About us
Capacity is driven by the a team of passionate environmentalists, all of whom have built and scaled tech, worked alongside Indigenous communities, and know how to move fast with impact. Together, we bring startup speed and frontier technology to conservation.
Our core team
Lawrence Leuschner
Founder, Chief Executive Officer
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Lawrence is a serial entrepreneur and impact investor in sustainability, climate & biodiversity (Rebuy, Tier Mobility, Blue Impact Ventures, Aenu Impact Fund). He’s built unicorn companies, managed thousands of people, raised close to a billion of capital in support of bold solutions for the planet.
An avid adventurer, surfer, and wildlife enthusiast, Capacity is Lawrence's latest venture; with a focus now on the protection of our biodiversity hotspots by building scalable solutions powered by tech.
As CEO, Lawrence leads strategic direction, fundraising, talent acquisition, and oversight of mission development at Capacity.
Roelof Pieters
Chief Technology Officer
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An anthropologist and computer scientist by training, Roelof is a repeat tech founder (Overstory, Sunshine Lab) passionate about leveraging Space Tech and AI to build end-to-end systems for community-empowered environmental protection.
As one of the leading minds in satellite AI in tech globally, Roelof leads the development of Capacity’s tech infrastructure.
Philippe Dahmen
Chief Technology Officer
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An engineer by background, and a seasoned venture builder and operator with over 20 years of experience scaling startups and leading international business strategy across Europe and beyond. Philippe is also a passionate vegan and animal rights advocate.
He is currently the Chief Mission Builder at Capacity, where he sets the groundwork for success including securing early collaborators and determining go-to-market strategies.
Cassandra Yip
Founder's Associate
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Cassandra is an environmental scientist and experienced impact venture builder, specialising in nature-based solutions and climate innovation. Deeply passionate about wildlife conservation and community resilience, she has worked closely with rural communities within ecological zones across Asia-Pacific and East Africa. Cassandra has also championed environmental action on numerous international platforms, including the United Nations and APEC.
Cassandra now helps drive Capacity’s strategic growth and operations.
Mission One team
Pedro Paulo Lins e Silva
Chief Mission 1 Officer
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Pedro is a trained lawyer, serial impact entrepreneur (Regenativ, Welight), activist, and nonprofit founder (Instituto Guardiões da Floresta) with over 17 years of deep collaboration with Indigenous communities across Brazil’s Amazon.
Pedro oversees the development of Mission 1 in Brazil.
Flora Dutra
Head of Indigenous Relations
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Flora Dutra is a Brazilian human rights advocate and environmental mediator with over a decade of experience working alongside Indigenous leaders in the Amazon. Operating across some of the most remote and biodiverse border regions in Central America, she has built deep, trusted relationships with local communities. Internationally awarded and recognised for her work in Indigenous rights and advocacy, Flora has dedicated her life to the protection of Brazil’s Indigenous territories and to the guardians who defend them.
At Capacity, she serves as Head of Indigenous Relations, forging connections between traditional knowledge and global efforts to preserve the Amazon rainforest.
Gustavo Abreu
Geospatial Data Engineer
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An experienced technologist with a hands-on approach and a multidisciplinary skill set. As a child, he was always taking things apart to see how they worked; today, he channels that same curiosity into bridging the gap between technology and sustainability. Gustavo Abreu has led initiatives that empower people through open technology, hands-on learning, and sustainable innovation. His work spans co-founding one of Brazil’s first makerspaces, designing robust data and telecommunications infrastructure, and advising on sustainable buildings.
Gustavo now builds technological solutions at Capacity.
