Waitt Institute
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLa Jolla, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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).
Waitt Institute firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Waitt Institute industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Waitt Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Jolla
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Waitt Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- 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
Waitt Institute product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Waitt Institute
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Waitt Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Waitt Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Oceano Azul FoundationcoreCo-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 CoalitioncoreGlobal 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 AzorescoreCurrent partnership through Blue Azores Program to protect 30% of Azorean waters through a Marine Protected Area network.
- Government of BermudacoreCurrent partnership through Bermuda Ocean Prosperity to develop Blue Prosperity Plan including Blue Economy Strategy and Marine Spatial Plan.
- Government of the Federated States of MicronesiacoreCurrent partnership through Blue Prosperity Micronesia to support sustainable ocean management and marine spatial planning.
- Government of FijicoreCurrent partnership through Blue Prosperity Fiji to conduct largest nationwide assessment of coral reefs and support marine spatial planning.
- Government of SamoacoreCurrent partnership through Samoa Ocean Strategy. Samoa legally adopted Marine Spatial Plan in June 2025 fully protecting 30% of its ocean.
- Government of TongacorePartnership formed in 2015 with Vava'u Environmental Protection Association to support fisheries management, sustainable ocean planning, and marine conservation.
- Government of VanuatucoreCurrent partnership through Blue Prosperity Vanuatu. Government passed historic Ocean Act in November 2025 restoring authority over coastal waters to communities.
- University of the AzoressupportingCollaborating institution in the Blue Azores Program contributing academic expertise to marine research and conservation.
- Conservation InternationalcoreKey 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)supportingGlobal authority on natural world status providing expertise and guidance for marine protection initiatives.
- Blue Nature AlliancesupportingContributed funding for implementation of Azores Marine Protected Area Network alongside Waitt Institute and Oceano Azul Foundation.
- Vava'u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA)supportingLocal 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
Waitt Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
Waitt Institute social profiles
Digital presenceWaitt Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Waitt Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Waitt Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Waitt Institute 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 Waitt Institute
What does Waitt Institute do?
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.
Is Waitt Institute a public or private company?
Waitt Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Waitt Institute founded?
Waitt Institute was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Waitt Institute based?
Waitt Institute is headquartered in La Jolla, United States, in the North America region.
How does Waitt Institute make money?
One revenue line is on record: foundation Funding.
Who are Waitt Institute's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Oceana, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, Ocean Conservancy and Pew Charitable Trusts - Ocean Program. Direct peers are Conservation International, Blue Nature Alliance and Marine Conservation Institute. Waitt Foundation is listed as an others. Global Fishing Watch is listed as an emerging player.
Does Waitt Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Waitt Institute.
What industry is Waitt Institute in?
Waitt Institute's product category is Marine Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADALAI, Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation. Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 8731.