The Gorilla Foundation

What The Gorilla Foundation does

The Gorilla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 and headquartered in Woodside, California (PO Box 620530), best known for operating Project Koko, the longest interspecies communication study in history and the only one involving gorillas. Its foundational research established two-way American Sign Language communication with western lowland gorillas Koko, Michael, and Ndume over approximately five decades, producing a body of evidence that gorillas can acquire and use a modified sign language.

The foundation's current product surface centers on the Koko Signs mobile application (v1.0 December 2023, v1.1 September 2024, built with ArcTouch), which teaches ASL through video demonstrations by Koko and includes offline mode for low-bandwidth African markets. Supporting programs include KokoArc (a multimedia relational database digitizing roughly 2,000 hours of video and 40,000 pages of research notes, with planned but not-yet-built generative AI analysis), KokoKids and Kids4Koko (conservation education reaching 350+ schools and 150,000+ students in Cameroon and Uganda), KokoCares (sanctuary design, including the announced MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary in Republic of Congo with Aspinall Foundation and Stantec), and KokoMart e-commerce for educational merchandise. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the koko.org website, iOS/Android app stores, email newsletter, and social media.

The foundation's revenue model is donation-driven, with individual donors (40,000+ members) as the primary funding source, supplemented by corporate and foundation grants, e-commerce through KokoMart, and newsletter subscriptions. Audited FYE 2019 figures show $1.3M revenue against $1.7M expenses and $1.9M in net assets, with 74% of funds allocated to program expenses. There is no disclosed pricing model, no subscription product for the app, and no enterprise sales motion. The organization operates with 11-50 employees and has streamlined operations since Koko's death in June 2018, having transferred Ndume to Cincinnati Zoo and pivoting from direct gorilla care toward public-facing digital, educational, and African sanctuary programs.

Name

The Gorilla Foundation

Legal name

The Gorilla Foundation

Website

https://koko.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Gorilla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 that operates Project Koko, the longest interspecies communication study involving western lowland gorillas using ASL, and funds its mission through individual donations, grants, and educational products including the Koko Signs mobile app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Educational Support Services (611710), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation nonprofit
• Interspecies communication research
• Conservation education programs
• Gorilla sanctuary design
• Sign language mobile app

Headquarters

HQ city

Redwood City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Primary funding source from a membership base of over 40,000 individual donors. Recurring donations and one-time contributions support all programs.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Support from private foundations and corporate grants for specific programs and research initiatives.
3. E-commerce (KokoMart): Online store selling educational merchandise including books, DVDs, apparel, plush toys, gorilla art prints, and Kids4Koko products. Proceeds support conservation programs.
4. Newsletter Subscriptions: Weekly Koko Video eNewsletter providing free video updates, with donations encouraged.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Gorilla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that conducts Project Koko, the longest interspecies communication study in history, using American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with western lowland gorillas. It sells educational merchandise through KokoMart, distributes the Koko Signs mobile app, preserves 5 decades of research data via the KokoArc digital archive, runs conservation education programs in Africa (KokoKids/Kids4Koko), and designs gorilla sanctuaries (KokoCares, including the MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary). Its offerings are funded primarily through individual donations, grants, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Gorilla Foundation operates as a multi-product nonprofit organization centered on Project Koko, the longest interspecies communication study in history. The core product is the Koko Signs mobile app, which teaches sign language through videos of Koko demonstrating ASL. Supporting products include KokoArc (digital research archive), KokoKids and Kids4Koko (conservation education programs), KokoCares (sanctuary design), KokoMart (e-commerce), and various educational books and media. The organization leverages its 5 decades of research data to advance gorilla conservation and care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KokoMart: Online store specializing in educational products based on gorillas Koko, Michael and Ndume, including apparel, books, DVDs, gorilla art, plush toys, and posters.
• KokoFlix
• KokoPix
• KokoArc
• Kids4Koko
• KokoApp (Koko Signs)
• KokoCares
• KokoKids
• Project Koko

Products and services

• Koko Signs App A free mobile phone app (iOS and Android) that teaches users American Sign Language through interactive video demonstrations by Koko, conversations between Koko and caregivers, e-books (Koko's Kitten, Michael's Story), and conservation education content. Designed for children, families, and educators globally.
• KokoArc Research Archive A multimedia relational database digitizing and preserving 5 decades of interspecies communication research with gorillas Koko, Michael and Ndume, containing approximately 2,000 hours of video and 40,000 pages of research diary notes. Plans to use AI to analyze archives for the benefit of captive and free-living great apes.
• KokoKids Conservation Education Program Conservation education outreach program focused on Africa, particularly Cameroon, that teaches children to sign, paint, and learn about gorillas through Koko's videos and stories. Reaches 350+ schools and 150,000+ students through trained educators implementing conservation curricula.
• KokoCares Sanctuary Design Program A program designing better ways to care for gorillas in zoos and sanctuaries, including the MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary within the Lesio-Louna Reserve in Republic of Congo. Provides sanctuary design with natural settings, autonomy, and freedom from unwanted human intrusion.
• Kids4Koko Children's Education Platform A website section empowering children to learn from Koko's legacy through signing, painting, reading, and conservation actions. Provides interactive resources, sign language instruction, and conservation content for children globally.
• KokoMart E-commerce Store An online store selling educational merchandise including gorilla-themed apparel, books (Koko's Kitten, Koko's Story, Michael's Story), DVDs, gorilla art prints, plush toys, posters, and Kids4Koko products. Proceeds support foundation programs.
• Project Koko (Interspecies Communication Research Program) The longest interspecies communication study in history (5 decades) and the only one involving gorillas, teaching American Sign Language to gorillas Koko, Michael and Ndume. Serves as the foundation for all Gorilla Foundation programs in conservation, care, and communication.

Quantifiable outcome

• Empathy education materials used in 350+ schools in Cameroon reaching 150,000+ students
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Aspinall FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Partnership for designing the MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary within the Lesio-Louna Reserve in Republic of Congo. The Aspinall Foundation contributes expertise in gorilla conservation and rewilding programs.
• StanteccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026World-class sustainable design and engineering firm partnering on the MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary project, providing architectural and engineering expertise for the sanctuary design.
• ArcTouchcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2023World-class app development company that designed and developed the Koko Signs mobile application (v1.0 released December 2023).
• Maui Land and Pineapple CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned a long-term nominal lease for 70 acres of land on Maui in 1993 for the proposed Maui Ape Preserve. Original lease arrangement changed to require purchase (several million dollars), putting the project on hold.
• Peace CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpanded conservation outreach in Africa by collaborating with the Peace Corps in Cameroon for conservation values education programs.
• Goodby, Silverstein & PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProduced a 13-minute overview documentary 'From California to Hawaii' pro bono, and created public service announcements featuring Koko, including historic commercial where Koko became the first nonhuman to 'talk' in a TV commercial.
• WorldreaderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to distribute digital books about Koko and conservation to readers in developing countries.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBegan working more closely with AZA and its Gorilla Species Survival Program (SSP) in 2014 to create strategic partnerships beneficial to gorillas.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chimp Haven: Federal sanctuary for chimpanzees retired from research, supported by NIH and partner organizations. Comparable in operating a sanctuary for great apes and providing improved welfare standards — mission overlap with The Gorilla Foundation's KokoCares program.
• Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: The leading nonprofit dedicated exclusively to gorilla conservation, operating the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda. Directly comparable to The Gorilla Foundation in mission focus on gorilla species protection and long-term field research, with similar donor-supported funding model.
• The Aspinall Foundation: UK-based conservation charity focused on gorilla rewilding and captive breeding, with extensive experience at Lesio-Louna Reserve in Republic of Congo. Direct peer and active strategic partner of The Gorilla Foundation on the MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary.
• Center for Great Apes: U.S.-based sanctuary specifically for orangutans and chimpanzees, offering permanent residence to rescued great apes. Comparable in sanctuary operations and great ape care, though focused on different species and not on interspecies communication research.
• Jane Goodall Institute: Global nonprofit advancing great ape conservation, research, and youth education through the Roots & Shoots program. Highly comparable to The Gorilla Foundation's combination of primate research, education, and sanctuary work, and recently honored by the foundation itself.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Large international conservation NGO working on biodiversity, climate, and species protection globally. Comparable donor-supported nonprofit model with conservation education programming, though operating at much larger scale and across many species/habitats.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): One of the largest global conservation organizations, with active great ape programs in Africa. Comparable donor-supported nonprofit model and species protection mission, though with dramatically larger scale and broader mandate beyond primates.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Large, established conservation organization operating zoos and field programs across multiple species and geographies. Comparable in mission breadth (wildlife conservation) and educational outreach, though far larger and less specialized in great apes.

Regional players

• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation organization focused on wildlife and habitat protection across the continent. Comparable in African conservation education programs (overlapping with KokoKids' Cameroon work) and species protection mission, but broader in scope.

Others

• Worldreader: Nonprofit providing digital reading content to readers in developing countries, with active partnership with The Gorilla Foundation to distribute Koko-themed digital books. Adjacent peer as an education-technology nonprofit working in African markets with shared conservation education objectives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kokotweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZ7qLbpC3LTe2gTNCocE9eA
• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-gorilla-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Gorilla Foundation