Waitt Institute

What Waitt Institute does

The Waitt Institute is a private U.S. non-profit organization headquartered in La Jolla, California, founded by Ted Waitt (co-founder of Gateway Computers) with deep commitment to ocean conservation since 2005. The Institute partners with committed national and territorial governments and local communities to create and implement sustainable ocean plans, delivering technical expertise in three core service lines: Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), Blue Economy development, and Sustainable Fisheries management. Supporting capabilities include scientific expeditions (74 across 65 countries), ocean use survey methodologies, and a fisheries monitoring mobile app piloted with partner governments. Its flagship coordinated program, the Blue Prosperity Coalition, is a global network of NGOs, academic institutions, and foundations partnering with governments on ocean protection; the Institute is the Coalition's founding member and organizing body.

The Institute currently maintains active partnerships with seven governments — Azores, Bermuda, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu — with notable regulatory outcomes including the Azores' 287,000 km² Marine Protected Area network (2024), Samoa's legally adopted Marine Spatial Plan protecting 30% of its ocean (June 2025), and Vanuatu's Ocean Act restoring coastal authority to traditional communities (November 2025). Technical delivery is supported by an international team of specialized experts including a Sustainable Fisheries Director with 20+ years of experience, MSP technical managers, and Executive Director Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist and policy author.

The Institute does not sell products or services commercially and does not charge partner governments. All funding flows through its sister organization, the Waitt Foundation, a grantmaking entity that funds the Institute and the Blue Prosperity Coalition. Distribution is exclusively direct bilateral partnership with governments via memoranda of understanding; ancillary outreach includes a newsletter, social channels, and participation in international conferences (UN Ocean Conference, Blue Prosperity Leaders Forum, Pacific Islands Forum, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting).

Name

Waitt Institute

Legal name

Waitt Institute

Website

https://waittinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Waitt Institute is a U.S. non-profit that partners with national and territorial governments to deliver technical expertise and facilitation in Marine Spatial Planning, Blue Economy development, and Sustainable Fisheries management, operating as the founding body of the Blue Prosperity Coalition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine spatial planning
• Blue economy development
• Sustainable fisheries management
• Ocean conservation
• Marine protected areas

Headquarters

HQ city

La Jolla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Funding: The Waitt Institute is a non-profit organization funded primarily through its sister organization, the Waitt Foundation, which is a grantmaking organization providing funding and resources for ocean research, policy, marine protection, and Blue Prosperity initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Waitt Institute is a non-profit organization that partners with national and territorial governments and local communities to create and implement sustainable ocean plans. It delivers technical expertise, scientific expeditions, facilitation, and policy support across three core areas: Marine Spatial Planning, Blue Economy development, and Sustainable Fisheries management. As the founding member and organizing body of the Blue Prosperity Coalition, the Institute coordinates a global network of partner organizations supporting government-led ocean conservation commitments.

Product overview

The Waitt Institute is a non-profit organization that provides a suite of advisory and technical services focused on sustainable ocean management. Its core offerings include Marine Spatial Planning services, Blue Economy development strategies, and Sustainable Fisheries management support. The Institute operates as the founding member and organizing body of the Blue Prosperity Coalition—a global network partnering with governments to protect and manage ocean resources. Additional offerings include Scientific Expeditions for marine research, an Ocean Use Survey methodology, and a Fisheries Monitoring App. The organization does not offer commercial software products but rather delivers expertise, facilitation, and programmatic support to government partners in implementing ocean conservation commitments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Prosperity Coalition: Global network of NGOs, academic institutions, foundations, and other organizations that partner with governments and communities around the globe to sustainably protect and manage ocean resources.

Products and services

• Marine Spatial Planning Services Technical expertise and facilitation services that help national and territorial governments and their stakeholders design and implement comprehensive, science-based marine spatial plans. Engagements include stakeholder consultation, geospatial analysis, zoning design, and long-term implementation support.
• Blue Economy Development Services Strategy and implementation support that helps governments and communities build blue economy approaches enabling sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation while preserving ecosystem health. Includes sustainable finance planning, stakeholder engagement, and identification of sustainable economic development pathways.
• Sustainable Fisheries Management Services Collaborative assessment of current fisheries state and development of sustainable management strategies that balance economic prosperity with environmental protection. Includes stakeholder engagement, ecosystem-based management, fisheries policy development, technology integration, and supporting infrastructure such as e-reporting and e-monitoring.
• Blue Prosperity Coalition A global network that convenes NGOs, academic institutions, foundations, and other organizations to partner with national and territorial governments on sustainable ocean management. Active partnerships include the Azores, Bermuda, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
• Scientific Expeditions Cutting-edge marine science expeditions conducting coral reef assessments, fish stock evaluations, and water quality studies in partnership with governments. Outputs feed directly into marine spatial planning, conservation biology, and historical discovery, with data released under an open-data policy.
• Fisheries Monitoring App (Government of Bermuda) Mobile application and online dashboard developed with the Government of Bermuda for fisheries e-reporting and e-monitoring. Supports sustainable fisheries data collection by fishers and managers under the broader Sustainable Fisheries Management service.

Quantifiable outcome

• 287,000 km² of ocean protected in the Azores (largest MPA network in North Atlantic)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Oceano Azul FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-founder of the Blue Azores Program along with the Regional Government of the Azores and Waitt Institute. Committed more than €10M to support implementation of the Azores Marine Protected Area Network.
• Blue Prosperity CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of NGOs, academic institutions, foundations, and other organizations that partner with governments and communities around the globe to sustainably protect and manage ocean resources. Waitt Institute is founding member and organizing body.
• Regional Government of the AzorescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent partnership through Blue Azores Program to protect 30% of Azorean waters through a Marine Protected Area network.
• Government of BermudacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent partnership through Bermuda Ocean Prosperity to develop Blue Prosperity Plan including Blue Economy Strategy and Marine Spatial Plan.
• Government of the Federated States of MicronesiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent partnership through Blue Prosperity Micronesia to support sustainable ocean management and marine spatial planning.
• Government of FijicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent partnership through Blue Prosperity Fiji to conduct largest nationwide assessment of coral reefs and support marine spatial planning.
• Government of SamoacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent partnership through Samoa Ocean Strategy. Samoa legally adopted Marine Spatial Plan in June 2025 fully protecting 30% of its ocean.
• Government of TongacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership formed in 2015 with Vava'u Environmental Protection Association to support fisheries management, sustainable ocean planning, and marine conservation.
• Government of VanuatucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent partnership through Blue Prosperity Vanuatu. Government passed historic Ocean Act in November 2025 restoring authority over coastal waters to communities.
• University of the AzoressupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating institution in the Blue Azores Program contributing academic expertise to marine research and conservation.
• Conservation InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Samoa Ocean Strategy development. Collaborated on Marine Spatial Plan and continues to support Samoa's ocean protection goals.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal authority on natural world status providing expertise and guidance for marine protection initiatives.
• Blue Nature AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributed funding for implementation of Azores Marine Protected Area Network alongside Waitt Institute and Oceano Azul Foundation.
• Vava'u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal environmental organization started in 2009 working on conservation issues in Vava'u, Tonga. Founding partner in Tonga marine spatial planning initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oceana: Large global ocean conservation NGO that campaigns on fisheries policy, marine protected areas, and ocean governance. Comparable in mission and government-partnered advocacy but with substantially larger budget and broader geographic footprint.
• The Nature Conservancy: Major international conservation organization with extensive marine programs including MPA design, blue finance, and fisheries reform. Overlaps with Waitt in target governments (e.g., Bermuda) and blue economy consulting offerings.
• Environmental Defense Fund: US-headquartered environmental NGO that operates large-scale oceans programs including fisheries management, marine protected areas, and ocean finance. Comparable in offering science-based marine advisory services to governments.
• Ocean Conservancy: US-based ocean policy NGO working on sustainable fisheries, marine debris, and ocean governance. Comparable in policy advocacy model targeting national and international ocean management frameworks.
• Pew Charitable Trusts - Ocean Program: Major US philanthropic program that funds marine protected area campaigns, fisheries reform, and ocean governance work. Comparable in government-partnered policy model and scale of philanthropic funding.

Direct peers

• Conservation International: Global environmental NGO that works with governments on marine protected areas, blue economy, and sustainable finance. Already a documented Waitt Institute co-partner on the Samoa Ocean Strategy and a direct collaborator on MSP implementation.
• Blue Nature Alliance: Global alliance focused on catalyzing large-scale marine protected area commitments. Co-funded the Azores MPA implementation alongside Waitt and Oceano Azul, making it a direct collaborator and the closest match in MPA-focused funding.
• Marine Conservation Institute: Specialist nonprofit focused on establishing and monitoring marine protected areas globally. Closely comparable niche focus on MPA design and tracking, though with a stronger science-and-data orientation.

Others

• Waitt Foundation: Sister grantmaking organization founded and funded by Ted Waitt. Provides the financial backbone for the Institute and the Blue Prosperity Coalition, making it the most directly coupled entity in the Waitt ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Global Fishing Watch: Nonprofit technology platform providing near-real-time vessel tracking and fisheries transparency data. Overlaps with Waitt's fisheries management and ocean-use survey offerings via data-driven monitoring tools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waittinstitute
• YouTubeyoutube.com/waittinstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/waittinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waitt-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/waittinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Waitt Institute