Ocean Research & Conservation Association
Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) is a Vero Beach, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 that develops proprietary water-quality monitoring and deep-sea camera technology to protect and restore the Indian River Lagoon and surrounding aquatic ecosystems through citizen science, restoration projects, and education.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersVero Beach, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ocean Research & Conservation Association does
Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit technology-based marine conservation organization founded in 2005 by Dr. Edith Widder and headquartered in Vero Beach, Florida. ORCA develops and operates a portfolio of proprietary monitoring, restoration, and deep-sea observation technologies, including the Eye-in-the-Sea and Medusa stealth camera systems (using 690nm far-red illumination and an eJelly bioluminescent optical lure for unobtrusive observation up to 2,000m depth), the Kilroy real-time water quality monitoring network streaming ~30-minute-interval data across 70+ linear miles of Florida waterways, and an Ecotoxicity Program that uses bioluminescent-bacteria assays combined with GPS mapping to identify sediment toxicity hotspots. The organization serves the Indian River Lagoon ecosystem—one of North America's most biodiverse estuaries—alongside municipal, state, and federal partners, and runs a large citizen-science program (300+ trained volunteers across fish monitoring, pollution mapping, and shoreline restoration) plus educational products (Kilroy Academy, A Day in the Life, Data Jam).
ORCA generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit funding stack: individual donations and monthly giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation and grant funding (Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, 11th Hour Racing, Indian River Impact 100, Schooner Foundation, Link Foundation, Frances Langford Fund, the Benedict Foundation, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's $25M Indian River Lagoon allocation), speaking engagements by Dr. Widder, legacy/planned giving, an annual Explorer Experience fundraiser hosted at Triton Submarines, and named scholarship funds. Financial data is not publicly disclosed. ORCA operates three Florida facilities—the D.J. Rainone Research & Science Center (Vero Beach headquarters), the Center for Citizen Science (Vero Beach), and an Engineering Office (Indian Harbour Beach)—with ~18 staff supporting research, engineering, education, and development functions.
Ocean Research & Conservation Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ocean Research & Conservation Association
- Legal name
- Ocean Research & Conservation Association
- Website
- https://teamorca.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) is a Vero Beach, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 that develops proprietary water-quality monitoring and deep-sea camera technology to protect and restore the Indian River Lagoon and surrounding aquatic ecosystems through citizen science, restoration projects, and education.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ocean Research & Conservation Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC), Online Monitoring, Sensors & Instrumentation (SCADA-integrated analyzers, probes, samplers) (EUANAJAC), Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF)
Keywords
Where Ocean Research & Conservation Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vero Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Ocean Research & Conservation Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting ORCA's mission to protect aquatic ecosystems. Monthly giving programs available. Donations go directly to technology research, conservation science, and educational programs.
- Corporate Giving and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships and support from local corporations for conservation-focused community initiatives. Includes corporate donation programs and event sponsorships.
- Foundation and Grant Funding: Funding from foundations including Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, Frances Langford Fund through Martin County Community Foundation, Indian River Impact 100, and other environmental foundations supporting specific projects.
- Scholarship Fund: The ORCA Environmental Science Scholarship in Memory of Jasmine Schwadron supports future environmental educators and scientists. Named gift program.
- Legacy/Planned Giving: Estate planning gifts allowing donors to include ORCA in future plans, supporting long-term aquatic conservation and research efforts.
- Government Grants: Funding from government agencies including Florida Department of Environmental Protection ($25 million allocated to Indian River Lagoon projects) for water quality improvements and restoration work.
- Speaking Engagements: Dr. Edith Widder, as CEO and senior scientist, earns speaking fees for keynote presentations and environmental/science speaking engagements at conferences.
- Annual Fundraiser Events: Explorer Experience annual fundraising event hosted at Triton Submarines featuring dinner, drinks, live music, and silent auction. Proceeds support Indian River Lagoon protection and restoration.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels9 records
Ocean Research & Conservation Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ORCA develops and deploys proprietary technology for marine conservation, including the Kilroy real-time water quality monitoring network, stealth deep-sea camera systems (Eye-in-the-Sea and Medusa), and bioluminescence-based ecotoxicity testing. The organization delivers shoreline restoration projects (living and buffered shorelines), operates citizen science programs across Florida's Indian River Lagoon, and provides educational resources. Its work combines field monitoring, pollution mapping, habitat restoration, and community engagement to address aquatic ecosystem degradation.
Product overview
ORCA is a technology-based marine conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected research, monitoring, and restoration products. The core technology platform is the Kilroy Network—a real-time water quality monitoring system—supplemented by the Ecotoxicity Program for pollution mapping. These feed into citizen science programs including Fish Monitoring (One Health) and Land to Sea restoration projects (Living Shorelines, Buffered Shorelines). ORCA also develops proprietary deep-sea observation technology including the Eye-in-the-Sea and Medusa camera systems with electronic jellyfish (eJelly) optical lures, primarily used for giant squid research. Educational products include Kilroy Academy, A Day in the Life citizen science events, and Data Jam competitions. The organization operates primarily in the Indian River Lagoon region of Florida.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kilroy Network A continuous real-time water quality monitoring system that uses state-of-the-art sensors to measure temperature, depth, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, chlorophyll, blue-green algae, and nutrients across waterways, streaming data via cellular signals 24 hours per day. Used by researchers, government agencies, and community members tracking the Indian River Lagoon.
- Ecotoxicity Program A pollution mapping and sediment toxicity assessment program that uses bioluminescent bacteria assays to measure sediment toxicity and creates visual pollution gradient maps identifying contamination hotspots in the Indian River Lagoon. Used by environmental managers and policymakers.
- One Health Fish Monitoring A citizen science project analyzing toxins and toxicants (heavy metals, cyanotoxins, microplastics, PFAS) in fish from the Indian River Lagoon to assess bioaccumulation in the aquatic food chain and human exposure risks. Targets fishing communities, public health agencies, and environmental researchers.
- Eye-in-the-Sea (EITS) A deep-sea camera observatory that uses far-red light illumination at 690nm (invisible to most deep-sea animals) and an electronic jellyfish (eJelly) optical lure to observe marine life unobtrusively without disturbing natural behavior, operating at depths up to 1000m. Used by marine researchers for non-invasive deep-sea observation.
- The Medusa Deep-Sea Camera A compact autonomous deep-sea submersible camera system operating at depths up to 2000m, using far-red LED illumination and the eJelly optical lure. Can be deployed as a lander, drifter, or moored system for up to 72-hour operations. Used by marine researchers and scientific expeditions.
- Living Shorelines Shoreline restoration projects using breakwaters (rock or bagged shell) and native vegetation along intertidal shorelines to provide habitat, stabilize shorelines, improve water quality, and protect against erosion. Delivered for municipalities, parks, and waterfront property owners in the Indian River Lagoon region.
- Buffered Shorelines Vegetated buffer zones along waterways using native Florida plants to filter pollutants, capture stormwater runoff, and reduce nutrient loading into the Indian River Lagoon. Delivered for municipalities, parks, and waterfront property owners.
- Kilroy Academy An educational program providing educators and students with resources to analyze real-time Kilroy water quality data, including video tutorials, virtual field trips, and lesson plans for grades 9-12. Targets teachers, schools, and homeschool networks.
- A Day in the Life of the Indian River Lagoon An annual citizen science event where students, teachers, and volunteers collect water quality and biological data at sampling sites along the 156-mile Indian River Lagoon on the same day each October. Targets K-12 schools, teachers, students, and community volunteers.
- Data Jam
Quantifiable outcome
- 9.09 mg/L decrease in phosphate concentrations within one month of buffered shoreline installation
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Ocean Research & Conservation Association
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Ocean Research & Conservation Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
Ocean Research & Conservation Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core partner, technology partner, partner and event partner.
- City of Sebastiancore partnerPartner in Riverview Park buffered shoreline restoration project - provides site access and collaboration for 127 linear foot shoreline installation.
- City of Satellite Beachcore partnerPartner in Frank P. Catino Park buffered shoreline project - 350 linear foot restoration with native Florida plants installed with 50 volunteers.
- Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Programcore partnerCollaborative partner in living shoreline and buffered shoreline restoration projects including Riverview Park installation.
- Cape Eleuthera Institutetechnology partnerORCA loans the Medusa deep-sea camera to Cape Eleuthera Institute for deep-sea shark studies and training new explorers.
- University of Florida IFAS ExtensionpartnerHorticulture extension agents partner with ORCA to design and install buffered shorelines using native plants.
- The Nature ConservancypartnerEnvironmental organization partner in conservation efforts and resource sharing.
- Indian RiverkeeperpartnerLocal environmental advocacy organization working on lagoon protection.
- Audubon SocietypartnerEnvironmental organization partner for habitat protection and biodiversity conservation.
- Waterkeeper AlliancepartnerGlobal environmental organization partner for waterway protection.
- NOAA Ocean Explorationcore partnerCollaborative deep-sea exploration programs using Eye-in-the-Sea technology and shared research missions.
- Florida Oceanographic Coastal CenterpartnerAdditional resource organization for environmental education and outreach.
- Florida Wildlife FederationpartnerState environmental advocacy organization partner.
- Environmental Learning Center (ELC)partnerLocal environmental education center partner for community outreach.
- Triton Submarinesevent partnerHost venue for ORCA's annual Explorer's Experience fundraiser at their state-of-the-art submersible facility.
Scale indicators20 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ocean Research & Conservation Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium: Florida-based marine research and conservation organization combining scientific research, technology development, restoration, and public education—closely paralleling ORCA's integrated model and operating in overlapping Florida coastal waters.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI): Technology-focused deep-sea research institute that develops proprietary ROVs, sensors, and observation platforms for unobtrusive ocean exploration—the closest peer to ORCA's deep-sea camera and eJelly optical lure innovation model.
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU): Florida Atlantic University's marine research institution focused on ocean exploration, marine biotechnology, and coastal conservation—directly comparable to ORCA's mission and the previous employer of founder Dr. Edith Widder.
- Schmidt Ocean Institute: Philanthropically-funded marine technology organization operating research vessels and supporting ocean tech development—closely aligned with ORCA's tech-based conservation approach and a fellow Schmidt Marine Technology Partners ecosystem participant.
- Ocean Conservancy: Major U.S. marine conservation nonprofit using science-based advocacy and citizen engagement to protect ocean ecosystems—comparable to ORCA's science-driven, community-engaged nonprofit marine conservation model.
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI): Premier private marine research and engineering organization developing ocean observation technology and conducting deep-sea exploration—aligned with ORCA's research and proprietary deep-sea camera development.
- Cape Eleuthera Institute: Bahamas-based marine research and education organization that partners with ORCA (borrowing the Medusa camera for shark studies)—a direct peer in marine research, technology deployment, and experiential education.
- Waterkeeper Alliance: Global nonprofit network focused on waterway protection and water quality advocacy—an ORCA partner organization with overlapping mission in citizen-led water quality monitoring and pollution accountability.
- The Ocean Cleanup: Tech-driven nonprofit developing proprietary ocean cleanup technology and conducting large-scale marine debris removal—comparable to ORCA as a technology-first marine nonprofit combining engineering innovation with conservation mission.
Broad incumbents
- The Nature Conservancy: Larger, broader environmental nonprofit with marine and coastal programs globally—an ORCA partner that operates at significantly greater scale across multiple conservation categories beyond marine focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ocean Research & Conservation Association social profiles
Digital presenceOcean Research & Conservation Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ocean Research & Conservation Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Ocean Research & Conservation Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ocean Research & Conservation Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ocean Research & Conservation Association
What does Ocean Research & Conservation Association do?
ORCA develops and deploys proprietary technology for marine conservation, including the Kilroy real-time water quality monitoring network, stealth deep-sea camera systems (Eye-in-the-Sea and Medusa), and bioluminescence-based ecotoxicity testing. The organization delivers shoreline restoration projects (living and buffered shorelines), operates citizen science programs across Florida's Indian River Lagoon, and provides educational resources. Its work combines field monitoring, pollution mapping, habitat restoration, and community engagement to address aquatic ecosystem degradation.
Is Ocean Research & Conservation Association a public or private company?
Ocean Research & Conservation Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ocean Research & Conservation Association founded?
Ocean Research & Conservation Association was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ocean Research & Conservation Association based?
Ocean Research & Conservation Association is headquartered in Vero Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ocean Research & Conservation Association make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Giving and Sponsorships, foundation and Grant Funding, scholarship Fund, legacy/Planned Giving, government Grants, speaking Engagements and annual Fundraiser Events.
Who are Ocean Research & Conservation Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU), Schmidt Ocean Institute, Ocean Conservancy, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Cape Eleuthera Institute, Waterkeeper Alliance and The Ocean Cleanup. The Nature Conservancy is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ocean Research & Conservation Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ocean Research & Conservation Association.
What industry is Ocean Research & Conservation Association in?
Ocean Research & Conservation Association's product category is Marine Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of BPAIAMAC, Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil). Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 8731.