Earthshot
Earthshot is a Pasadena-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates Fortnite islands, graphic novels, card games, and VR exhibits to inspire climate action among young people aged 14-24, funded by donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships from partners including Tradewater and Edison International.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersPasadena, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Earthshot does
Earthshot is a Pasadena, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 that builds entertainment media products to inspire climate action among young people aged 14 to 24. Its core products include the SUPERCHARGED! eight-issue graphic novel series (a murder-mystery cross-country adventure featuring electric vehicle technology, with five issues released and available free online or for $5 per print copy), multiple interactive Fortnite islands (the Tradewater-Earthshot Parkour island code 7398-2226-8805 and the Bad Gas Parkour island code 7154-3229-8021), the downloadable Cleantech Virtual Exhibit (Windows, Apple, and VR via Unreal Engine), the EV Card Game piloted in schools, and the Earthshot Goes to School high school program. The organization claims research showing players exposed to climate content in games demonstrate higher intentions to take climate action.
Earthshot's business model is a multi-stream nonprofit funding structure rather than a commercial revenue model. Income is generated through tax-deductible individual donations (via PayPal, hosted button, and printable mail-in forms), foundation grants, tiered corporate sponsorships (Fortnite island naming rights, individual SUPERCHARGED! issue sponsorship, school program module sponsorship, Comic-Con presence, and astronomy/cleantech education partnerships), and merchandise sales through its Shopify-powered earthshot.store. A secondary real-world program, the AC Swap Out Program with ValleyCAN and Southern California Edison, proposes replacing at least 250,000 aged window AC units in Southern California to reduce grid strain and energy burden on low-income communities. The customer base is split between a primary audience of Gen Z and Gen Alpha youth engaged through Fortnite, comics, school programs, and social media, and a secondary audience of parents, foundations, and corporate sponsors (including Edison International, Tradewater, Epic Games, EcoMaterials, Magnopus, and SCE-affiliated ValleyCAN).
The organization operates with a small team of 1 to 10 employees from its Pasadena headquarters, is governed by a board drawing from Disney, Latham & Watkins, Vanderbilt University, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the gaming industry (including Legacy Games' CEO), and is led by co-founders Mark Bernstein (President, 30+ years in climate and clean energy) and Bob Wyman (Board Chair, 30+ years on the EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee). All products and services are operated under U.S. jurisdiction (Pasadena, CA), though the Fortnite-based content has potential global reach via Epic Games' 500+ million registered user platform. The organization is privately funded, with no venture capital, parent company, or institutional investor involvement disclosed.
Earthshot firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Earthshot
- Legal name
- Earthshot
- Website
- https://earthshot.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Earthshot is a Pasadena-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates Fortnite islands, graphic novels, card games, and VR exhibits to inspire climate action among young people aged 14-24, funded by donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships from partners including Tradewater and Edison International.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Earthshot industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Education Media
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Virtual Field Trips & Experiential Learning Environments (Museums, Geography, History) (EDAFAJAG)
Keywords
Where Earthshot is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pasadena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Earthshot business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Earthshot accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals through PayPal and mail. Donations support the organization's mission to inspire climate action through entertainment media.
- Foundation Grants: Earthshot receives funding through foundation grants as part of their funding model.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors can take naming rights on Fortnite Islands, sponsor individual issues of SUPERCHARGED!, or one or more modules of high school programs. Sponsors can also fund new island development, support Comic-Con presence, or partner on astronomy and cleantech education initiatives.
- Product Sales (Shopify Store): Revenue generated through earthshot.store selling print comic books and branded merchandise. SUPERCHARGED! issues are available for purchase at $5 per issue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time | Free digital access to all available comic issues |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Print comic book purchase |
| Other | One time | Donation tier with free comic |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Earthshot product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Earthshot is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops entertainment-based educational media including interactive Fortnite gaming islands (Bad Gas Parkour and Tradewater-Earthshot Island) showcasing clean technologies, the SUPERCHARGED! graphic novel series featuring electric vehicle technology, a downloadable Cleantech Virtual Exhibit with VR support, an EV card game, and high school educational programs. The organization partners with foundations, corporate sponsors, and organizations like Epic Games, Edison International, and Tradewater to fund and distribute its content to young people ages 14-24, with secondary outreach to parents and corporate sponsors.
Product overview
Earthshot is a nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of educational media products centered on climate action and clean technology awareness. The core offerings include the SUPERCHARGED! graphic novel series (8-issue murder mystery adventure about electric vehicles), multiple interactive Fortnite gaming islands (Bad Gas Parkour and Tradewater Earthshot Parkour accessible via island codes), and a downloadable Cleantech Virtual Exhibit. These products are complemented by the Earthshot Goes to School high school program, an EV card game, the Earthshot Store for merchandise and comic sales, and a Climate Hope Newsletter. All offerings share a unified mission: to combat climate change by showcasing clean technology through engaging entertainment rather than doom-and-gloom messaging. The company targets young people ages 14-24 and their parents, as well as investors and corporate sponsors interested in engaging the next generation on climate issues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SUPERCHARGED!™: A murder mystery graphic novel series following Boston grad student Cara Quintana and Kentucky farmer Jack Wilson on a cross-country adventure to the LA Auto Show where Cara's high-performance sustainable battery competes for a $10 billion prize
- Tradewater-Earthshot Island
- Bad Gas Parkour
- Cleantech Virtual Exhibit
- EV Card Game
Products and services
- SUPERCHARGED! Graphic Novel Series An 8-issue graphic novel murder mystery series about electric vehicle technology featuring Boston grad student Cara Quintana and Kentucky farmer Jack Wilson racing from Boston to the LA Auto Show where Cara's sustainable battery competes for a $10 billion prize. Each issue includes EV Tech Talk sections explaining real-world technology. Issues 1-5 available free online; physical copies available for $5. Targeted at high school and college students interested in clean energy.
- Earthshot Fortnite Islands Interactive gaming experiences within Fortnite showcasing climate solutions. Includes Bad Gas Parkour (island code 7154-3229-8021) where players plug methane-emitting oil wells and collect refrigerant canisters, and Tradewater Earthshot Parkour (island code 7398-2226-8805) showcasing methane leak challenges. Freely accessible to anyone with a standard Fortnite account.
- Cleantech Virtual Exhibit A downloadable virtual exhibit experience available on Windows and Apple platforms that showcases clean technologies and sustainable practices through immersive digital content. Includes VR mode using Unreal Engine. Distributed via Dropbox with instructions for PC/Mac and full VR viewing.
- Earthshot EV Card Game An electric vehicle-themed card game designed for educational settings that teaches players about EV technology through gameplay. Piloted with schools including 250 students at a San Francisco 49ers STEAM event.
- Earthshot Goes to School Program A high school educational program featuring the SUPERCHARGED! graphic novel, EV card game, pilot exercises, and curriculum integration for climate and clean technology education. Includes live telescope access partnerships for astronomy education.
- Earthshot Store (earthshot.store) Shopify-based e-commerce storefront selling physical copies of SUPERCHARGED! print comics at $5 each, branded merchandise, and processing donations. Free hard copy offered for $25+ donations.
- Climate Hope Newsletter Email newsletter delivering stories about climate solutions, clean technology innovations, and Earthshot program updates to subscribers who sign up via the Earthshot website.
- AC Swap Out Program Climate initiative partnering with ValleyCAN and Southern California Edison to swap out old window air conditioners for new efficient units in Southern California. Targets the at least 250,000 room AC units that are 9 years or older in Southern California to reduce energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, strain on the electric grid, and energy burden for low-income communities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Youth climate engagement through entertainment platforms with proven research backing
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Earthshot
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Earthshot technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Earthshot partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- TradewatercorePrimary sponsor of Earthshot's first Fortnite Island (Tradewater-Earthshot Island, code 7398-2226-8805). Tradewater specializes in plugging orphaned oil wells and collecting refrigerants to prevent methane and potent greenhouse gas releases. Their solution/players' challenge in the game mirrors their real-world work.
- Epic GamescoreSteve Isaacs from Epic Games participated in Earthshot's panel at the Environmental Media Association Impact Summit to provide insights. Epic Games provides the Fortnite platform enabling Earthshot's gaming-based climate education.
- Edison InternationalsupportingEdison supports the SUPERCHARGED! graphic novel initiative, helping fund and promote the series that features electric vehicle technology and clean energy themes.
- ValleyCAN (Valley Clean Air Now)supportingPartner in the AC Swap Out Program alongside SCE, submitting an innovative proposal to swap old window air conditioners for new efficient ones in Southern California to reduce energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy burden for low-income communities.
- Southern California Edison (SCE)supportingPartner in the AC Swap Out Program alongside ValleyCAN, working to swap old window AC units in Southern California to reduce strain on the electric grid, air pollution, and energy burden for vulnerable communities.
- EcoMaterialssupportingListed as a collaborator alongside other organizations including Epic Games, Edison International, Tradewater, and Magnopus, working together on various Earthshot programs and climate education initiatives.
- MagnopussupportingListed as a collaborator among Earthshot's network of partners including Epic Games, Edison International, Tradewater, and EcoMaterials for various programs and initiatives.
- Legacy GamessupportingBoard member Ariella Lehrer serves as CEO of Legacy Games, bringing entertainment and gaming industry experience to Earthshot's board and mission.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Earthshot competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Magnopus: Immersive technology and VR/AR content studio, listed as an Earthshot collaborator. Comparable in immersive/VR exhibit production capabilities and partnership with Earthshot on virtual experiences.
Emerging players
- iCivics: Nonprofit founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor that creates educational video games for civic education. Comparable in producing games as educational tools for school-aged audiences through a nonprofit model.
- Filament Games: Educational game studio that designs games for impact, including climate and science themes. Comparable as a games-for-impact producer, though operates as a for-profit services company rather than nonprofit.
- Legacy Games: Video game publisher creating accessible games for entertainment and education, with Earthshot board member Ariella Lehrer serving as CEO. Comparable as a games-for-impact content producer with overlap in mission and team.
Direct peers
- Games for Change: Nonprofit that harnesses games and immersive media for social impact, including climate themes. Most directly comparable to Earthshot in mission, structure, and entertainment-first approach to education.
- Earth Uprising: Youth-focused climate education nonprofit that trains and mobilizes young climate leaders. Shares Earthshot's youth engagement mission and nonprofit funding model, though uses training rather than entertainment products.
Broad incumbents
- Conservation International: Major environmental nonprofit using media and storytelling to drive conservation awareness. Comparable in nonprofit structure, climate/environment mission, and storytelling approach, though at significantly larger scale.
- Climate Reality Project: Founded by Al Gore, this is one of the largest climate education and advocacy nonprofits globally. Comparable in climate-education mission and nonprofit funding model, though it focuses on advocacy training rather than entertainment products.
- Rare: Behavioral change nonprofit that uses storytelling and media campaigns to drive environmental conservation. Comparable mission and use of entertainment/communications to shift attitudes toward environmental action.
- National Geographic Society (Education): Major educational media and nonprofit organization producing climate/environmental educational content for youth. Comparable in combining entertainment media with science/climate education mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Earthshot social profiles
Digital presenceEarthshot compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Earthshot financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Earthshot leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Earthshot funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Earthshot 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 Earthshot
What does Earthshot do?
Earthshot is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops entertainment-based educational media including interactive Fortnite gaming islands (Bad Gas Parkour and Tradewater-Earthshot Island) showcasing clean technologies, the SUPERCHARGED! graphic novel series featuring electric vehicle technology, a downloadable Cleantech Virtual Exhibit with VR support, an EV card game, and high school educational programs. The organization partners with foundations, corporate sponsors, and organizations like Epic Games, Edison International, and Tradewater to fund and distribute its content to young people ages 14-24, with secondary outreach to parents and corporate sponsors.
Is Earthshot a public or private company?
Earthshot is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Earthshot founded?
Earthshot was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Earthshot based?
Earthshot is headquartered in Pasadena, United States, in the North America region.
How does Earthshot make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants, corporate Sponsorships and product Sales (Shopify Store).
Who are Earthshot's main competitors?
Magnopus is listed as an others. Emerging players are iCivics, Filament Games and Legacy Games. Direct peers are Games for Change and Earth Uprising. Broad incumbents are Conservation International, Climate Reality Project, Rare and National Geographic Society (Education).
Does Earthshot have an API?
No public API is recorded for Earthshot.
What industry is Earthshot in?
Earthshot's product category is Climate Education Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGALAK, Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment), with a secondary code of EDAFAJAG, Virtual Field Trips & Experiential Learning Environments (Museums, Geography, History). Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7900.