In an industry where standing out is increasingly challenging, SquareBySquare isn’t just selling property – it’s selling purpose.
For as little as $50, agents can now offer clients ownership of conservation land alongside their primary homes, transforming routine closings into memorable, impactful experiences.*
Can real estate agents help conservation efforts?
Proptech startup SquareBySquare offers agents a unique value proposition for their clients with an innovative product that redefines the intersection of real estate, conservation, and corporate social responsibility.
Selected as part of the 2024 REACH Australia cohort, backed by Second Century Ventures and the National Association of REALTORS®, SquareBySquare’s mission of protecting valuable rainforests also empowers real estate professionals to approach client engagement in a manner that shows commitment to the industry’s environmental responsibility.
Founded by Henk Kleynhans, SquareBySquare bridges the gap between the real estate industry and conservation efforts, enabling real estate agents to offer their clients something beyond traditional property transactions—the chance to become rainforest landowners.
For as little as $50 for a square metre of rainforest, clients can now purchase micro parcels of conservation land, as a way to show their commitment to climate action, a hot topic globally which individuals and businesses alike are under pressure to respond to.
A Square can serve as a meaningful closing gift, a unique add-on to property sales, or even a standalone product for eco-minded clients who may not be in the market for traditional real estate but want to collectively invest in nature.
The tiered product offering, which includes vouchers, digital products and legacy gifts, opens up possibilities for agents to incorporate Squares into various aspects of their business, from marketing and PR campaigns to client and employee appreciation programs.
Henk Kleynhans explains that “by making it affordable and accessible for anyone to buy land in Australia for protection, we can keep that land out of the hands of organisations profiting from the destruction of these biodiverse and endangered areas.”
This model comes at a crucial time for Australia’s native forests where, as Henk puts it, “Australia is sixth globally when it comes to forest destruction.
We’re the only developed country in the top 10. Last year alone, 330,000 hectares of native forest were bulldozed in Queensland.”
“Across Australia, we cut down a million football fields of native forests each year.
Currently, land’s value is determined by how it can be exploited – whether for forestry, to graze cattle or grow crops, mining or property development.
Bans are not working and conservation Not-For-Profits simply cannot compete with growth and profit seeking companies.”
The concept behind Square by Square isn’t just about conservation; it’s about creating a new kind of value proposition in the real estate market, where instead of typical closing gifts like food hampers or other unsustainable products, agents can now offer their clients ownership of a square of rainforest land.
“Imagine presenting your clients with a digital certificate with a map displaying their name and location of their very own piece of protected rainforest, including its natural capital value.” says Ingi Deutschländer, Communications manager at SquareBySquare.
“As environmental concerns become more prominent in consumer decision-making, offering clients a stake in rainforest conservation can not only serve as a unique talking point, but have a real and lasting impact on the planet.”
Each Square has a unique identifier, allowing owners to showcase their commitment or maintain anonymity publicly, and can be kept or sold at any point.
As SquareBySquare prepares for its official launch later this year, the real estate industry has an opportunity to lead this innovative approach to conservation: “This could be a game-changer,” says Peter Schravemade, Managing Partner for REACH Australia.
“By integrating conservation into everyday real estate transactions, SquareBySquare is not just selling property, it’s cultivating a new generation of environmentally conscious homeowners and agents.
We hope it’s the beginning of a significant shift in how we view the relationship between real estate and our planet.”
Keywords: SquarebySquare, REACH Australia, Conservation Proptech, Henk Kleynhans
