GLOSSARY

The following glossary introduces essential concepts and definitions that underpin the intersection of sustainability, scientific innovation, technology, and impactful entrepreneurship.

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COSMICGOLD

COSMICGOLD is a venture studio that fosters scientists, engineers, and developers with a systemic and transdisciplinary approach to transform scientific insights into regenerative, market-ready tech startups—thus creating innovations that enable life within planetary boundaries. Read more >

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CSRD - CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING DIRECTIVE

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is an EU directive requiring companies to report transparently and comparably on their sustainability performance. It targets large and significant market companies and promotes disclosure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data according to mandatory European standards. Read more >

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FUTURE READINESS
Future readiness is the synthesis of systemic future thinking, measurable impact, and investor ready operationalization—key factors for long-term entrepreneurial success.

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IMPACT

Impact means that an initiative or company achieves equally positive, measurable effects on the ecological, social, and economic (triple bottom line) dimensions of sustainability.

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IMPACT KPIs

Impact KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are measurable indicators that track a company’s social, environmental, and economic performance. They go beyond traditional metrics by linking business success with impact goals, enabling transparency, comparability, and continuous improvement across the triple bottom line.

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IMPACT MARKET FIT

Impact Market Fit describes the stage at which a product or business model not only meets the needs of a clearly defined market, but also demonstrably generates positive ecological and social impact, thereby creating substantial demand and sustainable value.

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INVESTOR READINESS

Investor readiness describes the stage at which a startup or project—regardless of whether the investors are private or public—has a compelling business model, robust financials, a strong team, and a clear impact strategy, making it attractive and ready for investment.

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NET ZERO (EMISSIONS)

Net Zero means that the global greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities are balanced by their removal from the atmosphere. The goal is to create a balance so that no additional greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere. Read more >

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PLANETARY BOUNDARIES

Planetary boundaries are scientifically defined limits for nine critical Earth system processes that regulate the planet’s stability and resilience. They define a “safe operating space for humanity,” within which societies can develop and thrive without destabilizing Earth’s life-support systems. Read more >​

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POSITIVE NET EFFECTS

Positive net effects describe the outcome when the positive impacts of a project on the environment, society, and the economy outweigh the existing negative consequences overall, thus creating added value.

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REGENERATION

Regeneration goes beyond restoration and means actively strengthening and evolving social and ecological systems to become more resilient and vibrant. It builds on restoration and fosters positive development that sustainably enhances ecological and social balance (=leave it better than you found it). Read more >

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REGENERATIVE BUSINESS DESIGN

Regenerative Business Design is an approach in which companies, through their business models and systemic thinking, not only restore and strengthen social and ecological systems, but also ensure long-term economic value creation and competitiveness by generating positive net effects for the environment, society, and economy. Read more >

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REGENERATIVE VENTURE
A regenerative venture is a company that goes beyond sustainability by restoring and strengthening ecological and social systems while ensuring long-term economic value creation. Through systemic thinking and measurable impact, regenerative ventures generate positive net effects for people, planet, and profit.

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RESTORATION

Restoration is the step beyond sustainability, meaning repairing damaged social and ecological systems back to a healthy state. It is the process of repairing damage to restore previous levels of health and functionality (=repairing damage). Read more >

SBTi - SCIENCE BASED TARGET INITIATIVE

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a global framework that enables companies and financial institutions to set emission-reduction targets aligned with the latest climate science and the goals of the Paris Agreement. It provides standards, tools and validation services to ensure that corporate climate action is credible, ambitious and verifiable. Read more >

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SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is about creating less of the bad, minimizing negative impacts on the environment and society (= doing no harm). Read more >

SYSTEMIC THINKING
A mindset and way of working that focuses on complex interrelationships, interactions, and the interplay of all involved actors in order to develop sustainable, holistic solutions. Read more >

TRANSDISCIPLINARITY
Transdisciplinarity is the close collaboration of experts from different disciplines, industries, and cultures to foster holistic competencies and innovative solutions by integrating diverse perspectives.

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TRIPPLE BOTTOM LINE
The Triple Bottom Line is a concept where companies measure their performance not only by profit but also by the social and environmental impacts of their actions. They are encouraged to create less of the bad and take responsibility equally towards people, planet, and profit. Read more >

VSME - VOLUNTARY STANDARD FOR SME

The VSME standard is a voluntary reporting framework designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU document their sustainability activities and goals. It provides a simple, modular structure tailored to the needs of SMEs that are not subject to mandatory CSRD reporting but want to voluntarily disclose sustainability information. Read more >