PredictWind

What PredictWind does

PredictWind is a privately held marine weather forecasting and satellite communication company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Waitakere, New Zealand. It serves individual sailors, cruisers, powerboaters, yacht racers, and fishing vessels globally with a layered product stack: two core forecasting applications (PredictWind App for coastal/inshore use and Offshore App for satellite-delivered GRIB files), an ecosystem of satellite communication and data hardware (Iridium GO!, Iridium GO! exec, YB3i tracker, DataHub, DataHub Pro), and supporting services such as PredictMail offshore email optimization, Over the Horizon AIS, GPS tracking, and weather routing. The underlying technology integrates multiple world-leading weather models (ECMWF, GFS, UKMO, SPIRE, ICON, AIFS) with proprietary marine-tuned models PWG, PWE, and the newly introduced AI-powered PWAi, delivering forecasts at up to 1km resolution with cloud-based route calculation that compresses to ~6kb file sizes for satellite delivery. The DataHub hardware anchors the ecosystem, aggregating GPS, AIS, NMEA 2000, and connectivity inputs and feeding them back into AI Polars and route optimization.

The business model combines product-led growth (free forecast trials, freemium basic features) with a hybrid hardware-plus-subscription revenue structure. Recurring revenue is generated from tiered weather forecast subscriptions (Standard and Professional), satellite airtime plans ranging from $19.95 to $209.95 per month, PredictMail at $59.95 for 3 months or $119.95 for 12 months, and a $10/month DataHub Pro LTE plan. One-time hardware revenue comes from the DataHub ($299), DataHub Pro ($599), YB3i ($499), Iridium GO! ($799), and Iridium GO! exec ($1,569), plus bundled packages and accessories. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company website, iOS, Android, Mac, PC, and Microsoft app stores, and through authorized Iridium reseller status, with physical hardware shipping from distribution centers in the USA, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. PredictWind holds the Official Tracking Solution designation for The Ocean Race and integrates with Starlink, T-Mobile, Raymarine chartplotters, and Apple Mail/Outlook/Gmail clients. The company operates with 1-10 employees under founder Jon Bilger and has received only $220,444 in disclosed grant funding from Callaghan Innovation (2013 and 2020), indicating a highly capital-efficient operating model.

Name

PredictWind

Legal name

PredictWind

Website

https://predictwind.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PredictWind provides marine weather forecasting and satellite communication services for sailors, cruisers, and professional mariners globally. Its ecosystem combines proprietary AI weather models (PWAi), GPS tracking, AIS data, and the DataHub hardware to deliver integrated marine safety and routing solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Weather Forecasting Software

NAICS

Navigational Services to Shipping (488330), Satellite Telecommunications (51741)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Scenario Planning, Forecasting Platforms & Planning Intelligence (HDAAAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI), Demand Forecasting & Predictive Analytics (THALAIAD)

Keywords

• Marine weather forecasting
• Weather routing software
• Satellite communications hardware
• GPS vessel tracking
• Offshore email optimization

Headquarters

HQ city

Waitakere

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Weather Forecast Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to marine weather forecasts with tiered plans (Standard/Professional) offering different forecast resolutions, weather models, and tool access.
2. Satellite Airtime Plans: Monthly airtime plans for Iridium GO! and GO! exec satellite devices, including data allowances and voice minutes. Plans range from basic 5MB to unlimited data options.
3. Hardware Sales: One-time hardware sales including Iridium GO! exec ($1,569), Iridium GO! ($799), DataHub ($299), DataHub Pro ($599), YB3i tracker ($499), antennas, mounts, and accessories.
4. PredictMail Subscription: Annual or quarterly subscription for offshore email optimization service ($59.95 for 3 months, $119.95 for 12 months).
5. App Downloads and In-App Purchases: Free and paid app versions for PredictWind App (iOS/Android) and Offshore App (iOS/Android/Mac/PC) with in-app subscription activation.
6. DataHub Pro LTE Plan: Monthly $10 LTE cellular connectivity plan for DataHub Pro providing coastal coverage in 180+ regions via T-Mobile.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PredictWind develops and sells marine weather forecasting software (PredictWind App and Offshore App), weather routing tools, GPS tracking services, and supporting satellite communication hardware (DataHub, DataHub Pro, YB3i) for sailors, cruisers, powerboaters, and professional mariners. The company also resells Iridium GO! and Iridium GO! exec satellite terminals and offers subscription airtime, PredictMail offshore email, and Over the Horizon AIS data services. Revenue is generated through hardware sales, tiered software subscriptions (Standard/Professional), and recurring airtime/data plans.

Product overview

PredictWind is a marine weather forecasting and satellite communication platform offering a comprehensive ecosystem for sailors, cruisers, powerboaters, and yacht racers. The portfolio includes two core software products (PredictWind App for coastal forecasting and Offshore App for satellite-based GRIB downloads), satellite communication hardware (Iridium GO! exec and Iridium GO!), and marine data intelligence devices (DataHub and DataHub Pro). Supporting services include PredictMail for optimized offshore email, GPS tracking via YB3i, Over the Horizon AIS for extended vessel visibility, and Starlink integration for high-speed internet. Key AI-powered features include PWAi weather forecasting, AI Polars for personalized boat performance modeling, and Weather Routing for optimal passage planning. The ecosystem is unified through the DataHub hardware that connects satellite devices, NMEA 2000 boat networks, cellular and Starlink connectivity, providing GPS tracking, AIS data, anchor monitoring, and AI polars generation. PredictWind is the official technology partner for The Ocean Race.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PredictWind App Mobile and desktop application for marine weather forecasting and navigation tools designed for inshore and coastal use, offering high-resolution forecasts down to 1km, weather routing, departure planning, and GPS tracking. Targeted at sailors, cruisers, powerboaters, fishermen, dinghy racers, and other water sports participants who need accurate wind, wave, temperature, and weather pattern forecasts.
• Offshore App Desktop and mobile application for downloading GRIB weather forecast files via satellite or SSB connection, designed for offshore passages with highly compressed file sizes and optimized downloads. Available on Raymarine chartplotter systems and integrates with Iridium satellite devices for low-bandwidth marine weather delivery.
• Iridium GO! exec Portable satellite communication device providing global coverage with 40x faster data speeds than the original Iridium GO!, IP65 rating, SOS button, internal battery (6 hours talk/data, 24 hours standby), and unlimited data plans. Sold as PredictWind's flagship satellite terminal for offshore voice, data, SMS, email, WhatsApp, and GPS tracking when paired with the DataHub.
• Iridium GO! Original Iridium satellite communication device creating a Wi-Fi hotspot for voice, data, SMS, email, and GPS tracking with global coverage, IP65 rating, and SOS emergency button. Available as standalone unit, Marine Package, and Complete Package with DataHub for boat installation.
• DataHub Marine data intelligence device providing GPS tracking, AIS data aggregation, AI Polars generation, Anchor Alert monitoring, and connectivity failover, functioning as the official tracking solution for The Ocean Race. Connects to NMEA 2000 networks to broadcast GPS and AIS data over Wi-Fi across all onboard devices.
• DataHub Pro Next-generation marine connectivity hub with Wi-Fi 6 (3x faster), 4x Ethernet ports, USB-C, built-in T-Mobile LTE SIM, Starlink LTE-ready hardware, and Man Overboard App support. Targets professional marine systems requiring expanded ports and faster connectivity.
• YB3i Tracker Most affordable global GPS tracking solution using Iridium Short Burst Data satellite network, with IP68 rating, 3-4 weeks backup battery life, and ultra-low power consumption (350mA average draw). Targeted at sailors and cruisers needing low-cost vessel tracking.
• PredictMail Offshore email service enabling use of existing email apps (Apple Mail, Outlook, Gmail) via satellite connections with up to 95% data reduction through compression and filtering, powered by DataHub. Available as quarterly ($59.95) or annual ($119.95) subscription for sailors needing email access offshore.
• Over the Horizon AIS AIS data service extending vessel visibility up to 300 nautical miles on chartplotters, powered by DataHub's global AIS network aggregation, providing hours of advance warning versus minutes with standard VHF AIS. Targeted at mariners needing extended situational awareness beyond line-of-sight.
• Weather Routing Cloud-based route planning service calculating optimal passages based on 6 weather forecast models, wave modeling, and boat-specific performance data, with 28-day ECMWF ensemble forecasts. Designed for offshore sailors and racers needing optimal passage planning and delivered in tiny 6kb file sizes for low-bandwidth satellite downloads.
• SIM Cards and Airtime Plans Iridium satellite SIM cards and monthly airtime plans offering global coverage with tiered options including GO! exec Unlimited ($209.95/month), PredictWind Plan ($169.95/month), GO! exec 5 ($69.95/month), and GO! exec 25 ($109.95/month). SIM cards priced at $12-$15, with all airtime plans month-to-month and no long-term contracts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% data reduction for offshore email through PredictMail compression technology
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The Ocean RacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPredictWind is the Official Tracking Solution for The Ocean Race, incorporating technology from the prestigious round-the-world yacht race into its GPS tracking platform. This partnership provides third-party validation of PredictWind's tracking and weather technology for professional marine applications.
• IridiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationIridium provides the satellite constellation network that powers PredictWind's GO! and GO! exec satellite communication devices. PredictWind is an authorized reseller of Iridium hardware and airtime plans. The partnership enables global satellite connectivity for marine customers.
• T-MobilecoreTechnology or IntegrationT-Mobile provides LTE cellular connectivity for the DataHub Pro, enabling coastal connectivity in 180+ regions worldwide. The DataHub Pro ships with an embedded T-Mobile SIM card for out-of-the-box global cellular connectivity.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PredictWind
• Facebookfacebook.com/PredictWind
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/predictwind-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 PredictWind