Ecosia

Founded in 2009 in Berlin, Germany, by Christian Kroll, Ecosia was created with the mission of harnessing the everyday activity of web searching to fund ecological conservation. The company emerged from Kroll's travels in South America, where he witnessed deforestation firsthand and was inspired to create a business model that could address environmental challenges through sustainable entrepreneurship.

Ecosia operates as a search engine that uses its advertising revenue to fund tree-planting programs around the world. The company's business model is distinctive in that it allocates at least 80% of its profits to environmental projects, with a primary focus on reforestation in biodiversity hotspots. Ecosia's approach combines environmental impact with transparency—the company publishes monthly financial reports and tree-planting receipts, allowing users to track the direct results of their search activity.

Since its founding, Ecosia has grown to serve millions of users worldwide and has financed the planting of over 150 million trees across dozens of countries. In 2018, the company reinforced its commitment to its mission by becoming a "purpose company" with a self-imposed legal binding that prevents shares being sold for profit or the company being acquired by a profit-seeking entity. This structure ensures Ecosia's environmental mission remains paramount while establishing a model for purpose-driven technology businesses.