Conserve
Conserve.IO builds mobile and cloud-based conservation technology—Whale Alert, Sharktivity, Manatee Alert, and the Spotter Pro platform—for government agencies, marine nonprofits, and researchers, enabling citizen-science data collection, GPS-triggered compliance alerts, and real-time acoustic buoy integration for marine species protection.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersDelray Beach, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Conserve does
Conserve.IO, Inc. is a mobile and cloud-based conservation technology company founded in 2012 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, with satellite offices in San Francisco and Boston. The company builds free consumer-facing applications—Whale Alert, Sharktivity, Manatee Alert, and Ocean Alert—that deliver GPS-triggered compliance alerts, real-time acoustic buoy integration, and citizen-science sighting reporting for marine species protection. Its underlying Spotter/Spotter Pro platform provides configurable data collection forms, offline-capable field capture, GPS trackline logging, cloud synchronization, near real-time acoustic buoy data from Cornell's Bioacoustics Research Program, NOAA bathymetry and raster chart layers, and data export to Excel, ArcGIS, and Google Maps. A JSON API is exposed for authenticated machine-to-machine export of trip and sighting data.
The company serves government conservation agencies (NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts Port Authority, U.S. Coast Guard), marine conservation nonprofits (IFAW, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy), academic researchers (Cornell, Stanford Hopkins Marine Station, University of New Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), and commercial and recreational mariners. Revenue is generated through three streams: free consumer apps (indirect monetization via data scale and brand), quote-based Spotter Pro subscriptions for organizations with custom data collection forms, and custom app development partnerships for government agencies and research institutions. The customer base is reported across the U.S. East Coast, Florida, the U.S. West Coast, Cape Cod, Nova Scotia, and Southeast Queensland.
Conserve.IO operates as a small (1–10 employees), bootstrapped, founder-led private company led by Brad Winney (Founder, Director; co-founder of EarthNC and Panopto) and Virgil Zetterlind (Co-Founder, Director, Lead PM for Architecture and Data Services). The firm is GDPR- and CCPA/CPRA-compliant, and its products have been featured in Time, National Geographic, CNN, Wired, Huffington Post, Boating Magazine, and TechRepublic. The platform is used by over 30,000 boating mobile application users, and the company has been covered by NOAA News for its role in reducing ship strikes on endangered right whales.
Conserve firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Conserve
- Legal name
- Conserve.IO, Inc.
- Website
- https://conserve.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Conserve.IO builds mobile and cloud-based conservation technology—Whale Alert, Sharktivity, Manatee Alert, and the Spotter Pro platform—for government agencies, marine nonprofits, and researchers, enabling citizen-science data collection, GPS-triggered compliance alerts, and real-time acoustic buoy integration for marine species protection.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Conserve is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Delray Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Conserve business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Free Consumer Mobile Apps: Free mobile applications (Whale Alert, Manatee Alert, Sharktivity) distributed via app stores. These apps engage citizens in conservation data collection and provide compliance information to mariners. Revenue comes indirectly through data collection scale and brand recognition.
- Spotter Pro Organization Subscriptions: Cloud-based server access for organizations managing data collection projects. Organizations can have customized data collection forms and access to the Spotter web server for user management, data warehousing, and export. Pricing is quote-based for organizations requiring customized features.
- Custom App Development Partnerships: Custom mobile application development partnerships with conservation organizations, government agencies, and research institutions for specialized data collection needs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free consumer mobile apps (Whale Alert, Manatee Alert, Sharktivity) |
| Freemium | Others | Spotter Pro Demo Organization |
| Subscription | Monthly | Spotter Pro Custom Organization |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Conserve product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Conserve.IO builds and operates a cloud-based mobile platform for conservation field data collection, deployed through free consumer mobile apps (Whale Alert, Sharktivity, Manatee Alert, Ocean Alert) and a subscription-based organizational product (Spotter Pro). The platform supports GPS-enabled opportunistic sightings and effort-based scientific surveys, with configurable data forms, offline sync, NOAA charts and bathymetric layers, GPS-triggered compliance alerts, and integration with real-time acoustic buoys for whale detection.
Product overview
Conserve.IO operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on its Spotter mobile data collection platform. The core offering includes opportunistic and effort-based mobile data collection supporting both survey-based projects and crowd-sourced public reporting. The product portfolio consists of four named consumer-facing applications: Whale Alert (whale ship-strike prevention), Sharktivity (shark sighting alerts), Manatee Alert (manatee zone compliance), and Ocean Alert (ocean conservation). Spotter Pro serves as the underlying field data collection engine built into these apps, enabling customizable forms, GPS trackline logging, offline data collection with automatic cloud sync, and data export capabilities. The platform incorporates maps, charts, weather data, and configurable alert zones for situational awareness.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Whale Alert: Mobile application that helps mariners avoid endangered whales by displaying real-time acoustic buoy data and right whale conservation measures along shipping lanes
- Sharktivity
- Manatee Alert
- Spotter
- Spotter Pro
- Ocean Alert
Products and services
- Whale Alert Mobile application for mariners that displays real-time acoustic buoy detections of North Atlantic right whales, NOAA management boundaries, and seasonal right whale conservation measures along shipping lanes, providing GPS-triggered alerts to help commercial and recreational vessels avoid whale strikes.
- Sharktivity Mobile application developed with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy that delivers real-time alerts for White Shark sightings and beach closings in the Cape Cod region, enables crowd-sourced sighting reporting with photo uploads for confirmation, and supports public safety and white shark research outreach.
- Manatee Alert Mobile application for Florida boaters that alerts users when approaching slow-speed zones and protected areas designed to protect endangered manatees, and includes one-button reporting of injured or harassed manatees to wildlife authorities.
- Spotter Pro Field data collection platform for scientists, naturalists, and resource managers built into Conserve.IO's apps, supporting configurable data collection forms, GPS trackline logging, offline capture with cloud sync, cloud-based user and project management, and data export to Excel, ArcGIS, and Google Maps. Delivered as a subscription service to organizations.
- Ocean Alert Mobile application for ocean conservation and marine species protection that combines the Conserve.IO platform's compliance and sighting alerting with Spotter Pro field data collection capability for researchers and resource managers.
- Custom Conservation App Development
Quantifiable outcome
- Real-time acoustic buoy detection system linked to mobile app displays whale presence to ship captains
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Conserve
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Conserve technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Conserve partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- Atlantic White Shark ConservancyflagshipPrimary partner for Sharktivity app development. Partnership provides real-time alerts for White Shark sightings and beach closings in Cape Cod region. App developed in collaboration with Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and Cape Cod National Seashore.
- Nova Scotia Energy Research OrganizationminorPartner in tidal energy project to understand effects of alternative energy methods on residential marine life.
- Fundy TidalminorPartner in tidal energy project studying effects of various alternative energy methods on marine wildlife.
- Canadian Whale InstituteminorPartner in tidal energy project with Whale Alert/Spotter platform.
- NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuaryflagshipLead organization for Whale Alert development. Research coordinator David Wiley served as project lead. NOAA provided regulatory data and conservation measures information integrated into the app. This is the flagship partnership that led to the creation of the Whale Alert application.
- International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)coreGlobal whale director Patrick Ramage collaborated on Whale Alert initiative. IFAW provided conservation expertise and is featured as an app partner on Whale Alert.
- Massachusetts Port AuthoritycoreDeputy port director Deborah Hadden involved in project. Authority helped facilitate shipping industry adoption and regulatory compliance aspects of Whale Alert.
- Cornell University Bioacoustics Research ProgramcoreChristopher Clark's team developed the acoustic detection and warning system for Whale Alert. Team created near real-time acoustic buoys that listen for right whale calls.
- Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionminorCollaborating organization in Whale Alert development.
- Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation CommissioncoreProvided manatee zone data and seasonal adjustment information for Manatee Alert app. Commission provides ongoing updates for Florida boater compliance.
- Massachusetts Division of Marine FisheriescoreCollaborator on Sharktivity app with officials from Cape Cod and South Shore towns to raise awareness of white shark presence.
- Cape Cod National SeashorecoreFederal partner in Sharktivity app development, officials from the national seashore collaborated on shark safety initiative.
- Stanford University Hopkins Marine StationcoreDr. Randy Kochevar serves as Science Advisor to Conserve.IO. Stanford lab led by Dr. Barbara Block is involved in GulfTOPP animal tracking program and IGFA Great Marlin Race.
- EarthNC, Inc.flagshipEarthNC is the parent company of Conserve.IO. Brad Winney is co-founder of EarthNC and developer of the WhaleAlert mobile application. EarthNC is a leading provider of geo-spatial software and mobile applications to the marine industry.
- Excelerate EnergyminorCollaborating organization in Whale Alert development.
- National Park ServiceminorCollaborating organization in Whale Alert development, Cape Cod National Seashore is part of NPS.
- United States Coast GuardminorCollaborating organization in Whale Alert development.
- TrailBehind, Inc.coreCo-founded company with Andrew Johnson as Co-Founder and CEO, and Anna Hentzel-Johnson as Co-Founder, providing mobile and GIS development expertise.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Conserve competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Open Data Kit (ODK): Open-source mobile data collection platform widely used by NGOs, academics, and government agencies for field surveys; competes for the same Spotter Pro market on price.
- Flora & Fauna (formerly known as FieldKit): Mobile field data collection platform for biodiversity and conservation research; directly comparable custom-form, offline-capable architecture for environmental work.
- Happywhale: Citizen-science platform for identifying and tracking individual whales from photos; overlapping conservation use case and crowd-sourced sighting model.
Broad incumbents
- Mapbox: Mapping and location platform whose base maps, charts, and customization capabilities underpin many conservation and maritime apps; adjacent competitor in custom map-driven applications.
- Wildlife Acoustics: Acoustic monitoring hardware and software for wildlife detection; overlaps with Conserve.IO's acoustic buoy integration for real-time species detection.
- Esri Survey123: Mobile field data collection offering from the dominant GIS platform, widely used by government agencies and researchers; competes head-on with Spotter Pro in the conservation/environment vertical.
- Trimble TerraFlex: Enterprise mobile GIS and field data collection suite from a major positioning technology vendor; competes for the same government and utility-grade field workflows.
Direct peers
- iNaturalist (California Academy of Sciences & National Geographic Society): Citizen-science wildlife observation platform with crowd-sourced species sightings, AI-assisted identification, and a research-grade dataset; parallels Conserve.IO's opportunistic sighting model.
- Fulcrum (Spatial Networks): Mobile data collection platform used heavily for field inspections, environmental surveys, and citizen science. Closest direct peer in configurable forms, GPS data capture, and offline sync.
- eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology): Crowd-sourced bird sighting platform with effort-based survey data; shares the same academic conservation lineage and effort-tracking paradigm as Conserve.IO's Spotter platform.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Conserve social profiles
Digital presenceConserve compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Conserve financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Conserve leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Conserve funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Conserve 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 Conserve
What does Conserve do?
Conserve.IO builds and operates a cloud-based mobile platform for conservation field data collection, deployed through free consumer mobile apps (Whale Alert, Sharktivity, Manatee Alert, Ocean Alert) and a subscription-based organizational product (Spotter Pro). The platform supports GPS-enabled opportunistic sightings and effort-based scientific surveys, with configurable data forms, offline sync, NOAA charts and bathymetric layers, GPS-triggered compliance alerts, and integration with real-time acoustic buoys for whale detection.
Is Conserve a public or private company?
Conserve is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Conserve founded?
Conserve was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Conserve based?
Conserve is headquartered in Delray Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Conserve make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Free Consumer Mobile Apps are the primary driver. The others are spotter Pro Organization Subscriptions and custom App Development Partnerships.
Who are Conserve's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Open Data Kit (ODK), Flora & Fauna (formerly known as FieldKit) and Happywhale. Broad incumbents are Mapbox, Wildlife Acoustics, Esri Survey123 and Trimble TerraFlex. Direct peers are iNaturalist (California Academy of Sciences & National Geographic Society), Fulcrum (Spatial Networks) and eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology).
Does Conserve have an API?
Yes. There is a full JSON API available for authenticated machine-to-machine export. The API allows organizations to programmatically export their uploaded trip and sighting data.