Thekla Teunis
Monday, April 13th | Breakout: Soil, Mother of All Solutions
Thekla Teunis is an investor and entrepreneur working at the intersection of finance and regenerative agriculture. After studying mathematics and starting her career as a strategy consultant, she moved to South Africa, where she became deeply involved in regenerative farming. There, she discovered a principle that continues to guide her work: truly sustainable systems are not managed, but nurtured.
In 2014, Thekla founded Grounded, an investment platform supporting regenerative food and farming systems across Sub-Saharan Africa. Grounded focuses on restoring soil health, biodiversity, and community resilience, while building financially viable models for long-term impact.
Through her work, Thekla explores how capital — when deployed with care and patience — can align with natural systems rather than work against them.
During the breakout session "Soil: Mother of All Solutions," Thekla Teunis joins Maarten van Dam (Pymwymic) to explore soil's foundational role in resilient food systems. Drawing on her experience building regenerative models in Africa, she shares insights on how investors can help restore ecosystems while creating sustainable value.