GBIF
GBIF is an international intergovernmental open data infrastructure providing free access to over 3 billion biodiversity occurrence records from 2,400+ publishing institutions. It serves researchers, policymakers, and publishers through standardized datasets, a public API, and hosted portals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
GBIF firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GBIF
- Legal name
- GBIF - Global Biodiversity Information Facility
- Website
- https://gbif.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GBIF is an international intergovernmental open data infrastructure providing free access to over 3 billion biodiversity occurrence records from 2,400+ publishing institutions. It serves researchers, policymakers, and publishers through standardized datasets, a public API, and hosted portals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where GBIF is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
GBIF business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: GBIF is an international network and data infrastructure funded by the world's governments. The network operates through a Secretariat in Copenhagen, with annual work programmes approved by the GBIF Governing Board bounded by a five-year strategic framework.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
GBIF product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GBIF operates an international open-data infrastructure that aggregates and provides free access to biodiversity occurrence records from museums, research institutions, and citizen scientists worldwide. Its core deliverable is a unified index of 3 billion+ species occurrence records spanning 100,000+ datasets, exposed through a public website, a REST API, and 72 customized hosted portals.
Product overview
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) is an international network and data infrastructure providing free and open access to biodiversity data about all types of life on Earth. The platform operates as a unified system centered on its core product: the occurrence records database containing over 3 billion records from 100,000+ datasets. GBIF offers supplementary products including hosted portals for customized national/regional/thematic biodiversity sites, the GRSciColl registry for scientific collections, and a public API for programmatic access. The infrastructure supports thematic communities focused on climate change, invasive alien species, human health, and IUCN Red List assessments. Capacity enhancement programmes like BID and BIFA extend the network's reach in developing regions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GBIF.org: The primary web platform providing access to GBIF's biodiversity occurrence records, datasets, and data tools.
- GRSciColl
- BID Programme
- BIFA Programme
Products and services
- Occurrence Records
- GBIF Datasets
- GBIF Hosted Portals
- GRSciColl (Global Registered Collections)
- GBIF API
Quantifiable outcome
- Supporting approximately 5 peer-reviewed publications using data per day
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use GBIF
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GBIF technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
GBIF partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ELIXIRcoreELIXIR and GBIF strengthen collaboration on biodiversity and life science data, working together to improve interoperability between biodiversity and life science data resources.
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)coreGBIF arose from a 1999 recommendation by the OECD's Biodiversity Informatics Subgroup Megascience Forum, which concluded that an international mechanism was needed to make biodiversity data accessible worldwide. This recommendation received endorsement from science ministers from OECD member states.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GBIF competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS): A UNESCO-affiliated global open-access data infrastructure for marine biodiversity data, operating with the same interoperable, open-data philosophy as GBIF but focused on ocean taxa. It is a direct peer in mandate and governance model (intergovernmental, network-based).
- eBird: Run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, eBird is the world's largest biodiversity-related citizen science dataset, focused on birds. It shares data with GBIF and is directly comparable in mission, contributor-driven model, and scientific impact.
- iNaturalist: A citizen science platform that aggregates biodiversity observations and shares research-grade data with GBIF. It is the most comparable peer in terms of mission (open biodiversity data) and downstream use cases, though it specializes in observer-driven records rather than institutional publishing.
- Encyclopedia of Life (EOL): A free, open-access online encyclopedia aggregating information about species worldwide. EOL complements GBIF by curating species pages rather than occurrence records, making it a directly comparable open biodiversity knowledge platform.
- VertNet: A vertebrate-focused biodiversity data network that uses Darwin Core standards (the same as GBIF) and aggregates museum specimen data. It is a direct peer in technology stack and data scope, though narrower in taxonomic focus.
- Map of Life: A global platform that integrates biodiversity data (including GBIF) to produce species distribution maps and support biodiversity research. Directly comparable in leveraging open biodiversity data for scientific and conservation applications.
- World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS): An authoritative global taxonomic database for marine species, providing the taxonomic backbone that complements GBIF's occurrence records. Comparable as a curated, open-access biodiversity knowledge infrastructure.
Regional players
- Canadensys: Canada's national biodiversity data network and a GBIF Participant node, providing open access to Canadian biodiversity data using the same standards. It is a regional peer in architecture and mission.
- Atlas of Living Australia (ALA): Australia's national biodiversity data infrastructure, sharing the same open-data, Darwin Core-based model as GBIF but serving as a regional aggregator. It is a peer in architecture and standards, and is itself a GBIF Participant node.
Broad incumbents
- IUCN Red List: The world's most comprehensive inventory of species conservation status, which consumes GBIF data for species threat assessments. IUCN is a broader conservation authority that depends on and complements GBIF's data infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GBIF social profiles
Digital presenceGBIF financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GBIF leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
GBIF funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GBIF 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 GBIF
What does GBIF do?
GBIF operates an international open-data infrastructure that aggregates and provides free access to biodiversity occurrence records from museums, research institutions, and citizen scientists worldwide. Its core deliverable is a unified index of 3 billion+ species occurrence records spanning 100,000+ datasets, exposed through a public website, a REST API, and 72 customized hosted portals.
Is GBIF a public or private company?
GBIF is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was GBIF founded?
GBIF was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GBIF based?
GBIF is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does GBIF make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Funding.
Who are GBIF's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), eBird, iNaturalist, Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), VertNet, Map of Life and World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Regional players are Canadensys and Atlas of Living Australia (ALA). IUCN Red List is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does GBIF have an API?
Yes. GBIF provides an API that allows developers to programmatically access and query biodiversity data. The API enables users to search for occurrences, taxa, datasets, publishers, and other GBIF resources. Documentation is available through the developer's section and beginner's guide tutorials.