What Applied Coastal does

Applied Coastal Research Associates, Inc., doing business as Applied Coastal, is a private coastal science consulting firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Mashpee, Massachusetts, with a secondary office in Brentwood, Tennessee. The firm delivers scientifically defensible technical analyses of coastal environmental change to federal, state, and local government agencies (notably the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program) as well as select commercial clients across the U.S. Gulf and East Coasts.

Its work spans five service areas: shoreline and wetland change assessment, coastal and nearshore sediment budget analyses, coastal and deltaic geology evaluations, flood risk and subsidence assessment, and coastal structure impact and environmental response. Underlying technical capabilities combine GIS-based spatial analysis with GPS elevation surveys, drone imagery collection, Lidar, hydrographic surveys, and deep rotary borings. Proprietary methods include the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), high-resolution geodetic GPS subsidence measurement to cm-level accuracy, and three-dimensional sediment transport modeling integrating bathymetric and topographic datasets.

Applied Coastal generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts awarded via direct procurement and competitive bidding by government agencies, supplemented by commercial consulting engagements. Pricing is custom per engagement and not publicly disclosed. The firm operates as a small, principal-led practice with a roster of seven named technical and administrative staff, including Ph.D.-level coastal scientists with three to four decades of experience drawn from USACE, the Louisiana Geological Survey, and LSU.

Name

Applied Coastal

Legal name

Applied Coastal Research Associates, Inc.

Website

https://appliedcoastal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coastal Science Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Coastal consulting services
• Shoreline change assessment
• Sediment budget analysis
• Flood risk assessment
• Subsidence monitoring services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mashpee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coastal Consulting and Research Services: Applied Coastal generates revenue through project-based consulting engagements providing technical analyses of coastal environmental change to government agencies and commercial clients. Projects include shoreline change assessments, sediment budget analyses, geology evaluations, and flood risk assessments. Revenue is derived from professional service contracts and consulting engagements rather than product sales or subscription models.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Applied Coastal provides specialized coastal science consulting services, including shoreline and wetland change assessment, coastal/nearshore sediment budget analyses, coastal and deltaic geology evaluations, flood risk and subsidence assessment, and coastal structure impact and environmental response. The firm delivers these services to federal, state, and local government agencies as well as commercial clients, using field surveying, GIS, remote sensing, and numerical modeling to support coastal zone management and restoration projects.

Product overview

Applied Coastal is a coastal research and consulting firm offering five core service areas: Shoreline and Wetland Change Assessment (using drone imagery, GPS surveys, and GIS for coastal change analysis), Coastal/Nearshore Sediment Budget Analyses (evaluating sediment transport dynamics and dredging impacts), Coastal & Deltaic Geology Evaluations (sedimentologic and geophysical modeling), Flood Risk and Subsidence Assessment (sea-level rise and subsidence rate determination), and Coastal Structure Impact & Environmental Response (analyzing coastal construction impacts on sediment transport and wetland systems). These services work together to provide comprehensive coastal environmental consulting for government agencies and commercial clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shoreline and Wetland Change Assessment Analysis of historical and current shoreline and wetland changes to support coastal management, restoration planning, and regulatory decision-making for federal, state, and local government agencies as well as commercial clients.
• Coastal/Nearshore Sediment Budget Analyses Quantitative evaluation of sediment sources, transport pathways, and sinks along coastal and nearshore environments to inform restoration design, sediment management, and coastal engineering projects for government and commercial clients.
• Coastal & Deltaic Geology Evaluations Geological assessments of coastal and deltaic systems, including stratigraphic and subsurface analyses, to support restoration planning, subsidence studies, and sediment-related investigations for agencies and commercial clients.
• Flood Risk and Subsidence Assessment Integrated flood risk and land subsidence assessments using geodetic GPS surveys, satellite altimetry, and modeling to support coastal planning, infrastructure risk evaluation, and regulatory compliance for government and commercial clients.
• Coastal Structure Impact & Environmental Response Assessment of the physical and environmental effects of coastal structures (such as jetties, breakwaters, levees, and shoreline protection works) and the resulting environmental response, supporting permitting, design, and mitigation decisions for public agencies and commercial clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Subsidence rate refinement from 2-20 mm/yr to approximately 2-7 mm/yr for Barataria Basin based on high-resolution GPS measurements at 21 locations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Gahagan & BryantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject collaboration on Caminada-Moreau Headland evaluation. Gahagan & Bryant provided technical coordination while Applied Coastal conducted geological framework analysis and subsidence monitoring for the beach restoration project in south Louisiana.
• CDM SmithminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCooperation on Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM) Phase 2 effort. CDM Smith provided independent technical review of analysis procedures and results associated with sediment budget development for Louisiana coastal restoration projects.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with extensive coastal and marine engineering capabilities serving USACE, port authorities, and state coastal agencies on barrier island restoration, sediment management, and flood risk programs. Competes for prime coastal science contracts and frequently leads teams that include smaller specialty subconsultants.
• WSP: Global engineering professional services firm with a coastal and marine practice (incorporating legacy Coastal Planning & Engineering and Wood Environment & Infrastructure). Directly competes for USACE and state coastal restoration contracts and brings the bench depth and multi-disciplinary portfolio that Applied Coastal lacks as a smaller specialty firm.
• Tetra Tech: Large global consulting and engineering firm with a dedicated coastal, ocean, and waterfront practice that performs shoreline change, sediment budget, and sea-level rise studies for USACE, FEMA, and state agencies. Competes with Applied Coastal on larger coastal restoration prime contracts while also subcontracting specialized science work to smaller firms.
• Arcadis: International design and consultancy firm with a strong coastal resilience and water practice serving federal, state, and municipal clients on shoreline stabilization, subsidence, and sea-level rise adaptation. Comparable to Applied Coastal in coastal science service offerings but operates at significantly larger scale and geographic breadth.

Direct peers

• Taylor Engineering: Specialized coastal and water resources engineering firm providing shoreline change analysis, sediment budget studies, inlet management, and coastal structure design for Florida, Gulf, and Southeast clients. Strong direct peer with similar service lines and customer base to Applied Coastal, particularly for state and local coastal agencies.
• Anchor QEA: Environmental and waterfront engineering firm providing shoreline restoration, sediment management, and coastal resilience services to government and port clients. Comparable to Applied Coastal in delivering scientifically rigorous coastal analyses, often on similar USACE and estuary program contracts.
• Environmental Science Associates (ESA): Environmental consulting firm delivering coastal and marine resource studies, sea-level rise assessments, and shoreline restoration planning for federal, state, and local agencies. Comparable to Applied Coastal in scientific consulting approach and use of GIS, remote sensing, and sediment transport analysis, though with broader environmental practice.
• Halff Associates: Multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental consulting firm with a coastal services practice covering shoreline change, beach nourishment, and coastal structure projects for Texas, Gulf, and Southeast clients. Comparable to Applied Coastal on coastal engineering and environmental analysis work, particularly in the Gulf region.
• Moffatt & Nichol: Engineering and consulting firm specializing in coastal, port, and waterfront infrastructure that performs shoreline change analyses, sediment transport modeling, and coastal structure impact assessments for federal and state clients. Closest direct functional peer to Applied Coastal's coastal science consulting practice, though typically operating at larger contract scale.
• Olsen Associates: Boutique coastal engineering firm specializing in shoreline change, sediment budget, and beach nourishment design for federal, state, and municipal clients along the US East and Gulf Coasts. Closest scale-and-service-line peer to Applied Coastal, with a comparable specialty science focus and similar public-sector customer mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/applied-coastal-research-and-engineering-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Applied Coastal