معرفی
Dr. Helen Toxopeus is an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University's Department of Economics, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Governance. She specializes in finance for sustainability, with a focus on business models, crowdfunding, and policy mechanisms for nature-based solutions (NBS) and circular economy. Her work bridges research, education, and policy development, particularly in urban sustainability contexts.
Her research explores how collective action can unlock sustainable finance for urban greening, climate adaptation, and regeneration projects. She co-leads work packages in EU Horizon projects like NATURESCAPES (co-finance/co-governance of urban NBS) and participates in REGENL (regenerative agriculture finance) and EMPOWERED (heat transition business models). She contributes to Dutch policy recommendations on urban financing through the Sustainable Finance Lab and co-leads Utrecht University's Transforming Cities initiative under the 'Pathways to Sustainability' strategic theme.
Her 15 most recent publications analyze barriers to NBS adoption, policy mixes for mainstreaming sustainability, and financial mechanisms for urban greening. Articles span
- 2024 studies on value capture in NBS business models
- 2023 works on network governance and public procurement
- 2022 research on social value metrics
- 2021 analyses of financing circular economy
She actively engages with policymakers and practitioners through workshops, conferences, and media contributions, including op-eds in Trouw and presentations at the University of the Netherlands. Her work integrates student research, particularly master's theses, into real-world sustainability projects.
