Focused mandate
Purpose-built for innovation emerging from the full Forest Ecosystem.
THE FOREST ECOSYSTEM PLATFORM
The next great innovation platform is already growing.
CRSilva backs entrepreneurs turning Forest Ecosystems — biology, materials, carbon, water and data — into practical, scalable businesses.
01 Forest Ecosystem
02 Technology + Biology
03 Building Real Companies
THE PLATFORM PATTERN
A platform can create industries no one predicts.
ARPANET began as communications infrastructure. What came later — the web, e-commerce, search, cloud computing and AI — was far larger than the original use case.
1969
U.S. military builds it to survive a nuclear strike. Pure defense.
THE FOREST ECOSYSTEM PLATFORM
The platform has been here all along.
For roughly one million years, we have used only a small part of what Forest Ecosystems can produce.
~1M yrsBurn itFuel
~476K yrsBuild with itStructure
~105 ADMash itPaper
TodayStill earlyMostly fuel, lumber & pulp
WHAT COMES NEXT?
AI · Robotics · Chemistry · Genomics · Advanced ManufacturingTHE FRAMEWORK
Natural systems become scalable companies.
The strategy begins with the Forest Ecosystem, applies modern technology layers, and looks for companies that solve real customer problems and can grow into durable businesses.
- 01
Forest Ecosystem
Biology · Materials · Carbon · Water · Data
Explore - 02
Technology Layers
AI · Robotics · Chemistry · Genomics · Advanced Manufacturing
Explore - 03
Company Formation
Resilience · Circular Fiber · Construction · Bio-Based Materials · Intelligence
Explore - 04
Real-World Scale
Useful products, credible customers and repeatable growth.
Selected companies
WHERE WE LOOK
A broad platform.
A disciplined screen.
CRSilva focuses on businesses emerging from the Forest Ecosystem — where domain knowledge can help distinguish an interesting idea from a company that can actually work.
WILDFIRE & RISK
Better tools for a growing physical risk.
Models, monitoring, planning and insurance tools that help utilities, communities, landowners and insurers predict losses earlier and deploy capital more intelligently.
WHY CRSILVA
Domain expertise where generalists can have blind spots.
The work is built around people, practical diligence, operating judgment and direct involvement with companies.
Practical diligence
Does the idea make sense? Does the product work? Who buys it? Can the team execute and stay financed?
Hands-on judgment
Experience building organizations, evaluating operations, structuring transactions and helping management teams solve problems.
Meet the teamInstitutional standards
Clear decision-making, disciplined analysis, strong governance, reporting and compliance.
THE TEAM
Knowing the people. Knowing the work. Knowing the numbers.
Three complementary forms of judgment: institution building, operating reality and investment analysis.
FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
Paul J. Young
Co-founded and built an institutional investment firm, raised and managed capital, created investment strategies and worked directly with management teams.
Institution building · leadership · company judgment
PRINCIPAL
Dag Rutherford
Brings operating and investment experience across forest products, natural resources, consulting, portfolio management and institutional assets.
Operations · product reality · market execution
PRINCIPAL
Zach Sargent
Leads detailed sourcing, market work, financial analysis, ownership and dilution modeling, transactions and company tracking.
Sourcing · numbers · analytical discipline
START A CONVERSATION
For investors, entrepreneurs, and industry participants building what comes next.
CRSilva is relationship-led. If you are investing, building, researching or working on something connected to the Forest Ecosystem Platform, introduce yourself.