matthijs VAN RIJN

Matthijs van Rijn is the visionary founder of The Green Intelligence, an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and community empowerment. A nature enthusiast and nemophilist, Matthijs enjoys spending the majority of his time outdoors amidst nature. His deep-seated passion for environmental stewardship and social equity has driven him to the forefront of transformative initiatives that integrate cutting-edge technology with grassroots action. Before founding The Green Intelligence, Matthijs spent several years managing over 300 hectares of forest in Germany, honing his skills in biodiversity and ecosystem restoration. This hands-on experience, combined with his professional background in the solar energy sector, shaped his vision for scalable forest conservation and sustainable development. Over an 8-year period, Matthijs worked in the Netherlands, Africa, and Asia to provide communities and economies with access to affordable renewable energy.

In early 2020, Matthijs moved to Nepal to join the impact investment company One to Watch, furthering his ambition to create meaningful environmental and social impact. His extensive experience and passion led to the development of a scalable forest concept and the co-founding of The Green Intelligence. GI's main goal is to increase biodiversity while making it financially viable in the long term. Under Matthijs's leadership, The Green Intelligence has successfully enabled over 800 smallholder farmers to transition to agroforestry, enhancing both their livelihoods and the health of their environments. He has championed the use of data-driven approaches to maximize the economic returns of agroforestry programs, ensuring that local communities benefit directly from sustainable practices. Matthijs graduated in 2013 from the Technical University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands with an MSc. degree in Industrial Engineering, specializing in Innovation Management.