Blue Ventures

What Blue Ventures does

Blue Ventures is a science-led social enterprise and registered UK charity (number 1098893) founded in 2003 by Matthew Linnecar, headquartered in London with a secondary office in Bristol and operations across 13 countries spanning Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The organization pioneered the Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) model in Madagascar in 2006 and now works with coastal communities in Belize, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Philippines, Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania, and Timor-Leste. Its core offerings include Locally Managed Marine Areas, Community-Based Fisheries Management, Rights-Based Approaches for securing community legal tenure over coastal resources, Mangrove Blue Carbon projects, and Financial Inclusion and Food Security programs. The technology layer consists of community-led participatory data systems that enable coastal communities to collect and use fisheries data for local decision-making, alongside interactive platforms such as Discover Blue Ventures and Explore Blue Ventures.

The organization's go-to-market is a community-led and event-driven model: Blue Ventures works directly with coastal communities, local NGO partners (more than 25 named organizations including MIHARI in Madagascar and 17 partner organizations in Indonesia), and government agencies (Tanzania Ministry of Fisheries, Zanzibar, Belize Fisheries Department) to establish and manage marine protected areas, Beach Management Units, and co-management frameworks. It runs learning exchanges, training programs, and capacity-building workshops to scale its model, and complements programmatic delivery with global advocacy campaigns including 30x30 and Transform Bottom Trawling.

As a nonprofit, Blue Ventures does not sell products or services; its revenue comes from donations and grants from individuals, foundations (e.g., Whole Foods Market Foundation), and development agencies. Quantified impact includes LMMAs covering nearly one-fifth of Madagascar's coastal seabed, 219 LMMA sites supported through the MIHARI network, 18,000 hectares of mangroves protected in Senegal's Sine-Saloum delta, and more than 80,000 people reached across 81 communities in Indonesia.

Name

Blue Ventures

Legal name

Blue Ventures Conservation

Website

https://blueventures.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blue Ventures is a UK-registered charity founded in 2003 that pioneers community-led marine conservation, including Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), across 13 countries serving roughly 85,000 coastal communities in low-income tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Blue Ventures is a registered charity in England & Wales (number 1098893) and relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund its conservation programs.
2. Grants and Funding: The organization receives grant funding from development agencies, foundations, and government programs to support marine conservation, community development, and advocacy initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Blue Ventures delivers community-led marine conservation programs for coastal communities in tropical low-income countries. Its core work involves establishing Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), supporting community-based fisheries management, securing community rights to coastal resources, and delivering mangrove (blue carbon) restoration. Programs are implemented directly through field offices and in partnership with local NGOs and government agencies across 13 countries.

Product overview

Blue Ventures is a marine conservation organization offering a portfolio of community-led programs and platforms for coastal ocean protection. The core offerings include Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) and Community-Based Fisheries Management systems, supported by Rights-Based Approaches for securing community legal tenure. Additional programs cover Financial Inclusion, Food Security, Blue Forests (mangrove conservation), and Gender Equity initiatives. The organization operates interactive platforms including Discover Blue Ventures (data visualization) and Explore Blue Ventures (photo stories). Advocacy campaigns include the 30×30 initiative and Transform Bottom Trawling. In Madagascar, the MIHARI Network coordinates 25 partner organizations across 219 LMMA sites. The organization does not operate a unified software product but provides community-focused conservation services and tools across 13 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs)

Quantifiable outcome

• LMMAs covering nearly one-fifth of Madagascar's coastal seabed with research demonstrating benefits to both fisheries and conservation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FitsinjocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Industrial fisheries watchdog organization launched in Madagascar in 2022 with Blue Ventures' support. The network highlights industrial and IUU fishing activities in Madagascar and the wider Western Indian Ocean region.
• Fundaçao Maio Biodiversidade (FMB-Maio)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal NGO partner in Cabo Verde working with Blue Ventures to support coastal communities on Maio island to use data for fisheries management and value chain improvement. Partnership is expanding to five more islands in the archipelago.
• TiniguenacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOne of the oldest conservation groups in Guinea-Bissau, partnering with Blue Ventures to establish the country's first community-led marine protected area in the Bijagos islands.
• Kawawana (APAC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSenegal's oldest Locally Managed Marine Area, known locally as APAC, partnering with Blue Ventures to protect 18,000 hectares of mangroves and manage rich fisheries in the Sine-Saloum delta.
• NebedaycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner organization in Senegal working with Blue Ventures on community-based fisheries management systems, particularly for oyster and shellfish collection in estuaries and deltas.
• EcoRuralecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner organization in Senegal implementing community-based fisheries management and environmental restoration programs.
• Mwambao Coastal Community NetworkcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing NGO partner in Tanzania that has led remarkable acceleration in community-based fisheries management and conservation, particularly through short-term fishing closures.
• Sea SensecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNGO partner in Tanzania working on community-based marine conservation and fisheries management.
• Jongowe Development FundcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNGO partner in Tanzania supporting community development and conservation initiatives.
• CETAGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal organization in The Gambia empowering coastal communities and advocating against environmental destruction drivers.
• Gambian Environmental AlliancecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnvironmental alliance in The Gambia partnering with Blue Ventures to find community-led solutions to coastal ecosystem destruction.
• SANYEPDcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerYouth group in The Gambia working with Blue Ventures to help communities secure preferential access to fish and shellfish.
• Hallahin Women Oyster FarmerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWomen's group in The Gambia focused on oyster farming and sustainable shellfish harvesting.
• People and the SeacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner organization in the Philippines helping coastal communities set up and use participatory data systems to monitor and understand their fisheries.
• ForkanicoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal partner organization in Indonesia supporting community-based marine conservation.
• Yayasan LINIcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndonesian conservation organization partnering with Blue Ventures on marine conservation initiatives.
• Yayasan Planet IndonesiacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndonesian environmental organization partner working on community-based conservation.
• COMRED (Coastal and Marine Resources Development)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKenyan NGO partner providing technical support, mentorship, and assistance to local partners for Beach Management Units in Mombasa.
• Lamu Marine Conservation Trust (LAMCOT)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConservation trust in Lamu, Kenya partnering with Blue Ventures on marine conservation.
• Bahari HaicoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKenyan organization working on marine conservation and sustainable fisheries.
• Kwale Beach Management Unit Network (KCBN)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNetwork of 23 Beach Management Units in Kwale County, Kenya working on community-led fisheries management.
• MIHARI NetworkcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMadagascar LMMA network bringing together 25 partner conservation organizations supporting 219 LMMA sites across the country. MIHARI is a key national partner for Blue Ventures.
• PHEM MadagascarcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMadagascar health-environment network incubated by Blue Ventures, bringing together 40 partner organizations to address health needs of communities living in conservation areas.
• Ministry of Fisheries (mainland Tanzania)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment partner for co-management of marine resources in mainland Tanzania.
• Ministry of Fisheries (Zanzibar)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment partner for co-management of marine resources in Zanzibar.
• Belize Fisheries DepartmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment department partnering with Blue Ventures on MPA management, invasive lionfish fisheries, and coral reef monitoring.
• Health in HarmonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization highlighted alongside Blue Ventures as an example of conservation models that integrate health and development outcomes, cited in commentary on conservation funding crisis solutions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Rare: Rare is a global conservation organization that uses community-based approaches to drive fisheries reform and marine protected area management, mirroring Blue Ventures' LMMA and community-led fisheries model.
• WorldFish: WorldFish is an international research organization focused on small-scale fisheries and aquaculture in tropical developing countries — directly comparable to Blue Ventures' community-based fisheries management programs.
• Wetlands International: Wetlands International works on coastal wetland and mangrove conservation globally, with a comparable focus on community-based stewardship and ecosystem services that overlap with Blue Ventures' mangrove and fisheries work.
• Re:wild: Re:wild is a global conservation organization protecting marine and coastal species and habitats through partnerships with local NGOs and communities, comparable to Blue Ventures' LMMA-driven approach.
• Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT): WWT is a UK-headquartered conservation charity focused on wetlands and coastal ecosystems, with overlapping mangrove and community engagement models relevant to Blue Ventures' blue forests work.
• Fauna & Flora International: FFI is a UK-registered conservation charity (like Blue Ventures) with strong marine, fisheries, and community-based programs in tropical coastal regions.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Conservation International operates large-scale marine and coastal conservation programs globally, including community-based initiatives, and overlaps directly with Blue Ventures on ocean protection, blue carbon, and LMMA-adjacent work.
• Pew Charitable Trusts (Ocean Conservation): Pew's ocean program runs large-scale fisheries reform, marine protected area campaigns, and bottom-trawling advocacy — directly overlapping with Blue Ventures' advocacy and fisheries management work.
• The Nature Conservancy: TNC is a major marine and coastal conservation incumbent running community fisheries, mangrove, and ocean-policy programs across tropical geographies comparable to Blue Ventures' portfolio.

Emerging players

• Health in Harmony: Health in Harmony is repeatedly cited alongside Blue Ventures as a model for integrating health, livelihoods, and conservation outcomes, making it a strong thematic peer on the integrated community-led model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@blueventures
• Facebookfacebook.com/blueventures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-ventures
• Instagraminstagram.com/_blueventures
• Xx.com/BlueVentures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Blue Ventures