Sound Waters
SoundWaters is a Stamford, CT-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers climate science and marine environmental education to Pre-K through high school students across Long Island Sound using an 80-foot schooner, two coastal facilities, and a four-acre kelp farm.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersStamford, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sound Waters does
SoundWaters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization founded in 1989 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, that uses Long Island Sound as a living classroom to deliver climate science and marine stewardship programming to Pre-K through high school students. It operates two physical hubs — the Coastal Education Center at Cove Island (learning lab, teaching aquarium, fleet of 50+ small boats from Optimist sailboats to 14-foot RS Fevas) and the Cohen SoundWaters Harbor Center at Boccuzzi Park (schooner home dock, paddlesports rentals) — and runs mobile programming through an 80-foot, three-masted, U.S. Coast Guard-certified steel-hulled schooner modeled after 19th-century New Haven Sharpie Schooners. Specialized assets include a dedicated research vessel for water quality monitoring (Unified Water Study) and a four-acre sugar kelp farm off Great Captain Island, Greenwich, operated in partnership with GreenWave, UCONN's Charlie Yarish, and grant funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, US EPA, and NOAA.
The organization serves 146 partner schools and organizations across Long Island Sound — anchored by Stamford and Bridgeport Public Schools — and engages over 6,000 students annually across school field trips, after-school and summer sailing, the Young Mariners STEM Academy, the SoundWaters Research Intensive, Harbor Corps, Science Stars, and the Scott Mitchell Scholarship. Public-facing revenue lines include afternoon and sunset schooner sails, private charters, team development programs, paddlesports rentals, adult ecology kayak tours, and community events (Flotilla paddle, Super Splash polar plunge, Tall Ships Ball). The business model blends program fees, schooner and rental income, individual donations, corporate partnerships, foundation and government grants, and event-based fundraising, with no public pricing disclosure and quote-based program enrollment.
SoundWaters holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and a 100% safety record, and is governed by an independent board (former Chair Scott Mitchell, 2013-2018) under President Leigh Shemitz, with Captain Shawn Melillo commanding the schooner. The organization is privately funded as a nonprofit with no venture capital or institutional ownership, and operates exclusively in the Northeast United States with mobile programming reaching ports from Mamaroneck, NY to Port Washington, NY.
Sound Waters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sound Waters
- Legal name
- SoundWaters
- Website
- https://soundwaters.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SoundWaters is a Stamford, CT-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers climate science and marine environmental education to Pre-K through high school students across Long Island Sound using an 80-foot schooner, two coastal facilities, and a four-acre kelp farm.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sound Waters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Education Services
- NAICS
- Aquaculture (11251), Marinas (713930)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)
Keywords
Where Sound Waters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stamford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sound Waters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Program Fees: Revenue from school trip programs, summer camp, after-school sailing, vacation adventure programs, and youth STEM programs. Programs serve Pre-K through high school students across Long Island Sound.
- Schooner Charters and Public Sails: Revenue from afternoon and sunset sails, private charters, and team development programs aboard the Schooner SoundWaters. The schooner travels to ports across Long Island Sound including Mamaroneck, Greenwich, Bridgeport, Milford, New Haven, Old Saybrook, Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay, and Port Washington.
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate partnerships, event fundraising (Super Splash plunge, Flotilla paddle event, Tall Ships Ball), and capital campaigns. Scott Mitchell Scholarship Fund provides $1,000 annual scholarship to qualifying Stamford high school seniors.
- Grants: Funding from foundations and government agencies including National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, US EPA, and NOAA for specific programs like the One Million Bottle Caps challenge and kelp farming research.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Flotilla Fundraiser Minimum |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Sound Waters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SoundWaters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization that delivers hands-on climate science and marine ecology programs to Pre-K through high school students using Long Island Sound as a living classroom. Its offerings include school field trips, summer camps, after-school programs, sailing instruction, public schooner sails, private charters, team-building events, and citizen-science research, supported by an 80-foot teaching schooner, a four-acre kelp farm, a research vessel, and two shore-side facilities in Stamford, CT.
Product overview
SoundWaters is a nonprofit environmental education organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs focused on protecting Long Island Sound through education. The organization operates three physical facilities: the Coastal Education Center at Cove Island (headquarters with learning lab and teaching aquarium), the Cohen SoundWaters Harbor Center at Boccuzzi Park (waterfront hub), and Schooner SoundWaters (an 80-foot three-masted floating classroom). Programs include school field trips across all grade levels, youth programs spanning after-school sailing, summer camps, and the Young Mariners and Science Stars academies, public sails and kayak rentals, a four-acre kelp farm for water quality improvement, a research vessel for scientific study, and community events including the annual Flotilla kayak fundraiser. The organization partners with 146 schools and organizations across Long Island Sound.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cohen SoundWaters Harbor Center: Waterfront facility at Boccuzzi Park in Stamford, serving as home dock for Schooner SoundWaters and location for paddlesports rentals, Young Mariners Academy, SoundWaters Research Intensive, and Harbor Corps.
- Coastal Education Center
- Schooner SoundWaters
- Young Mariners STEM Academy
- SoundWaters Research Intensive (SRI)
- Science Stars
- Scott Mitchell Scholarship
- SoundWaters Flotilla
Products and services
- School Trips Grade-level differentiated field trip programs for Pre-K, Elementary, Middle School, High School, and Virtual Field Trips focused on climate science and Long Island Sound education, serving schools and districts across the region.
- Youth Programs Year-round youth programming including Vacation Adventure Programs, After-School Sailing, Summer Camp, Young Mariners STEM Academy, SoundWaters Research Intensive (SRI), Science Stars (girls grades 3-7), High School Harbor Corps, and Conservation Leadership Action Day for Pre-K through high school youth.
- Public Schooner Sails Public afternoon and sunset sails aboard the 80-foot Schooner SoundWaters, available to adults and the general public for recreational sailing experiences on Long Island Sound.
- Schooner Charters
Quantifiable outcome
- Students develop confidence, problem-solving skills, and collaboration through hands-on learning including sailing experiences
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sound Waters
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sound Waters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Sound Waters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GreenWavecoreTechnical partner for kelp farming operations. Nonprofit led by Bren Smith, nationally-recognized leader in restorative ocean agriculture. Provides expertise for SoundWaters' four-acre kelp farm.
- Fairgate FarmminorLocal farm partner using SoundWaters kelp harvest for compost and garden beds. Values kelp for trace minerals and properties encouraging healthy plant growth.
- Clean Ocean AccessminorEnvironmental organization receiving SoundWaters marine debris data to support study of marine debris in New England and Mid-Atlantic regions.
- 11th Hour RacingminorPartner receiving SoundWaters trash skimmer data and supporting marine debris research initiatives.
- Sacred Heart UniversityminorAcademic partner for Project Limulus horseshoe crab tracking study. SoundWaters contributes to citizen science data collection.
- UCONN Professor Charlie YarishcoreLeading researcher on kelp farming's potential to remove nitrogen from Long Island Sound. Research projects potential for kelp to remove 6 million pounds of nitrogen annually if farmed on 1.5% of the Sound.
- 146 Partner Schools and OrganizationscoreNetwork of schools and organizations across Long Island Sound that participate in SoundWaters educational programs and refer students and families.
- Stamford Public SchoolscorePrimary school district partner for environmental education programs serving Pre-K through high school students in Stamford.
- Bridgeport Public SchoolsminorPartner school district for coastal education programs serving middle school students.
- World Design Organization (WDO)minorPartner for One Million Bottle Caps Design Challenge where students worked with professional industrial designers to create products from collected plastic caps.
- Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)minorIndustry partner producing the student-designed dish rack from recycled bottle caps at Penn State Behrend Plastics Training Academy.
- Ultra-Poly CorporationminorManufacturing partner converting collected bottle caps into useful products including the student-designed dish rack.
- Penn State Behrend Plastics Training AcademyminorEducational institution producing the dish rack from recycled bottle caps for the One Million Bottle Caps project.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sound Waters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk: Regional marine education nonprofit in southern Connecticut serving schools and the public along Long Island Sound. Directly comparable as a hands-on marine science education provider with K-12 field trip programming and a regional coastal mission similar to SoundWaters.
- Mystic Aquarium: Connecticut-based marine education and conservation organization offering K-12 programming, animal exhibits, and citizen-science engagement. Comparable in mission (marine education + conservation) and Connecticut nonprofit operating model, though larger scale.
- Save the Sound: Regional environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring Long Island Sound through advocacy, restoration, and citizen science. Directly comparable given shared geographic focus on Long Island Sound and overlapping marine conservation programming.
- GreenWave: Nonprofit led by Bren Smith focused on regenerative ocean farming, including kelp and shellfish, with embedded training and education. SoundWaters' technical kelp-farming partner and a direct peer on the regenerative aquaculture + education model.
Emerging players
- Billion Oyster Project: New York Harbor-based nonprofit restoring oyster reefs and using restoration as a platform for student STEM engagement. Highly comparable to SoundWaters' kelp-and-oyster restoration + student research model, but operating in a different (urban) coastal context.
- The Rozalia Project: Northeast-focused marine conservation nonprofit combining hands-on cleanup, research, and education aboard a sailing vessel. Comparable concept to SoundWaters' 'living classroom' sailing model, particularly the use of a sailing platform for marine education.
Broad incumbents
- Connecticut Audubon Society: Established Connecticut environmental education and conservation nonprofit operating multiple centers with K-12 programming. Comparable as a regional environmental education peer, though broader in scope beyond marine/coastal focus.
- New England Aquarium: Major New England marine education and conservation institution with K-12 programming, research, and exhibit-based learning. Comparable mission at a larger scale; relevant for benchmarking program depth and partnership models.
- National Audubon Society: Large national environmental nonprofit with extensive coastal and marine education programs and a strong Connecticut presence. Comparable as a large-scale environmental education and conservation peer operating similar K-12 engagement models.
Regional players
- Center for Coastal Studies (Provincetown): Cape Cod-based marine research and education nonprofit operating vessel-based programs for schools and the public. Comparable in combining marine research, citizen science, and K-12 education in a New England coastal setting, though outside the Long Island Sound market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sound Waters social profiles
Digital presenceSound Waters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sound Waters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Sound Waters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sound Waters 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 Sound Waters
What does Sound Waters do?
SoundWaters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization that delivers hands-on climate science and marine ecology programs to Pre-K through high school students using Long Island Sound as a living classroom. Its offerings include school field trips, summer camps, after-school programs, sailing instruction, public schooner sails, private charters, team-building events, and citizen-science research, supported by an 80-foot teaching schooner, a four-acre kelp farm, a research vessel, and two shore-side facilities in Stamford, CT.
Is Sound Waters a public or private company?
Sound Waters is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Sound Waters founded?
Sound Waters was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sound Waters based?
Sound Waters is headquartered in Stamford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sound Waters make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are schooner Charters and Public Sails, donations and Fundraising and grants.
Who are Sound Waters's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Mystic Aquarium, Save the Sound and GreenWave. Emerging players are Billion Oyster Project and The Rozalia Project. Broad incumbents are Connecticut Audubon Society, New England Aquarium and National Audubon Society. Center for Coastal Studies (Provincetown) is listed as a regional player.
Does Sound Waters have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sound Waters.
What industry is Sound Waters in?
Sound Waters's product category is Environmental Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of THAAAIAH, Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks). Its NAICS code is 11251 and its SIC code is 8200.