Builders Vision Joins Forces With the National Geographic Society to Amplify Stories and Inspire Action Toward a Sustainable Blue Economy

Builders Vision is proud to announce a new collaboration with the National Geographic Society, focused on amplifying the voices of people, organizations, and communities driving transformative change in ocean ecosystems. Through this collaboration, we will showcase changemakers and the impact they’re making in advancing sustainable solutions for ocean health and resilience.

Both of our organizations are united by a shared vision of helping people, the planet, and the economy thrive. By teaming up, we’re combining Builders Vision's holistic approach to systems change and the National Geographic Society’s legacy in science, exploration, education, and storytelling to inspire action, shift perspectives, and catalyze lasting change toward a more resilient future.

This collaboration will include three core elements: offering Builders Vision ocean partners the opportunity to participate in the National Geographic Storytellers Collective, creating a global storytelling series that amplifies the work of National Geographic Explorers addressing urgent ocean challenges and innovations, and identifying pivotal moments to convene investors and sustainability leaders to drive forward critical discussions and solutions for ocean health and resilience.

As a team of forward-looking investors and philanthropists, Builders Vision is committed to accelerating sustainable transitions in oceans, food & agriculture, and energy. Storytelling plays a central role in our mission by helping others to understand the critical challenges and inspire innovative solutions.

"The ocean is a cornerstone of global resilience, yet it has long been overlooked when it comes to funding and attention. Working with the National Geographic Society gives us a real opportunity to change that. By harnessing the power of storytelling, we can bring to the forefront the voices of those driving innovative solutions who need greater recognition and support in order to scale," said Peter Bryant, Oceans Program Director at Builders Vision. "The National Geographic Society's rich history of sharing powerful, world-changing stories makes them the perfect champion to help us spotlight these efforts and encourage the action needed to ensure a sustainable, thriving ocean for generations to come."

Our oceans are vital to both the global economy and the environment, contributing an estimated $2.5 trillion annually through ocean-based industries and supporting the livelihoods of over 3 billion people, many of whom reside in vulnerable coastal areas. Yet, despite their importance, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, "Life Below Water," remains the least funded of all SDGs. At Builders Vision, we recognize the urgent need for increased investment in the blue economy, and we actively support initiatives that strengthen our oceans. Our teams have committed more than $280 million in investments and grants to nonprofits, entrepreneurs, companies, and fund managers working to make ocean ecosystems more resilient and balanced. Last year, we also announced a $70 million co-guarantee to support The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation. With these investments, we’re working to strengthen the blue economy—creating jobs, advancing sustainable industries, and unlocking long-term growth, all while safeguarding the health of our oceans.

We’re proud to work alongside the National Geographic Society, who shares our deep commitment to supporting a sustainable, healthy blue economy.

Builders Vision’s oceans partners are leading the charge in addressing some of the most pressing environmental and economic challenges facing ocean ecosystems. Given the opportunity to create and share stories about their groundbreaking work, they could make an even deeper impact.

Part of our approach to working with partners is supporting them by offering programmatic and strategic guidance. As part of this collaboration, a special set of ocean partners will have the opportunity to participate in the National Geographic Storytellers Collective. This immersive, in-person workshop series focuses on building skills to tell influential stories to critical audiences, leveraging National Geographic’s 136-year legacy of excellence in storytelling and education.

The workshop will provide our partners with the tools to tell their stories effectively through verbal and visual storytelling, while also boosting their confidence, fostering new connections with peers, and equipping them with strategies to engage key audiences — including investors, philanthropic funders, potential customers, and other critical stakeholders — and move them to action.

Builders Vision and the National Geographic Society will also create a new global storytelling series, supporting best-in-class storytellers around the world who are raising critical awareness about the perils facing our world’s oceans, exploring novel ways that individuals and communities are seeking to address them, and revealing the societal and economic benefits of protecting our waters. Through this program, we’ll support three exceptional National Geographic Explorers with grants to uncover and share bold, untold stories that bring critical blue economy challenges and solutions into focus, igniting urgency and sparking meaningful progress.

Stay tuned — the selected Explorers and their innovative projects will be unveiled soon.

The third component of this partnership focuses on creating additional opportunities for collaboration between Builders Vision and the National Geographic Society by hosting joint convenings and partnering at existing events. These events will bring together a global community of investors, innovators, and changemakers, serving as critical platforms to engage influential leaders and power players in driving meaningful action on ocean health and sustainability. More details on these events and opportunities for involvement will be shared later this year.

Builders Vision is dedicated to driving systems change across our sectors, and we believe storytelling is key to shifting perspectives and building momentum for progress. We’re looking forward to working with the National Geographic Society to spotlight storytellers showcasing how healthy ocean ecosystems can drive environmental and economic resilience.

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