Project CETI
Project CETI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit applying machine learning, autonomous underwater gliders, bio-inspired robotic tags, and generative AI models to decode sperm whale communication off Dominica, serving the global scientific research and marine conservation communities through open-source data and publications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Project CETI does
Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in March 2020 by Dr. David Gruber, headquartered in New York with research operations in Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean. Its mission is to listen to and translate the communication of sperm whales using advanced machine learning and robotics. The organization runs a multi-phase pipeline: Phase One uses aerial drones, autonomous underwater gliders equipped with a proprietary "Backseat Driver" system, bio-inspired suction-cup tags modeled on clingfish/suckerfish biology, and Core Whale Listening Stations (five recording units with 28 hydrophones each, capturing roughly 3TB/month) to collect synchronized acoustic, behavioral, and movement data from 200+ individually identified whales; Phase Two processes and annotates this data; Phase Three applies machine learning — including a custom GAN-based click analyzer, the AVATARS reinforcement learning framework for autonomous drone rendezvous, and WhAM, the first transformer-based generative model of sperm whale codas presented at NeurIPS 2025.
The underlying data asset is 400+ million sperm whale coda recordings and 20+ years of photo-identification data from the Dominica Sperm Whale Project, which has yielded peer-reviewed breakthroughs including combinatorial and contextual structure in codas (Nature Communications, 2024) and a documented phonetic alphabet with vowel-like patterns (Proceedings B, 2025). Research is executed by a network of 50+ scientists across 15 institutions and 9 countries — including MIT CSAIL, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Oxford, University of Haifa, Google Research, and DeepMind-affiliated researchers.
The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Revenue comes primarily from foundation grants and major-donor contributions (The Audacious Project, National Geographic Society, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Dalio Philanthropies/OceanX, Oceankind, Standard Industries), in-kind cloud and AI support from AWS and Google Research, individual donations processed via every.org, and a small merchandise line ($35 t-shirts, $30 tote bags) with proceeds directed to research. 78% of the budget funds research directly, with a 2024 allocation of 67% program / 30% management / 3% fundraising. Customers, in the funder sense, are concentrated among a small number of anchor institutional donors and the host Government of Dominica, which partnered with CETI to establish the world's first sperm whale reserve. Adjacent outreach includes the Dominica Marine Conservation Fellowship (12 graduates to date), a 2024 Eco-Fit Youth Program with the Ashley Lashley Foundation, and cross-sector brand collaborations (D.S. & DURGA perfume, MoMA / Joan Jonas installation).
Project CETI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project CETI
- Legal name
- Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative)
- Website
- https://projectceti.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Project CETI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit applying machine learning, autonomous underwater gliders, bio-inspired robotic tags, and generative AI models to decode sperm whale communication off Dominica, serving the global scientific research and marine conservation communities through open-source data and publications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project CETI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Conservation Research
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife & Animal Care Volunteering (EDAIAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Nature, Science & Wildlife Documentaries (MPADADAF)
Keywords
Where Project CETI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Project CETI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Project CETI is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate philanthropists to fund research and community initiatives.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts ($35) and tote bags ($30). Proceeds from merchandise sales are donated to CETI's research work.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major donors and foundation funding from organizations including The Audacious Project, National Geographic Society, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Project CETI T-Shirt - 100% black cotton, worn by field team in Dominica |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Project CETI Tote - 10.5oz woven tote, 80% recycled cotton, 20% recycled polyester |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Project CETI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project CETI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit scientific research organization that applies advanced machine learning and state-of-the-art robotics to listen to and translate the communication of sperm whales. Its core research program operates in Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean, where it monitors over 200 whales using custom bio-inspired tags, autonomous underwater gliders, hydrophone listening stations, and aerial drones, and analyzes 400+ million recorded sperm whale coda clicks using AI models such as the WhAM transformer. Public-facing outputs include the 'Listen to the Whales' engagement platform, scientific publications, and conservation policy advocacy that led to the establishment of the world's first sperm whale reserve.
Product overview
Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) is a nonprofit scientific research and conservation organization, not a commercial product company. Its core offering is the research program to decode sperm whale communication using advanced machine learning and robotics. The primary public engagement product is the 'Listen to the Whales' platform for sharing whale recordings. Research infrastructure includes Core Whale Listening Stations (underwater acoustic monitoring systems), CETI Whale Tags (bio-inspired suction-cup attachment devices for data collection), CETI SeaExplorer Gliders (autonomous underwater vehicles with Backseat Driver capability), and aerial drones. Supporting software includes Whale Tales for video analysis and WhAM (Whale Acoustics Model) for generative AI of whale vocalizations. The organization also offers merchandise (T-shirts, tote bags) as fundraising items, with proceeds supporting research. All research findings and data are shared open-source with the scientific community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Listen to the Whales Platform A public-facing web platform that lets global audiences listen to sperm whale recordings, explore CETI's research, and engage with whale communication discoveries. Targeted at the general public, science enthusiasts, and supporters of marine conservation.
- Project CETI T-Shirt Official CETI team t-shirt (100% black cotton) priced at $35.00 USD, featuring a design by graffiti artist Calicho Arevalo; worn by CETI's field team in Dominica. 100% of proceeds support CETI's research. Targeted at supporters and consumers.
- Project CETI Tote Bag Limited-edition woven tote bag priced at $30.00 USD, designed by Dominican artist Jenae Bell in partnership with the Waitukubuli Artist Association. Made of 80% recycled cotton and 20% recycled polyester. Proceeds support CETI's research.
Quantifiable outcome
- First discovery of vowel-like and diphthong-like patterns in sperm whale communication
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Project CETI
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Project CETI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability10 records
Feature7 records
Project CETI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and strategic.
- Ashley Lashley FoundationsupportingPartnership for Eco-Fit Youth Program bringing environmental education to 10 primary schools in Dominica.
- Waitukubuli Artist AssociationsupportingDominican artist association partnership creating merchandise designs and murals featuring CETI's whale research themes.
- D.S. & DURGAsupportingCollaboration to create LET'S DIVE perfume, a tribute to sperm whales using sustainable synthetic ambergris. Brings CETI's story to new audiences through creative collaboration.
- National Geographic SocietycoreFlagship partnership integrated across National Geographic's four pillars: Science, storytelling, local capacity development/education, and research. Includes co-created curriculum for Marine Conservation Fellowship, Photo Camps, exploration technology deployment, and policy advocacy that led to establishing the world's first sperm whale reserve in Dominica.
- MIT CSAILcoreRobotics and machine learning research partnership. Includes work on autonomous systems, AI models for whale communication, and theoretical analysis of communication systems.
- Harvard UniversitycoreRobotics research collaboration including Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory for whale tag development, reinforcement learning frameworks for whale tracking, and bio-inspired suction cup technology.
- University of California BerkeleycoreLinguistics research and machine learning theory partnership. Dr. Gašper Beguš leads linguistics team; hosts Decoding Communication workshops at Simons Institute.
- University of HaifacoreUnderwater acoustics research led by Prof. Roee Diamant. Includes development of Core Whale Listening Stations and glider systems.
- Google ResearchcoreTechnical partnership including staff volunteers on the CETI team and access to cloud computing resources for AI model training.
- Government of DominicacoreHost nation partnership for research operations. Led to establishment of world's first sperm whale reserve. Includes field station, local hires, and conservation fellowship program.
- Dominica Sperm Whale ProjectcoreLong-term sperm whale research project providing 20+ years of photo-identification data and biological expertise for CETI's studies.
- NYU School of Law MOTH ProgramstrategicPartnership on legal and ethical principles for nonhuman animal communication technologies (NACTs) and exploration of how whale communication research could lead to legal change.
- Oxford UniversitycoreMachine learning research partnership with Dr. Michael Bronstein as DeepMind Professor of AI.
- Aarhus UniversitysupportingAcademic research partnership contributing to cetacean behavior and communication studies.
- Baruch CollegesupportingAcademic partnership with professor David Gruber's institution providing research leadership.
- Carleton UniversitysupportingAcademic research partnership contributing to marine science studies.
- CENTAIsupportingResearch partnership in complex systems and computational analysis for understanding whale communication.
- Simons Institute for the Theory of ComputingcoreAcademic institute co-hosting annual Decoding Communication in Non-Human Species workshops, inspired by the 1956 Dartmouth Workshop where AI was formed.
- Amazon Web ServicessupportingCloud computing partnership including acceptance into AWS Open Data Program for sharing open-source whale data with international research community.
- Joan Jonas / MoMAsupportingArt collaboration with renowned mixed media artist Joan Jonas for MoMA retrospective 'To Touch Sound' video installation highlighting sperm whales and underwater sound.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Project CETI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Earth Species Project: Berkeley-based nonprofit RSE that uses machine learning to decode animal communication across multiple species. This is the closest direct competitor in mission, structure (nonprofit scientific research), and technology stack; CETI and Earth Species Project vie to be the field-defining org in AI-driven animal language decoding.
- SETI Institute: Nonprofit research organization dedicated to searching for and characterizing non-human intelligence and signals from space. Highly comparable in operating model (nonprofit science org), exploratory mission on non-human communication, and interdisciplinary approach combining signal processing, AI, and biology.
- OceanX: Ocean-exploration nonprofit funded by Dalio Philanthropies (also a CETI funder). OceanX combines advanced marine research vessels, media production, and conservation storytelling, mirroring CETI's blend of proprietary ocean technology, scientific discovery, and public engagement (e.g., MoMA and Pioneer Works-style programming).
Broad incumbents
- Allen Institute for Brain Science: Philanthropically funded nonprofit running large-scale, open-data neuroscience research programs. Comparable in operating model (nonprofit, open-data philosophy, interdisciplinary teams) but focused on neural circuits rather than animal communication; a useful benchmark for scale and infrastructure ambition.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI): Established nonprofit oceanographic research org operating autonomous underwater vehicles, advanced sensors, and deep-sea observatories. Comparable in marine robotics, autonomous platforms, and ocean acoustics, though broader in scope than CETI's cetacean focus.
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI): The largest independent ocean research institution, with deep expertise in marine animal bioacoustics and autonomous platforms. Comparable in marine mammal acoustics, autonomous robotics (REMUS-class vehicles), and peer-reviewed output, but operates as a much larger, broader research enterprise.
Emerging players
- Wild Me / Wildbook: Nonprofit building open-source AI for wildlife photo-identification and population monitoring across species. Comparable in applying computer vision and ML to animal behavior and identity data, but focused on identification rather than communication decoding.
Regional players
- Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute: Nonprofit marine mammal and ecosystem research organization. Comparable in cetacean research, bioacoustic methods, and conservation advocacy; primarily serves U.S. waters rather than the Eastern Caribbean where CETI operates.
Others
- National Geographic Society: CETI's flagship strategic partner and a global nonprofit that funds exploration, storytelling, and conservation science. Adjacent rather than competitive - National Geographic provides funding, four-pillar integration, and media reach rather than competing for the same research output.
- DeepMind: Google-owned AI research lab and CETI technology collaborator (staff volunteers). Not a direct competitor, but an adjacent frontier-AI organization whose work on sequence models and reinforcement learning directly informs CETI's WhAM and AVATARS frameworks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Project CETI social profiles
Digital presenceProject CETI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project CETI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Project CETI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Project CETI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Project CETI
What does Project CETI do?
Project CETI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit scientific research organization that applies advanced machine learning and state-of-the-art robotics to listen to and translate the communication of sperm whales. Its core research program operates in Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean, where it monitors over 200 whales using custom bio-inspired tags, autonomous underwater gliders, hydrophone listening stations, and aerial drones, and analyzes 400+ million recorded sperm whale coda clicks using AI models such as the WhAM transformer. Public-facing outputs include the 'Listen to the Whales' engagement platform, scientific publications, and conservation policy advocacy that led to the establishment of the world's first sperm whale reserve.
Is Project CETI a public or private company?
Project CETI is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project CETI founded?
Project CETI was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Project CETI based?
Project CETI is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project CETI make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales and foundation and Corporate Grants.
Who are Project CETI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Earth Species Project, SETI Institute and OceanX. Broad incumbents are Allen Institute for Brain Science, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Wild Me / Wildbook is listed as an emerging player. Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute is listed as a regional player. Others are National Geographic Society and DeepMind.
Does Project CETI have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project CETI.
What industry is Project CETI in?
Project CETI's product category is Marine Conservation Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAGAE, Wildlife & Animal Care Volunteering, with a secondary code of MPADADAF, Nature, Science & Wildlife Documentaries. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.