Sanitation & Community Ownership00:09:32 Theory of Change and Paradigm Shifts00:16:31 The Birth of Rainforest Flow00:23:17 Samuel’s Journey: Emergency Response to Philanthropy00:26:48 Designing Resilient, Adaptive Water Systems00:33:17 Barriers to Scaling: Policy, Procurement & Investment00:40:10 Funding: Philanthropy, Fees & Long-Term Sustainability00:49:15 Climate Resilience and Portable Infrastructure Design00:52:47 Participation, Ownership & Indigenous Leadership00:59:19 Bottlenecks: Investment in Ecosystems vs. People01:04:10 Lessons for Scaling Regenerative InfrastructureNotable Quotes:“Clean water is the entry point, but transformation is the outcome.” - Nancy Santullo“The results don't line up with what you're hoping for when you don't meet people where they're at, listen to them, and work with them throughout the entire process. I think that's the Rainforest Flow success model.” - Samuel SchwanConnect with Nancy & Samuel:📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysantullo/  📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-schwan-b9753a338/ 💻 Website: https://rainforestflow.org/ Connect with Mónica:📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamiranomonicaa/ 💻 Website: https://altamira-regen.com/ Produced by Ideablossoms
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70 MIN
The Role of Architects as Systems Thinkers and Conveners Bridging Communities, Ecosystems & Finance
APR 22, 2026
The Role of Architects as Systems Thinkers and Conveners Bridging Communities, Ecosystems & Finance
In this episode of Investing in Regeneration, Mónica Altamirano de Jong sits down with Illya Azaroff—architect, educator, disaster responder, and President of the American Institute of Architects—to explore how regenerative design can transform the way we plan, finance, and build for a climate-challenged world.They explore the evolving role of architects as systems thinkers and conveners, capable of bridging communities, ecosystems, and finance. From indigenous knowledge to ecosystem services, from long-term trust to financial fear, this conversation reveals what it takes to move from sustainable projects to regenerative systems.▶️ President of the American Institute of Architects: The Role of Architects as Systems Thinkers  and Conveners Bridging Communities, Ecosystems & Finance00:00:00 Introduction to Investing in Regeneration00:04:32 Architects as Systems Thinkers and Conveners00:14:08 Personal Journey and Purpose00:18:31 Investment Planning and  Urban Transformation Processes00:29:22 From Planning to Implementation00:37:50  How Do You Conceptualize and Measure Resilience Impacts? 00:44:32 Empowering Participation: The Key Role of Indigenous Communities00:49:41 Regenerative Economies and Circular Systems00:59:01 Where Breakthrough Is NeededNotable Quote:“The way that we're doing our work, the teams we're doing our work with, and the type of outcome that we are seeing come forward has never been built on this planet ever. That is what regenerative design is. You're seeing things that no one has ever done before.” - Illya AzaroffConnect with Illya:📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/illya-azaroff-faia-3b11b08/  💻 Website: https://www.aia.org/  Connect with Monica:📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamiranomonicaa/ 💻 Website: https://altamira-regen.com/ This episode was produced by Ideablossoms
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62 MIN
Investing in Climate Adaptation: How Private Equity Can Build Companies & Future-Proof Communities
APR 22, 2026
Investing in Climate Adaptation: How Private Equity Can Build Companies & Future-Proof Communities
Welcome to the Investing in Regeneration podcast with Mónica Altamirano de Jong. In each episode, Mónica will be going beyond theory and exploring a real initiative, fund, or investment through three lenses: understanding, planning, and financing. In this episode, Mónica sits down with Valeria Ramundo Orlando, co-founder of Green Square Ventures, to explore the Equilibrium Climate Capital Fund.Valeria shares why climate adaptation is not just a risk mitigation strategy but one of the greatest investment opportunities of our time. Together, they explore how private equity can be used not to extract value, but to build companies, strengthen local economies, and future-proof communities.▶️ Investing in Climate Adaptation: How Private Equity Can Build Companies & Future-Proof Communities00:00:00 Introduction to Investing in Regeneration00:03:50 The Equilibrium Climate Capital Fund00:12:05 The Origin Story: From Data to Decision00:20:26 The Role of Partnerships00:32:17 Private Equity Over Credit00:38:09 Competing with Global Capital Markets00:42:25 Empowering Local Agency Through Investment00:50:24 Balancing Local Context with Scalable Finance00:59:24 Building a Fund That Must Succeed01:01:38 Fixing the System with two magic wandsNotable Quote from Episode 1: Investing in Climate Adaptation“We wanted to mainstream adaptation and resilience. We don't want it to be something that is challenging or hard to do. It needs to become something that every single company will build with resilient guidelines, with tools, with the technology that is needed to future proof all assets, infrastructure, and services.” - Valeria Ramundo OrlandoConnect with Valeria:📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeria-ramundo-orlando-1796053/ 💻 Website: https://greensquare-ventures.com/ Connect with Mónica📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamiranomonicaa/ 💻 Website: https://altamira-regen.com/ This episode was produced by Ideablossoms
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70 MIN