What AquaSprouts does

AquaSprouts Inc. is an Austin, Texas-based, privately held hardware e-commerce company founded by Jack Ikard that designs and sells indoor aquaponics and hydroponics kits for the home and K-12 education markets. Its core product family — the AquaSprouts Garden (10-gallon and 29-gallon configurations that sit atop a standard aquarium), the AquaSprouts Fountain (6-gallon and 8-gallon water-feature planters), and the Universal Pond Garden — converts a standard aquarium, stock tank, or pond into a closed-loop ecosystem where fish waste fertilizes plants and the plants filter the water, eliminating the need for separate aquarium filters. The underlying system uses a submersible pump, programmable mechanical timer, adjustable drain-riser grow bed with emergency overflow, an optional undergravel biofilter add-on, and reusable LECA grow media; the company also sells a complementary accessories and consumables line (pumps, timers, plumbing kits, LECA, dechlorinator, fish food, grow plugs, biodome, LED grow light) priced from $7.95 to $334.95.

The business is primarily direct-to-consumer through a Shopify-hosted storefront with global shipping, supplemented by Amazon Marketplace (where the 10 Gal. Garden has been a bestseller), the educational distributor Nasco Science, and a dedicated K-12 purchase-order/quote workflow with tax-exempt handling. Revenue streams are one-time hardware sales plus modest recurring consumables and replacement parts; the company also derives institutional revenue from the Seafood Nutrition Partnership 'Seafood in Schools' aquaponics pilot across 11 US K-12 programs and the standards-aligned Aquaponics STEM Classroom Education Kit (NGSS, TEKS, OpenSciEd, CCSS ELA, grades 3-9). AquaSprouts has raised a single disclosed $150,000 seed round from Hatcher+ and Quake Capital Partners in September 2018, participated in the zero-equity MassChallenge Texas 2018 accelerator, and holds US & International Patents Pending; it is referenced in media outlets including Wired, BBC Science Focus, BuzzFeed, Mashable, HGTV, Treehugger, and the New York Post.

Name

AquaSprouts

Legal name

AquaSprouts Inc.

Website

https://aquasprouts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AquaSprouts Inc. is an Austin, TX-based e-commerce hardware company that designs and sells indoor aquaponics and hydroponics kits (Garden, Fountain, Pond Garden) plus accessories and consumables to home hobbyists and K-12 STEM classrooms via Shopify, Amazon, and educational distributors like Nasco Science.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indoor Aquaponics Systems

NAICS

Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaponics (Integrated Fish & Plant Production) (AFAEAAAI)

Keywords

• Indoor aquaponics systems
• Hydroponic garden kits
• Aquarium top gardens
• STEM aquaponics curriculum
• Grow media supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: One-time sale of core aquaponics hardware: 8 Gal. Fountain ($168.95), 10 Gal. Garden ($169.75), 29 Gal. Garden ($334.95), 6 Gal. Fountain ($159.45), and AquaSprouts Universal Pond Garden ($224.95). These are the primary revenue-generating units.
2. Accessories and Parts: Sale of replacement and upgrade accessories including submersible pumps ($27.95), Programmable Timer ($8.95), Ebb & Flow Plumbing Kit ($7.95), Smart Seed Sprouting Biodome ($99.95), and LECA grow media (from $28.95).
3. Consumables (Aquatic Care): Recurring/repeat consumable revenue from Natural Fish Food (from $4.95), Water Dechlorinator ($6.75), and Gravel Filter Kit ($24.95) for ongoing system operation.
4. STEM Education Curriculum Kit: Sale of the Aquaponics STEM Classroom Education Kit ($79.95) including 11 lesson plans aligned to NGSS/TEKS/OpenSciEd/CCSS, grow plugs, seeds, fish food, dechlorinator, and pH test strips for grades 3–9.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AquaSprouts designs, manufactures, and sells indoor aquaponics and hydroponics garden kits that snap onto standard 10-gallon or 29-gallon aquariums to create self-sustaining ecosystems in which fish waste fertilizes plants and the plants filter the water. The product family includes the AquaSprouts Garden (10 Gal., 29 Gal.), the AquaSprouts Fountain (6 Gal., 8 Gal.), the AquaSprouts Universal Pond Garden, plus accessories (submersible pumps, programmable timers, ebb-and-flow plumbing, LECA grow media, LED grow light, seed sprouter) and an 11-lesson standards-aligned STEM classroom curriculum kit for grades 3–9.

Product overview

AquaSprouts sells a family of indoor aquaponics and hydroponics kits rather than a single product. The flagship products are the AquaSprouts Garden, offered in 10-gallon and 29-gallon desktop/tabletop configurations that convert a standard aquarium into a self-sustaining aquaponic ecosystem, and the AquaSprouts Fountain, available in 6-gallon and 8-gallon variants that double as water-feature planters. The AquaSprouts Universal Pond Garden extends the same concept to outdoor stock-tank and pond conversions. Around this core kit family, AquaSprouts offers a complementary parts-and-consumables ecosystem (categorized on the site as Grow, Light, Plant, Aquatic, and Parts & Add-Ons) including the Submersible Water Pump (160/600/800/1500 GPH), Ebb & Flow Plumbing Kit, Programmable Timer, Smart Seed Sprouting Biodome, Expanded Clay Pebbles (LECA) grow media, Water Dechlorinator, Natural Fish Food, Gravel Filter Kit, and the LED Grow Light, plus the Aquaponics Education Kit, an 11-lesson STEM curriculum module for grades 3–9 that turns the Garden into a classroom tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AquaSprouts Garden: Aquaponics grow bed that sits on top of a standard aquarium, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem where fish waste fertilizes plants and plants filter the water. Available in 10-gallon and 29-gallon configurations.
• AquaSprouts Fountain

Products and services

• 10 Gal. AquaSprouts Garden Tabletop aquaponics kit that sits on a standard 10-gallon aquarium, converting it into a self-sustaining ecosystem where fish waste fertilizes plants and the plants filter the water for the fish. Targeted at home hobbyists, aquarium owners, and classrooms.
• 29 Gal. AquaSprouts Garden Larger desktop aquaponics kit designed to fit a standard 29-gallon aquarium; uses fish waste as plant nutrients and the grow-bed plants as the filtration system, eliminating the need for separate aquarium filters. Targeted at advanced hobbyists, large aquariums, and K-12 classrooms.
• 6 Gal. AquaSprouts Fountain Patio/pond water-feature fountain combining a 6-gallon reservoir with a planter top; can be operated as an aquaponics, hydroponics, or simple water-garden system. Targeted at homeowners seeking a decorative outdoor fountain with optional plant growth.
• 8 Gal. AquaSprouts Fountain Larger 8-gallon AquaSprouts Fountain serving as a fountain, planter, and decorative ecosystem that can be used as aquaponics, hydroponics, or a simple water garden. Targeted at homeowners wanting a combined decor and gardening feature.
• AquaSprouts Universal Pond Garden Universal grow-bed conversion kit that turns an existing container, pond, or stock tank into an aquaponic, bog, or patio garden ecosystem. Targeted at homeowners with existing ponds or stock tanks.
• Submersible Water Pump Replacement submersible pump available in 160 GPH (fits the AquaSprouts Garden), 600 GPH, 800 GPH, and 1500 GPH variants for circulating water between the aquarium and the grow bed. Targeted at AquaSprouts kit owners needing replacement or higher-capacity pumps.
• Programmable Mechanical Timer Mechanical 24-hour programmable timer used to schedule the submersible pump cycle, with a recommended default of 15 minutes on per hour for ebb-and-flow cycling. Targeted at AquaSprouts kit owners.
• Ebb & Flow Plumbing Kit Fittings kit that enables ebb-and-flow hydroponic plumbing configurations on AquaSprouts systems. Targeted at hobbyists customizing their grow bed plumbing.
• Smart Seed Sprouting Biodome Seed-starting greenhouse / microgreens kit designed to start seedlings before transplanting them into the AquaSprouts Garden grow bed. Targeted at home gardeners wanting year-round indoor seed starting.
• AquaSprouts Expanded Clay Pebbles (LECA) Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) grow media sold in 10-liter and 20-liter bags; the same porous, kiln-fired clay pebbles shipped with every AquaSprouts Garden and Fountain kit. Targeted at aquaponic, hydroponic, bioactive terrarium, and houseplant users.
• Aquaponics STEM Classroom Education Kit Supplemental classroom curriculum of 11 standards-aligned ~50-minute lesson plans for grades 3–9 (aligned to NGSS, TEKS, OpenSciEd, and CCSS ELA), bundled with a printed and electronic education booklet, 32 Aqua Grow Plugs, seed packets, natural fish food, natural water dechlorinator, and pH litmus test strips. Targeted at K-12 STEM educators and schools.
• Natural Water Dechlorinator Natural water dechlorinator used to remove chlorine and chloramine from tap water before adding it to the aquaponic system. Targeted at AquaSprouts kit owners and aquarium hobbyists.
• Natural Fish Food Natural fish food formulated for aquaponic use without dyes or preservatives that could harm plants or fish, sold in multiple pack sizes. Targeted at AquaSprouts kit owners.
• Gravel Filter Kit (Undergravel Biofiltration) Undergravel biofiltration kit including 16 grid panels, an air lift pipe and spout, air stone, airline tubing, check valve, and air pump that draws water down through aquarium gravel to add biological filtration and aeration. Targeted at AquaSprouts Garden, Fountain, and other aquarium owners.
• LED Grow Light LED grow light that mounts onto the AquaSprouts Garden light bar to support fruiting and light-hungry plants. Targeted at indoor gardeners using the AquaSprouts system.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship accelerator partnership, major education-sector partnership, core educational channel partner, pet-industry demo partner, curriculum co-developer, charitable / community goodwill partner, core commerce platform and education/sector partnership.

• MassChallenge Texasflagship accelerator partnershipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2018AquaSprouts was selected from 520+ applicants to participate in the inaugural MassChallenge Texas 2018 accelerator in Austin, TX. One of 84 participating startups; subsequently selected as a top-16 startup and awarded the Social Impact People's Choice Award at the MCTX18 Showcase. The program provided workspace, mentors, and the chance to compete for up to $500,000 in equity-free cash prizes.
• Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP)major education-sector partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAquaSprouts is the desktop garden system provider and customer-service partner for the SNP 'Seafood in Schools' aquaponics pilot launched in 11 education programs across the US, including schools in Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, Greenville SC, Memphis, Fairfax VA, and Kanawha County WV. The Aquaponic Source supplies curriculum; AquaSprouts supplies hardware and teacher support.
• Nasco Sciencecore educational channel partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNasco Science is an educational distributor that resells the AquaSprouts Garden to schools (enasco.com product SB51992M) and hosted AquaSprouts demos at their booth during the NSTA 2017 conference in Los Angeles.
• Kordonpet-industry demo partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKordon is an industry partner that allowed AquaSprouts to demo the AquaSprouts Garden to thousands of attendees at the Global Pet Expo 2017 in Orlando, FL.
• The Aquaponic Sourcecurriculum co-developerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Aquaponic Source worked with Seafood Nutrition Partnership as the curriculum provider alongside AquaSprouts as the hardware provider for the 'Seafood in Schools' aquaponics pilot.
• DonorsChoose.orgcharitable / community goodwill partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerHighlighted on AquaSprouts' #GivingTuesday communications; DonorsChoose enables teachers to request funding for classroom aquaponics kits including AquaSprouts Gardens. AquaSprouts publicly backs teacher campaigns on the platform.
• Shopify Inc.core commerce platformTechnology or IntegrationAquaSprouts' online store is hosted on Shopify Inc., which provides the e-commerce platform, secure data storage, databases, PCI-DSS-compliant payment gateway (including AES-256 encryption and SSL), and handles all direct payment credit-card processing.
• NASA (Plant the Moon / Plant Mars challenge via Institute of Competition Sciences)education/sector partnershipGTM or Marketing PartnerAquaSprouts donated AquaSprouts Gardens, supplies, and founder/CEO Jack Ikard's personal support to St. James Day School (Texarkana, TX) for the NASA-affiliated Institute of Competition Sciences 'Plant the Moon' and 'Plant Mars' challenges (run with UCF CLASS Exolith Laboratory and NASA SSERVI). The students won six awards across these competitions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aquasprouts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/aquasprouts
• Facebookfacebook.com/aquasprouts
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquasprouts
• Pinterestpinterest.com/aquasprouts
• TikToktiktok.com/@aquasprouts

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AquaSprouts