EarthEcho International

What EarthEcho International does

EarthEcho International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by siblings Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau in honor of their father Philippe Cousteau Sr., continuing the Jacques-Yves Cousteau legacy of ocean exploration. Headquartered in Washington, DC and operating remotely with approximately 18 staff, the organization builds a global youth movement to protect and restore the ocean planet, reaching more than 2 million people across 146 countries through a portfolio of interconnected programs: the EarthEcho Water Challenge citizen science program (1.6M+ participants in 146 countries), the OurEcho Challenge STEM competition (ages 13-16), EarthEcho Expeditions (field-based exploration producing classroom content), EarthEcho Academy (virtual teacher professional learning with NGSS-aligned modules), the Youth Leadership Council (YLC, ages 15-22 on two-year terms), and multiple ambassador tracks (Marine Plastics, Blue Carbon, Ocean Protection, High Seas). The GenSea digital community platform connects young ocean advocates ages 13-25 from 120+ countries, and the organization holds Charity Navigator's four-star rating and Candid's Platinum Seal of Transparency.

The underlying technology stack is primarily composed of third-party platforms and partner-built infrastructure rather than proprietary systems. The EarthEcho Water Challenge mobile application is built and operated by mWater under their privacy policy, and water monitoring kits are sold through third-party partner Lamotte Company. The BioSeedeX kelp bioreactor used by 2025 Blue Carbon Ambassadors is a prototype built on an Arduino system with automatic thermostat, air bubbler, and light settings, developed in partnership with North Island College. EarthEcho's primary intellectual property lies in its branded content library of NGSS and Common Core-aligned educator resources, expedition-produced educational modules, and the programmatic and community ecosystem organized around the YLC and GenSea platform. No public APIs, developer-facing integrations, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

EarthEcho's revenue model is entirely philanthropic, consisting of individual donations, foundation and corporate grants, and a small affiliate/merchandise revenue stream from products such as books, jewelry, and license plates where a portion of proceeds benefits the organization. Major funders include SC Johnson (third-year Marine Plastics Ambassadors partnership), Xylem Watermark, Estee Lauder, La Mer Blue Heart, Northrop Grumman Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund, Packard Foundation, Campbell Foundation, and Fondation H.W. All youth programs are offered free of charge, and the organization does not publicly disclose contribution totals or financial statements in the available sources. Governance is provided by a board chaired by Claudia Toussaint (Senior Vice President & Chief People and Sustainability Officer, Xylem), with vice chair Celeste Cooper (Chief of Staff, Mirantis), treasurer Brian Schoening (Founder, One Small Step), and secretary Katie Gandy (Head of Banking Sustainability, S&P Global).

Name

EarthEcho International

Legal name

Earth Echo International, Inc.

Website

https://earthecho.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EarthEcho International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau that operates youth-focused environmental education and ocean conservation programs, including the Water Challenge citizen science program and multiple ambassador tracks, reaching 2M+ people across 146 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education and Ocean Conservation Nonprofit Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)

Keywords

• Youth environmental education
• Ocean conservation programs
• Citizen science water monitoring
• STEM education resources
• Nonprofit conservation leadership

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: EarthEcho operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Individual and corporate donations fund programs, leadership development, environmental education, and advocacy initiatives. Donors can give one-time or monthly gifts.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Funding from foundations (Resources Legacy Fund, Packard Foundation, Campbell Foundation, Fondation H.W.) and corporations (SC Johnson, Xylem Watermark, Estee Lauder, La Mer) support specific programs and operational costs.
3. Product Sales and Affiliate Programs: A portion of proceeds from partner products (books, jewelry, license plates, merchandise) benefits EarthEcho. Products include 'Make a Splash' book, Sharktooth Necklace, 'Going Blue' book, and charity bracelets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EarthEcho International operates a global portfolio of free, youth-focused environmental education, leadership, and ocean conservation programs anchored by the EarthEcho Water Challenge citizen science program (reaching 1.6M+ participants across 146 countries), the GenSea digital community platform, ambassador cohorts (Marine Plastics, Blue Carbon, Ocean Protection, High Seas), the Youth Leadership Council, EarthEcho Expeditions, the OurEcho Challenge STEM competition, and EarthEcho Academy for educators. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit is funded by individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsors, and operates virtually with a small staff.

Product overview

EarthEcho International is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that operates a portfolio of interconnected youth environmental education and leadership programs. The core offerings include: EarthEcho Water Challenge (citizen science water monitoring program reaching 1.6M+ people in 146 countries), OurEcho Challenge (STEM competition for ages 13-16), EarthEcho Expeditions (field exploration program), EarthEcho Academy (virtual professional learning for educators), and the Youth Leadership Council (YLC - select youth leaders ages 15-22). Supporting programs include Marine Plastics Ambassadors, Blue Carbon Ambassadors, Ocean Protection Ambassadors, High Seas Youth Ambassadors, and the GenSea digital community platform (120+ countries). The organization also provides Educator Resources (lesson plans, videos aligned to NGSS) and Virtual Events. The ecosystem is tied together through the GenSea platform, the YLC program, and annual Youth Leadership Summits that connect participants across all programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EarthEcho Water Challenge: One of the world's largest citizen science programs empowering young people and community members to monitor water quality and protect waterways, reaching more than 1.6 million people in 146 countries
• EarthEcho Expeditions
• EarthEcho Academy
• OurEcho Challenge
• Youth Leadership Council (YLC)
• GenSea
• Marine Plastics Ambassadors
• OceanEcho 30x30
• Blue Carbon Ambassadors
• Ocean Protection Ambassadors

Products and services

• EarthEcho Water Challenge One of the world's largest citizen science programs empowering more than 1.6 million young people and community members in 146 countries to monitor water quality, share findings through a global online database, and develop projects to protect local waterways.
• Youth Leadership Council (YLC) A team of young environmental leaders selected annually through a competitive application process who play a key role leading EarthEcho's programs while developing and implementing campaigns to mobilize young people worldwide to protect the ocean planet. Members ages 15-22 serve two-year terms.
• GenSea EarthEcho's digital community platform uniting young ocean advocates ages 13-25, providing year-round networking, learning, and collective action opportunities for members from 120+ countries.
• Blue Carbon Ambassadors A professional learning experience for BIPOC youth ages 17-20 from frontline coastal communities, introducing participants to blue carbon ecosystems (kelp, seagrass, mangroves, salt marshes) in addressing the climate crisis through hands-on restoration projects.
• Marine Plastics Ambassadors A national youth program funded by SC Johnson providing advocacy training and policy engagement opportunities to address plastic pollution. Participants gather in Washington, D.C. to advance policy priorities and engage with legislators.
• Ocean Protection Ambassadors Youth ambassador program focused on ocean conservation and protection, mobilizing young leaders to advance policy priorities and take action for marine ecosystem health.
• High Seas Youth Ambassadors Program engaging youth in advocacy for high seas protection and the advancement of the High Seas Treaty, connecting young leaders to international ocean conservation efforts.
• EarthEcho Expeditions A program leveraging the Cousteau legacy of exploration and discovery to bring STEM education content alive for 21st-century learners. Each expedition began with a week-long exploration of geographic areas facing environmental crises, producing education modules for classrooms.
• EarthEcho Academy A virtual learning space providing online courses for teacher professional learning with fully remote, asynchronous environmental education modules. Features NGSS-aligned classroom resources like EarthEcho Expedition: Water by Design, with modules on environmental storytelling, justice, STEM career pathways, and youth action.
• OurEcho Challenge A STEM competition that empowers youth ages 13-16 to identify threats to local ecosystems and propose solutions to help preserve, protect, or repair natural resources. Teams develop innovative solutions and action plans in the form of sustainable processes or prototypes.
• Virtual Events Virtual field trips and online events providing educational content on ocean conservation, STEM education, and environmental topics. Includes recordings of previous live events such as OceanEcho 30x30 and Shell Shocked Virtual Field Trip.
• Educator Resources Collection of videos, lesson plans, and materials designed to support high-quality classroom experiences. Many resources satisfy Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards, covering topics including biodiversity, climate change, fisheries, marine debris, and water quality.
• Bio-Blocks - A Fish Habitat STEM Design Challenge A lesson plan where students learn about essential fish habitats and work through the engineering design process to build 'bio-block' solutions to make sea walls more nature-friendly for flood protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.6 million+ young people empowered through Water Challenge citizen science program in 146 countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• High Seas AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting EarthEcho's work on high seas protection and ocean conservation policy.
• Oceans5minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting EarthEcho's ocean conservation initiatives.
• Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of EarthEcho Expeditions program. Acts as data controller for expedition participant information under GDPR. Shares participant name, audio, photos and film for internal and external communications promoting the expedition.
• mWatercoreTechnology or IntegrationCreator and operator of the EarthEcho Water Challenge mobile application. User information is transferred to mWater and governed by their privacy policy.
• Lamotte CompanymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner for water monitoring kit sales. EarthEcho facilitates sponsorship of kit purchases for approved applicants, with order information shared between both entities.
• North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for professional development opportunities, including CEE-Change Fellowship program for educators.
• Schlitz Audubon Nature CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Glen Hills Middle School STEM Fair and environmental education programs.
• Discovery WorldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Milwaukee STEM Fair and environmental education initiatives.
• Milwaukee RiverkeeperminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for water quality monitoring and river cleanup activities with Glen Hills Middle School students.
• Wilderness InquiryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of Canoe Mobile floating classroom experience for Milwaukee students.
• North Island College (Campbell River, BC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Blue Carbon Ambassador kelp restoration research. Provides laboratory space and expertise for BioSeedeX kelp bioreactor experiments.
• Beyond The ReefminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Virgin Islands nonprofit affiliate focused on marine ecosystem innovation and artificial reef systems. EarthEcho provides promotional and partnership support.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: Large U.S. nonprofit focused on ocean health, running major campaigns on plastic pollution and sustainable fisheries. Comparable to EarthEcho in mission (ocean conservation) and audience (youth/educators), but considerably larger in budget and policy footprint.
• Oceana: Largest international advocacy organization focused solely on ocean conservation. Comparable in marine policy focus and donor base but operates at global advocacy scale well beyond EarthEcho's education-led model.

Direct peers

• The Cousteau Society: Founded by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the original family-led ocean exploration nonprofit. Closest peer in Cousteau family legacy, mission (ocean exploration, education, advocacy), and donor overlap—EarthEcho explicitly distinguishes itself from this organization.
• Surfrider Foundation: U.S. nonprofit focused on beach/water protection with strong volunteer and chapter-based model. Comparable grassroots, volunteer-driven approach to coastal water quality and youth beach cleanups; overlapping Blue Carbon/marine debris missions.
• Project AWARE Foundation: Scuba diving community-led nonprofit focused on ocean conservation, marine debris, and policy. Comparable citizen-science model and youth-focused dive/marine advocacy, with similar SCUBA-aligned audience.
• Marine Conservation Institute: Nonprofit focused on marine protected areas and ocean policy. Highly comparable on 30x30 ocean protection advocacy, overlapping with EarthEcho's OceanEcho 30x30 campaign and policy focus.
• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Nonprofit marine conservation organization with a youth engagement and direct-action orientation. Comparable ocean advocacy focus and youth mobilization, though heavier operational and activist tilt.
• NAAEE (North American Association for Environmental Education): Professional membership organization for environmental educators with formal CEE-Change Fellowship programs for teachers. Direct peer in teacher professional development and NGSS-aligned curriculum resources, and named partner of EarthEcho.

Others

• National Geographic Society: Global nonprofit producing exploration content, educator resources, and youth programs. Highly comparable in NGSS-aligned classroom materials, expedition content, and youth engagement, but operates at vastly larger scale.

Emerging players

• 4ocean: For-profit social enterprise funding ocean cleanup through product sales. Comparable marine debris removal impact and donor/consumer engagement model, but commercial rather than donation-based.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/earthecho
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/EarthEcho
• Facebookfacebook.com/earthecho
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/earthecho-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/earthecho
• TikToktiktok.com/@earthecho_intl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 EarthEcho International