Tech, Wildflowers & Citizen Science: Capgemini, Pollenize and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Join Forces for Pollinator Conservation
Disclaimer : Floradex currently uses national datasets which show that in Great Britain,there are 485 species of bees, butterflies and hoverflies linked to 499 native plants, and 4,397 insect species linked to 1,033 plant food sources. Our software compares your site’s plant list to these datasets to show which species are supported and where new planting could create habitat. This first iteration of the software does not account for soil type or microhabitat, and it excludes moths and wasps. We are exploring an iRecord integration to strengthen data verification. The current focus is the biodiversity widget, helping organisations track progress and keep people engaged in continuous improvement. Future iterations will add habitat approximation and broader pollinator datasets to refine planting advice.
On 8 July 2025, a patch of London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park became the setting for a unique collaboration between Capgemini, Pollenize, and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Innovation District. Volunteers, biodiversity experts, and tech tools came together for a half-day “BioBlitz” at Waterden Green, driven by data, people, and nature.
This innovative partnership showcases the power of citizen science and corporate volunteering to deliver meaningful environmental impact, blending sustainability technology, public land stewardship and hands-on conservation.
About the Partners
BioBlitz Participants - Photo Credit :Sian Herbert
Pollenize:
A tech-driven social enterprise dedicated to protecting pollinators and restoring urban biodiversity. Their approach combines community engagement with scientific rigour, leveraging digital tools like iNaturalist to monitor and protect nature at scale.
Capgemini:
A global leader in responsible technology, embedding sustainability into everything it does, from supporting local ecosystems to deploying AI-powered tools like Nest Sweeper for protecting biodiversity across projects.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park:
Spanning 102 hectares, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is one of the UK’s largest and most iconic urban green spaces. It is also one of London’s three Innovation Districts, and facilitates the growth of local innovation through partnerships and innovation trials.
The BioBlitz: Capturing Biodiversity in Real Time
Participants recording plant species - Photo Credit: Sian Herbert
Capgemini staff as well as the Capgemini Defra Client Account Team, equipped and trained by Pollenize, spread out across Waterden Green in the Park’s North area. Using the iNaturalist app, they recorded a wide range of plant and animal species, helping build a digital snapshot of the site’s current biodiversity.
Around 25 staff participated, with support from Pollenize facilitators and a dedicated photographer to document the day. In just one hour, participants logged over 450 observations and identified 105 species, an impressive jump from the 118 observations and 85 species recorded in the same area between January 2018 and June 2025.
The observations will form a baseline biodiversity report by Pollenize, offering insights into ecological health and informing potential future habitat improvements at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
“It’s inspiring to see tech and teamwork come together to reconnect people with nature and empower local action,” said Owen Finnie, Co-founder of Pollenize.
Coming Soon: Wildflower Meadow Creation
Pollenize Native Wildflower Meadow- Photo Credit: Chris Parkes
The BioBlitz was just the beginning. In October 2025, Capgemini volunteers will return to the site, this time with trowels, seeds and soil in mind.
Under Pollenize’s guidance and in collaboration with id verde and representatives from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the team will plant a small patch of native wildflower seeds at a location to be confirmed, transforming citizen science data into real-world action for pollinators habitats.
The mini meadow will boost biodiversity, provide nectar-rich habitats, and offer long-term environmental and social benefits for the park and its visitors.
“Undertaking a BioBlitz here at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a great initiative that combines community engagement with ecological objectives. This trial provides Pollenize with valuable data, helping to inform future improvements here on the Park to enhance biodiversity. As one of London’s three Innovation Districts, we are proud to help businesses like Pollenize design and implement innovation trials like this.”added Abdul Rahim, Chief Innovation Officer at Innovation Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Impact and Next Steps
Co-branded Pollenize Wildflower Seed Packets - Photo Credit: Sian Herbert
Environmental:
The data gathered in July creates an ecological baseline for that specific area (Waterden Green), which Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park can use to guide future land management if they wish to do so. Even if no formal action is taken, the record itself has value for tracking local trends and informing public engagement.
Social:
Volunteer participants gained hands-on conservation experience, while contributing to a cause that aligns with the Capgemini’s ESG goals and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s biodiversity objectives.
What’s next?
Wildflower sowing in October
A full biodiversity report published in the autumn
“Pollenize CIC is leading the way in restoring healthier ecosystems, and it was a privilege to support their mission. The experience brought our colleagues together displaying purpose driven teamwork at its best.”said Rosanna Boxall Project Management Officer at Capgemini
Join The Movement
Bioblitz Event - Photo Credit: Sian Herbert
Follow Pollenize’s journey on LinkedIn and find out more about Floradex, our biodiversity tracking tool. Discover how our Biodiversity Surveys and Wildflower Meadow Programmes are helping to bring nature back to your local areas, securing a thriving future for pollinators, plants, people, and the planet.
Together, we’re proving that small-scale actions, when powered by data and community, can bloom into big change.
