11th Hour Racing

What 11th Hour Racing does

11th Hour Racing is a privately funded nonprofit organization founded in 2010 and headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, that advances ocean health and coastal resilience through three integrated pillars: sport (sailing sponsorships and ambassadors), storytelling (documentary films and a dedicated multimedia platform), and strategic grantmaking. It operates through three entities under the Schmidt Family Foundation umbrella: 11th Hour Racing, Inc. (the programmatic impact entity), 11th Hour Racing Charitable, LLC (charitable work), and 11th Hour Racing Action, LLC (social welfare and advocacy). The organization has funded 359 grantees across clean technologies, ecosystem restoration, and ocean literacy, and supports community composting in Rhode Island that has diverted 13 million pounds of food waste from landfills since 2019.

Its core proprietary asset is MarineShift360, a purpose-built Life Cycle Assessment tool delivered by Marine Futures and supported by 11th Hour Racing, which provides methodology, tools, and training for marine manufacturers and sailing classes to measure environmental footprint across production, use, and end-of-life stages. Sponsorship assets include Team Francesca Clapcich (IMOCA offshore racing), UpWind by MerConcept (all-female sailing team), and impact-partner relationships with The Ocean Race Atlantic, Transat Café L'OR, Vendée Globe, IMOCA, and World Sailing. Sub-brands include Operation Restoration (a five-part film series) and The Toolbox Impact Awards (€1,000 sustainability grants).

The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial: there are no products or services sold, no pricing model, and no external investors. Revenue flows from the Schmidt Family Foundation to fund grants, sponsorships, ambassadorships, content production, and MarineShift360 program operations. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, targeting four primary segments: the marine industry (sustainability and LCA adoption), coastal communities (restoration, resilience, composting), the sailing community (equity and inclusion), and students/educators (ocean literacy and career pathways). Notable recognition includes the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award in 2024 for the Winds of Change project.

Name

11th Hour Racing

Legal name

11th Hour Racing, Inc.

Website

https://11thhourracing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

11th Hour Racing is a nonprofit philanthropic organization funded by the Schmidt Family Foundation that advances ocean health through sport sponsorships, storytelling, strategic grantmaking to 359 grantees, and MarineShift360, a life-cycle assessment tool for the marine industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: 11th Hour Racing operates as a philanthropic foundation funded by the Schmidt Family Foundation. Activities are provided through 11th Hour Racing, Inc. (impact entity providing programmatic direction) and its philanthropic partners including 11th Hour Racing Charitable, LLC (charitable work) and 11th Hour Racing Action, LLC (social welfare programs and advocacy).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

11th Hour Racing is a nonprofit foundation that advances ocean health through three interconnected pillars: strategic grantmaking to ocean-conservation nonprofits, sponsorship of elite offshore sailing teams and events (IMOCA, The Ocean Race, Vendée Globe), and a storytelling platform that produces documentary content about ecosystem restoration and marine sustainability. It also supports MarineShift360, a purpose-built life cycle assessment tool for the marine industry, and runs community composting programs in Rhode Island.

Product overview

11th Hour Racing is a nonprofit organization operating as a unified initiative rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization functions through interconnected programmatic areas: Grant Giving (funding ocean health projects), Sponsorships (supporting sailing teams and athletes), the Ambassador Program (network of advocates), MarineShift360 (lifecycle assessment tool for marine industry), the Storytelling Platform (multimedia content), and the Compost Program (soil health initiative). These programs work together under the 11th Hour Racing umbrella to advance ocean health through sport, storytelling, and grantmaking, with activities provided through 11th Hour Racing, Inc., 11th Hour Racing Charitable, LLC, and 11th Hour Racing Action, LLC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MarineShift360: A purpose-built life-cycle assessment tool for the marine industry, delivered by Marine Futures and supported by 11th Hour Racing, providing methodology, tools and training for sustainability in marine operations.
• Operation Restoration

Products and services

• Grant Giving Program

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GuritminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Selected for 2026 MarineShift360 Impact Accelerator Programme. Gurit is one of the world's leading composite materials and engineering companies serving marine, wind energy and aerospace industries. Will assess lifecycle impact of key marine products and embed LCA methodology into engineering.
• MobyFlyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Selected for 2026 MarineShift360 Impact Accelerator Programme. Swiss-Portuguese technology company developing zero-emission hydrofoil vessels for passenger transport. Recognized as World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. Will produce cradle-to-grave lifecycle assessment of 12-passenger S1 vessel.
• NLCompminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Selected for 2026 MarineShift360 Impact Accelerator Programme. Founded by competitive sailors, NLComp developed rComposite, a DNV-certified fully recyclable thermoplastic composite system using recycled carbon fibre and natural fibres. Will build LCA framework to benchmark composites against traditional materials.
• Van Orton DesignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Italian award-winning design duo (Stefano and Marco Schiavon) created Team Francesca Clapcich's bold new visual identity for the 60-foot IMOCA sailboat. Their graphic style has earned commissions from Marvel, Disney, Pearl Jam, and Bon Jovi.
• The Magenta ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Collaboration on the 2x25 Review examining equity, inclusion and discrimination in sailing and the marine industry. The Magenta Project, in collaboration with 11th Hour Racing and World Sailing, released landmark study findings showing 65% of respondents report experiencing discrimination.
• World SailingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2026Partnership on Olympic-wide Life Cycle Assessment project. World Sailing's 12-month project will see all six Olympic sailing classes undertake LCA to understand environmental footprint across production, use and end of life. MarineShift360 provides methodology, tools and training.
• MarineShift360 / Marine FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2026MarineShift360 is a purpose-built life-cycle assessment tool for the marine industry delivered by Marine Futures and supported by 11th Hour Racing. Ollie Taylor is Director of Marine Futures. The Impact Accelerator Programme equips marine organizations with LCA expertise.
• The Ocean RacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202611th Hour Racing is the official Impact Partner of The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026. Partnership drives sustainability, science, ocean literacy, and gender equity. Racing yachts collect ocean data during competitions, and the organization works with ocean experts and Marine Mammal Advisory Group to develop routes that reduce risk to marine biodiversity.
• Transat Café L'ORcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 202511th Hour Racing is a new partner of the Transat Café L'OR sailing race (formerly Route du Café/Jacques Vabre). The race starts in Le Havre, France with 74 boats and 148 skippers. Partnership supports ocean health messaging during the transatlantic race.
• IMOCAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner11th Hour Racing sponsors IMOCA (International Monohull Open Class Association) to further advance commitment to sustainability and diversity in offshore racing. Partnership navigates sustainable innovation and equity in competitive sailing.
• UpWind by MerConceptcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll-female sailing team created to accelerate gender equity in offshore racing by giving female sailors opportunity to compete at highest levels. 11th Hour Racing is title sponsor of the program.
• Ocean Hour FarmminorStrategic or Co-development Partner44-acre farm in Rhode Island serving as soil lab for teaching farmers and community members about soil health through microscopy. Partner in composting education initiatives and creator of The Ocean Lovers Guide to Compost.
• Rhode RacesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sustainability Sponsor of Newport and Providence Rhode Races running events. Partnership includes community commitment and sustainability integration into race operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: One of the largest U.S.-based ocean advocacy nonprofits focused on ocean health, sustainable fisheries, and policy advocacy. Comparable to 11th Hour Racing in mission scope and grantmaking approach, though broader in policy focus and lacking the sailing-sponsorship narrative engine.
• Schmidt Ocean Institute: A sibling organization under the Schmidt family philanthropic umbrella, operating a research vessel (R/V Falkor) for ocean science and technology development. Comparable in funding source and ocean-health mission, though oriented toward scientific research rather than sport-based storytelling and grantmaking.
• Marine Stewardship Council: International nonprofit setting sustainability standards and certification for sustainable fishing and seafood supply chains. Comparable in marine-sector sustainability focus and standards-development role, and competes for influence with 11th Hour Racing's MarineShift360 in shaping industry sustainability practices.
• World Wildlife Fund (Oceans): Global conservation organization with a significant ocean portfolio including fisheries, marine protected areas, and sustainable seafood. Comparable in environmental advocacy mission and grantmaking, though far larger in scale and operating with broader species/geography scope.

Direct peers

• Sailors for the Sea (Oceana): Ocean conservation nonprofit leveraging the sailing community for ocean advocacy and education programs. Direct peer in mission — using sailing as a platform for ocean health awareness — and competes for the same intersection of sailing engagement and conservation funding.
• SeaLegacy: Ocean conservation organization using storytelling, photography, and expeditions to drive ocean protection. Comparable to 11th Hour Racing's storytelling-led GTM motion and focus on visual narrative as a conservation lever, though anchored by celebrity founders rather than a sailing-sport platform.
• The Ocean Cleanup: Nonprofit deploying technology and large-scale ocean cleanup systems to remove plastic pollution. Comparable in nonprofit structure and ocean-health mission, and shares the marine-tech dimension with 11th Hour Racing's MarineShift360, though focused on engineering solutions rather than LCA tooling.
• Surfrider Foundation: Grassroots ocean and beach conservation nonprofit with a large volunteer network and chapter system. Comparable in nonprofit structure and ocean-advocacy mission, and shares the sport-community engagement model (surfing parallels sailing), though broader and more established.

Emerging players

• Lonely Whale Foundation: Ocean conservation nonprofit focused on plastic pollution, marine protected areas, and youth engagement. Comparable in nonprofit ocean-advocacy mission and storytelling-led campaigns, though with more celebrity-driven and consumer-facing activations.
• Plastic Pollution Coalition: Global advocacy alliance working to end plastic pollution through policy, education, and campaigns. Comparable in environmental advocacy and grantmaking model within a narrower cause area, and shares the storytelling and campaign-driven GTM approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/11thhourracing
• Facebookfacebook.com/11thhourracing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/11th-hour-racing
• Instagraminstagram.com/11thhourracing
• Xx.com/11thHourRacing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about 11th Hour Racing