About us
We are a team of tech pioneers, innovators, and conservationists
who have joined forces to defend nature.
Meet the 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.
Samuel Mann
Senior Mobile Developer
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A software developer, ex-founder, and artist, Sam approaches tech project with a mix of creativity, craft, and pragmatism. He brings deep experience coupled with a healthy dose of skepticism, always aiming to challenge the status quo and find the best possible solution.
At Capacity, Sam develops the mobile platform and helps strengthen the team’s development practices.
Philippe Dahmen
Chief Operating 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 venture builder, specialised in nature-based solutions and climate innovation. Deeply passionate about wildlife conservation and community resilience, she has worked closely with rural communities in ecological zones across Asia-Pacific and East Africa. She 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.
Pedro Paulo Lins e Silva
Head of Enforcement
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Pedro is a Brazilian lawyer and serial entrepreneur (co-founder of Welight, Regenativ, and Biohma), venture partner at Link School of Business, and former partner at Blockforce.ai. For over 17 years, he has worked alongside Indigenous peoples through the nonprofits Instituto Guardiões da Floresta and Instituto Yubekã, which he co-founded to address the needs of local communities.
He is passionate about hiking, yoga, and meaningful exchanges with ancient cultures.
Pedro oversees the development of Mission One in the Amazon Rainforest.
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 South 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
Senior Geospatial 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.
Taylor Hirshfield
Head of Community & Events
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Taylor brings a systems-thinking approach to building communities and designing experiences that drive impact. With an MBA from London Business School and a background in strategy consulting and climate-focused startups, she specializes in creating spaces that foster authentic connection and collective action.
At Capacity, Taylor leads the global network - connecting innovators, partners, and changemakers through experiences that catalyze collaboration for conservation and regeneration. Beyond her work, she is a DJ and certified yoga teacher passionate about holistic healing and the link between personal and planetary well-being.
Philip Popien
Lead Machine Learning Engineer
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Philip builds deforestation detection algorithms at Capacity. Trained in statistics, he has spent nine years turning geospatial data into real world impact, leading teams and shipping flood mapping and methane detection models at Floodbase and Orbio Earth.
Beyond work, Philip is passionate about finding (and funding) the most effective charities in the world. He is part of Giving What We Can, an international community of people who’ve pledged at least 10% of their income over the course of their careers.
Laura Bernandes
Environmental Crime & Enforcement Analyst
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Laura is a forestry engineer (MSc) and PhD candidate in Forestry and Environmental Sciences, serving as an official Criminal Forensics Expert for the State of Amazonas since 2008. She previously directed the Institute of Criminalistics and brings deep experience in environmental crime investigation, evidence assessment, and forensic methodology.
An instructor to both the Civil Police Academy and the Military Police Training Course, she teaches Criminal Analysis, Environmental Crime, and Evidence Preservation. She also sits on the Ethics Committee of the Brazilian Association of Criminalistics.
Laura supports Capacity by helping build robust, high-impact cases to strengthen environmental enforcement.
Enoque Marubo
Operations Manager
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Enoque Marubo is the President of the Kapy Association, an Indigenous organization representing communities of the Vale do Javari - the second-largest Indigenous territory in the Brazilian Amazon. A dedicated defender of Indigenous rights and autonomy, he has spent over 20 years strengthening governance, cultural resilience, and sustainable livelihoods across Marubo and neighbouring peoples.
At Capacity, Enoque provides ground support and guidance to other indigenous rangers in dealing with incidents.
Elena Stark
Fractional Head of Impact Tracking
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Elena Stark is the Head of Impact and Platform at AENU, an early-stage climate tech VC driving systemic change. A passionate advocate for climate action and social equity, she previously led impact and ESG at Tomorrow Bank, where she helped secure the Best for the World B-Corp Certification.
She helps Capacity design and develop our Impact Assessment framework.
Friederike Von Waldenfels
Board Member
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Friederike von Waldenfels is a tech founder and systems thinker dedicated to ethical innovation and planetary wellbeing. After a decade scaling eCommerce ventures, she founded Forestrock, a venture studio focused on responsible tech, and Digital Trust for Kids, promoting safer digital spaces for children.
She sits on Capacity’s board, helping steer biodiversity solutions to protect ecosystems and empower future generations.
Anne Graue
Fractional General Counsel
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Anne Graue is the Founder of Quarry, where she helps fast-growing companies build lean, scalable legal functions that drive growth. A seasoned in-house lawyer with experience at Audi, Volkswagen.
She serves as Fractional General Counsel at Capacity to loook after our contracts across the foundation.
Katharina Beitz
Fractional Head of Communications
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Katharina has a decade of experience in impact venture capital and communications, building platforms at the intersection of climate tech, finance, and systemic change. She has led communications at a top European climate-tech VC, served as CMO at Our Greenery, and co-directed Zybra Capital. An economist and philosopher, she speaks widely on innovation, systemic change, and green tech.
Katharina supports with media & communication inititiaves at Capacity.