Most tech companies measure success in users, revenue, or market share. Ecosia — the search engine founded in Berlin, Germany in 2009 — measures it in trees.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2026, the company reached 250 million trees planted worldwide, a milestone marked at the Reichstag — the German federal parliament building in central Berlin — where founder Christian Kroll planted a symbolic tree alongside Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Carsten Schneider. It was a fitting location: Ecosia has been headquartered in Berlin since its founding, and the German government's presence at the ceremony underscored the seriousness with which the milestone is being taken.
Since 2009, Ecosia has built what it describes as the world's largest network of local reforestation operations, working with 125 organisations and more than 200,000 tree planters across more than 35 countries. Its portfolio spans 1,600 native tree species — 144 of which are classified as endangered or vulnerable — making it the world's largest planter of native trees and a leading contributor to threatened-species conservation. Projects span multiple continents, from rainforest restoration in Brazil and Madagascar to agroforestry systems in Burkina Faso, in West Africa, and Malawi, in southern Africa.
Crucially, Ecosia's 250-million count only includes trees that have survived beyond their third year — when they begin delivering measurable benefits for climate, biodiversity, water systems, and local communities. Younger saplings don't make the tally. The company uses satellite technology, biomass monitoring, and regular field visits to track the trees' long-term health.
The company has invested over €100 million (approximately US$110 million) into climate action since its founding, including €18 million (around US$20 million) into renewable energy. In 2018, Ecosia transferred its shares to the Purpose Foundation, a legal structure that prevents the company from ever being sold and ensures no individual — including the founder — can take profits from it. There is, as Ecosia puts it, only one shareholder: the planet.
Looking ahead, Ecosia is expanding its work beyond tree planting into broader landscape restoration, working with organisations including Commonland to actively support local communities and ecosystems in recovery.