What Sea-Bird Scientific does

Sea-Bird Scientific, headquartered at 13431 NE 20th Street in Bellevue, Washington, is a manufacturer of oceanographic and freshwater monitoring instruments tracing its origins to 1968. The company designs and produces a portfolio of more than 50 scientific products centered on high-accuracy CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) sensors, complemented by optical sensors (ECO V2 fluorescence/turbidity/backscattering), nitrate sensors (SUNA V2), pH and dissolved oxygen sensors, radiometers (HyperOCR, OCR 504), thermosalinographs, water-sampling rosettes and carousels, and specialized CTDs for autonomous platforms including Argo profiling floats (SBE 41/41CP, SBE 61 Deep Argo) and underwater gliders (GPCTD, Slocum payload). Underlying technology emphasizes precision calibration, inductive modem connectivity, and Fathom desktop software for instrument configuration, real-time data acquisition, and post-processing with transparent computational documentation on GitHub. The consolidated entity includes legacy brands WET Labs (optical) and Satlantic (radiometry), and the company operates as a subsidiary of Veralto, the diversified water technology group.

The business model is built on direct enterprise sales with quote-based pricing, multi-year contract terms, and 60-day quotation validity per the published terms. Revenue streams include hardware sales of instruments and sensors, professional services through the annual Sea-Bird University and virtual/custom training programs, software (Fathom one-time license for Windows and MacOS), and aftermarket service/calibration supported by an RMA warranty process. Distribution is global, primarily through direct sales accessible by phone, email, and website quote request, with some accessories available via an online storefront. The customer base spans scientific researchers and institutional buyers across aquaculture, biogeochemical and carbon research, coral reef monitoring, dredge operations, freshwater monitoring, harmful algal bloom detection, nutrient monitoring, ocean acidification, ocean color, oil and gas environmental monitoring, deep-ocean research, renewable energy siting, water quality, and weather monitoring. Strategic integrations extend the addressable footprint into major AUV, glider, mooring, buoy, winch, and sensor platforms from partners including Bluefin, Hydroid, Liquid Robotics, Teledyne Webb Research, Sofar Ocean, Campbell Scientific, and Sequoia Scientific.

Name

Sea-Bird Scientific

Legal name

Sea-Bird Electronics, Inc. (SBE)

Website

https://seabird.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sea-Bird Scientific manufactures high-accuracy oceanographic and freshwater monitoring instruments — including CTD sensors, optical sensors, nitrate sensors, and water-sampling systems — serving the global scientific research community as a subsidiary of Veralto.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oceanographic Measurement Instruments

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI)

Keywords

• Oceanographic instruments
• CTD sensors
• Marine measurement sensors
• Water quality monitoring
• Environmental monitoring sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellevue

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Oceanographic Instruments and Sensors: Sale of CTD sensors, optical sensors, water sampling systems, and monitoring instruments for ocean and freshwater research. Includes profiling, moored, AUV/ROV, and vessel-based systems.
2. Training Services: Hands-on training programs including Sea-Bird University (annual in-person event), virtual training sessions, and custom on-site training for teams.
3. Software Solutions: Fathom software for data processing, visualization, and instrument management. Available for Windows and MacOS.
4. Service and Calibration: Repair, calibration, and maintenance services for instruments. Warranty support with RMA process for returning equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sea-Bird Scientific designs, manufactures, and services high-accuracy oceanographic and freshwater monitoring instruments, including profiling and moored CTD sensors, optical and nitrate sensors, pH and dissolved oxygen sensors, autonomous platform payloads (Argo, glider, AUV/ROV), and water sampling systems. The company supports its instruments with calibration, repair, training (Sea-Bird University), and Fathom desktop software for data acquisition and processing. Products are sold via quote-based direct enterprise sales to research institutions, government agencies, and commercial operators globally.

Product overview

Sea-Bird Scientific is a leading manufacturer of oceanographic and freshwater monitoring instruments with a comprehensive portfolio centered on CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) systems and complementary sensors. The core product line includes profiling CTDs (SBE 911plus, SBE 19plus V2, SBE 25plus, SBE 49 FastCAT), moored CTDs (SBE 16plus V2, SBE 37 MicroCAT, SBE 52-MP), Argo floats CTDs (SBE 41/41CP, SBE 61), and glider-integrated CTDs (GPCTD, Slocum Glider Payload CTD). Supporting sensors include dissolved oxygen sensors (SBE 43, SBE 63), pH sensors (SBE 18, SBE 27, SeaFET V2, SeapHOx V2, Deep SeapHOx V2), temperature/pressure sensors (SBE 39plus, SBE 56, SBE 38, SBE 50), nitrate sensors (SUNA V2, Deep SUNA), and optical sensors (ECO V2, SeaOWL UV-A, ac-s, HyperOCR, OCR 504, PAR, C-Star, C-Rover). Water sampling systems include SBE 32 Carousel, SBE 55 ECO, and Carousel Auto Fire Module. The product ecosystem integrates through inductive modem systems (ICC, PDIM) and is supported by Fathom desktop software for configuration, data acquisition, and processing. Products serve applications across aquaculture, carbon research, dredge monitoring, freshwater monitoring, harmful algal blooms, nutrient monitoring, ocean acidification, ocean color, oil and gas, open ocean research, renewable energy, and water quality monitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SBE 911plus CTD Primary oceanographic research CTD used by leading research institutions worldwide for high-accuracy conductivity, temperature, and pressure measurements in profiling applications.
• SBE 19plus V2 SeaCAT CTD Profiling CTD that measures conductivity, temperature, and pressure at 4 Hz for research and monitoring applications.
• SBE 16plus V2 SeaCAT CTD High-accuracy conductivity and temperature recorder with optional pressure sensor for moored deployments.
• SBE 37 MicroCAT High-accuracy conductivity and temperature recorder with optional pressure and dissolved oxygen for moored and autonomous platform deployments.
• SBE 25plus Sealogger CTD Research-quality CTD profiler designed for coastal, estuarine, and freshwater profiling applications.
• SBE 49 FastCAT CTD Sensor Fast-sampling CTD sensor for high-speed profiling and AUV/ROV applications.
• SBE 41/41CP Argo CTD CTD module designed for integration into autonomous profiling floats for Argo program ocean observations.
• SBE 61 Argo CTD Deep-rated Argo CTD designed for deployments to full ocean depths for deep Argo program applications.
• Glider Payload CTD (GPCTD) CTD payload designed for integration into autonomous underwater gliders for extended-range ocean observations.
• HydroCAT-EP V2 Multiparameter CTD Sensor Multiparameter CTD sensor with factory calibration and streamlined reference checks for reliable scientific data.
• SBE 39plus Temperature Recorder High-accuracy temperature recorder with optional pressure, featuring USB connectivity and fast sampling for research applications.
• SBE 56 Temperature Logger Temperature logger for monitoring applications requiring reliable thermal data collection.
• SBE 43 Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Individually calibrated, high-accuracy dissolved oxygen sensor for integration with CTD systems.
• SBE 63 Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor High-accuracy optical dissolved oxygen sensor for marine and freshwater applications with depth ratings to 7000m.
• SBE 18 pH Sensor Pressure-balanced glass-electrode pH sensor with Ag/AgCl reference for oceanographic pH measurements.
• SeaFET V2 Ocean pH Sensor Next-generation ISFET-based ocean pH sensor with improved stability and accuracy for long-term deployments.
• SeapHOx V2 Ocean pH Sensor Combined CTD and pH sensor system for comprehensive ocean acidification monitoring.
• SUNA V2 Nitrate Sensor UV absorbance nitrate sensor providing real-time nutrient monitoring for water quality and biogeochemical research.
• ECO V2 Optical Sensor Next-generation optical sensor for fluorescence, turbidity, and backscattering measurements with improved performance.
• HyperOCR Radiometer Hyperspectral ocean color radiometer designed for applications requiring detailed spectral optical data.
• C-Star Transmissometer Monolithic transmissometer with highly integrated opto-electronics for beam transmission measurements.
• SBE 32 Carousel Water Sampler Carousel system for collecting water samples at targeted depths during CTD profiles.
• SBE 21 SeaCAT Thermosalinograph Externally powered thermosalinograph that determines sea surface temperature and conductivity for vessel-mounted applications.
• Fathom Software Desktop software application for configuring Sea-Bird instruments, acquiring real-time data, and processing oceanographic measurements with transparent computational documentation via GitHub. Available for Windows and MacOS.
• Service and Calibration Repair, calibration, and maintenance services for Sea-Bird instruments, with warranty support through an RMA process for returning equipment.
• Sea-Bird University Training Hands-on training programs including annual in-person Sea-Bird University events, virtual training sessions (e.g., Deep Dive: Optical Backscatter & Fluorescence Data Quality with ECO V2), and custom on-site training for science teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• 129k+ sensors deployed globally
• +2 more outcomes

Segments15 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration41 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sofar OceancoreTechnology or Integration · 24 March 2026Sea-Bird Scientific successfully integrated their instrument with Sofar Ocean's Bristlemouth open communications ecosystem. Collaboration included MEGA Lab and Aqualink. This integration represents a significant step forward for marine research, enabling standardized communications for oceanographic instruments.
• Satlantic / WET LabscoreTechnology or IntegrationSatlantic and WET Labs are part of Sea-Bird Scientific family, providing optical instruments including ECO-PAR sensor, LISST products through Sequoia Scientific partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RBR: RBR manufactures high-accuracy CTDs, thermistors, and oceanographic sensors used by the same scientific research community as Sea-Bird, competing head-to-head on profiling and moored CTDs in academic and monitoring deployments.
• Aanderaa Data Instruments (AADI): Aanderaa produces CTDs, oxygen optodes, and current meters for ocean monitoring and is a direct competitor in moored and autonomous-platform ocean instrumentation, often integrated alongside Sea-Bird sensors on the same deployments.
• Valeport: Valeport is a UK-based manufacturer of CTDs, altimeters, and current meters with comparable accuracy and pricing, competing for vessel-mounted and profiling applications against Sea-Bird's SBE 19plus and SBE 25plus lines.
• Nortek (Nortek AS): Nortek manufactures ADCPs, current meters, and DVLs that integrate with Sea-Bird MicroCATs on the same mooring deployments, making it a complementary and partially competing peer in integrated ocean monitoring systems.
• Chelsea Technologies Group: Chelsea Technologies builds fluorescence, turbidity, and optical sensors for oceanographic and water quality monitoring, overlapping with Sea-Bird's ECO V2 and HyperOCR lines in biogeochemical and aquaculture applications.
• Turner Designs: Turner Designs specializes in in-situ and handheld fluorometers for chlorophyll, CDOM, and oil-in-water detection, competing with Sea-Bird's ECO V2 and SeaOWL UV-A in environmental and oil spill monitoring markets.

Broad incumbents

• Teledyne Marine: Teledyne Marine is a broad portfolio of oceanographic brands (RD Instruments, Benthos, Webb Slocum, Gavia) that overlaps with Sea-Bird on CTDs, sonar altimeters, and glider payloads, while also offering ADCPs and full AUVs.
• YSI (Xylem): YSI, owned by Xylem, is a broad water quality instrumentation vendor with multiparameter sondes that overlap with Sea-Bird's HydroCAT and pH lines, particularly in freshwater and environmental monitoring applications.
• HACH (Veralto sister brand): HACH is Sea-Bird Scientific's sister brand under Veralto's Water Quality segment; HACH's UV absorbance nitrate sensors share the same 45% market share figure, and the brands are jointly positioned across municipal, industrial, and research water analytics.
• OTT HydroMet (Veralto sister brand): OTT HydroMet, another Veralto brand, produces hydrological and meteorological monitoring instruments that overlap with Sea-Bird's freshwater and water-quality applications, jointly addressing watershed monitoring customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seabirdscience
• Facebookfacebook.com/seabirdscientific
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sea-bird-scientific

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Sea-Bird Scientific