What Zeitz Foundation does

The Zeitz Foundation is a private non-profit foundation registered in both Germany and Kenya, founded in 2008 by Jochen Zeitz. It operates the 50,000-acre Segera Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya, coordinating a portfolio of biodiversity conservation, reforestation, anti-poaching, education, healthcare, and women's economic empowerment programs organized under a "4C" framework (Conservation, Community, Culture, Commerce). The foundation's primary beneficiaries are the wildlife populations within Segera and the surrounding Laikipia communities, while its primary revenue base consists of donors and institutional partners.

The foundation's core operational products include the Segera Rhino Sanctuary (anchored by Kenya Wildlife Service approval for 21 Eastern Black Rhinos under Kenya's Rhino Range Expansion Plan), the Tree of Life Reforestation Initiative targeting 3 million trees by 2030 with 1.68 million cumulative trees reported, an Anti-Poaching Unit featuring the All-Women Anti-Poaching Ranger Academy and K9 units, and the Flying Guardians drone program. Underlying technology relies on EarthRanger's real-time wildlife monitoring and anomaly-detection platform integrated with Teal Drones surveillance hardware. Additional programs span a Permaculture Plot, a Vocational Training Academy transitioning into a Laikipia Learning Centre, and ongoing maternal healthcare and education initiatives.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across individual donations, corporate and foundation grants (Roger Federer Foundation, Julius Baer Foundation, Michael Otto Environmental Foundation), carbon offset sales priced at $1 per tree, and historically tourism revenue from Segera Retreat. The foundation previously spun off The Long Run as an independent UK-registered charity that now curates a global membership of 21 million acres of sustainable tourism destinations, extending the foundation's reach beyond Segera. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Zeitz Foundation

Legal name

Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety

Website

https://zeitzfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Zeitz Foundation is a non-profit foundation operating the 50,000-acre Segera Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya, coordinating biodiversity conservation, reforestation, anti-poaching, education, healthcare, and women's empowerment programs funded through donations, foundation grants, and carbon offsets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Community development programs
• Reforestation initiatives
• Anti-poaching operations
• Environmental sustainability

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanyuki

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation operates as a non-profit organization relying on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations support reforestation initiatives ($1 per tree), conservation projects, and community programs.
2. Carbon Offset Sales: The foundation offers carbon offset programs where donors can offset their travel carbon footprint by planting trees. Calculations are based on flight distance and class (e.g., 40 trees per 1 tonne CO2e).
3. Sustainable Tourism (Segera Retreat): Segera Retreat (closed during pandemic) generated tourism revenue while supporting conservation objectives through the 4C philosophy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Zeitz Foundation is a non-profit organization operating a portfolio of conservation, community development, and sustainability programs centered on the 50,000-acre Segera Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. Its core offerings include wildlife conservation through the Segera Rhino Sanctuary and Anti-Poaching Units, large-scale reforestation via the Tree of Life Initiative, ranger training through the All-Women Anti-Poaching Ranger Academy, and community programs encompassing early childhood education (SATUBO Kindergarten), school bursaries, mobile healthcare, and women's economic empowerment through the SATUBO Beading Initiative. The foundation funds operations through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and carbon offset contributions.

Product overview

The Zeitz Foundation operates a portfolio of interconnected conservation and community development programs centered on the Segera Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. The foundation's work is guided by the '4C' philosophy balancing Conservation, Community, Culture, and Commerce. Core offerings include the Segera Rhino Sanctuary for endangered species protection, the Tree of Life Reforestation Initiative for landscape restoration, and comprehensive Anti-Poaching Units with ranger academies. Community programs encompass education (SATUBO Kindergarten, school development, bursaries), healthcare (Mobile Medical Camps), and women's economic empowerment (Beading collectives). Environmental initiatives include the Permaculture Plot for sustainable agriculture and the Segera Water Dam for climate resilience. The foundation leverages technology including EarthRanger AI platform and drone surveillance for conservation monitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Segera Rhino Sanctuary A 50,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in Laikipia, Kenya, established under the Kenya Rhino Range Expansion Plan (KRRE) to protect and grow populations of Eastern Black Rhinos and other endangered species through comprehensive security, monitoring, and habitat management. It serves biodiversity conservation objectives and is supported by Kenya Wildlife Service licensing and partnerships with Lewa, Ol Pejeta, and Lake Nakuru National Park.
• Tree of Life Reforestation Initiative Large-scale reforestation program on Segera Conservancy targeting 3 million indigenous trees by 2030 through community nurseries, seedling propagation, and managed grazing programs. It supports ecosystem restoration, carbon sequestration, and community livelihoods, with over 1.68 million trees planted since launch.
• Anti-Poaching Unit Round-the-clock wildlife protection service combining specially trained rangers, National Police Reserve officers, a canine (K9) unit, rapid response teams, and drone surveillance to protect the 50,000-acre sanctuary and support neighbouring conservancies against poaching threats.
• All-Women Anti-Poaching Ranger Academy East Africa's inaugural all-women anti-poaching ranger academy providing intensive training in patrol tactics, conservation, community engagement, tracking, law and arrest, canine handling, and first aid. The program empowers women in a male-dominated industry and builds local conservation capacity, supported by the Julius Baer Foundation and the International Anti-Poaching Foundation.
• Kifaru Learning Centre Multipurpose educational facility housed in a repurposed airplane hangar designed to increase access to education and awareness on the 4Cs (Conservation, Community, Culture, Commerce) for children and adults from local communities. Plans include training in conservation, culture, and sustainable commerce.
• SATUBO Kindergarten Solar-powered early learning facility providing safe, quality childcare for preschool-aged children of mothers working in the SATUBO Beading Initiative and surrounding families. The facility prepares children for primary school transition and supports SDG 4.2 for early childhood development, in partnership with the Roger Federer Foundation.
• School Development and Bursaries Program Comprehensive education support program spanning pre-primary to senior secondary levels across 6 schools, including construction of classrooms and facilities, provision of learning supplies, school uniforms, books, and a bursary program supporting students from disadvantaged families. Supports over 2,000 children.
• Mobile Medical Camps Healthcare initiative providing medical attention to communities lacking access to basic healthcare facilities, some traveling over 50 kilometers to the nearest health facility. Delivered in collaboration with The Leo Project, with plans for quarterly camps and a pilot medical unit program.
• SATUBO Beading Initiative (Empowerment Through Beading) Economic empowerment program supporting women through the traditional Kenyan craft of beadwork. Provides business development training, market access facilitation, and production equipment to generate independent incomes for women from Samburu, Turkana, and Borana tribes.
• Segera Water Dam Large-scale water infrastructure project with capacity exceeding 600,000 cubic meters (potentially the largest in East Africa), providing long-term water security for flora, fauna, and surrounding communities while building climate resilience and supporting ecosystem restoration.
• Permaculture Plot 13-acre regenerative agriculture demonstration site featuring soil regeneration, co-planting, water harvesting, and organic horticulture. Provides hands-on training for 100 community members and supplies fresh produce to ranger teams and SATUBO Kindergarten.
• Flying Guardians Drone Program Kickstarter-funded initiative (with $50,000 goal successfully reached) equipping ranger units with advanced drone technology for 24/7 wildlife monitoring, including detection of illegal activity day and night, support for patrol operations, and reduced carbon footprint of vehicle-based monitoring. Drones can monitor individual rhinos every 24-48 hours.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Kenya Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Government partner for wildlife conservation, rhino translocation, and sanctuary operations. Kenya Wildlife Service provided final approval for the translocation of 21 Eastern Black Rhinos to Segera Conservancy as part of the Kenya Rhino Range Expansion Plan.
• EarthRangercoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology platform partner providing real-time wildlife monitoring, patrol coordination, and threat response capabilities across the conservancy landscape.
• Teal DronescoreTechnology or IntegrationDrone technology provider for the Flying Guardians campaign, supplying advanced aerial drone technology for 24/7 wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching operations.
• Zoological Society of LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience-driven conservation charity partner in the Flying Guardians campaign, bringing decades of wildlife protection expertise to the drone technology initiative.
• Indianapolis ZoomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Flying Guardians campaign, providing conservation expertise and helping spread awareness for Eastern Black Rhino protection.
• International Rhino FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner supporting rhino protection initiatives and helping spread awareness for the Flying Guardians campaign.
• Lewa Wildlife ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRhino translocation source partner, collaborating on the careful selection of rhinos for genetic value, health, and long-term population contribution.
• Ol Pejeta ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRhino translocation source partner and veterinary support provider, including emergency response coordination for wildlife treatment.
• Centre for Ecosystem Restoration – Kenya (CER-K)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided technical training on seed selection and germination protocols to 10 community members and staff for the Tree of Life reforestation initiative.
• The Leo ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for mobile medical camps providing healthcare access to communities traveling over 50km to health facilities. Also provides mentorship sessions for bursary students.
• Space for GiantssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization protecting large animals and habitats, providing ranger refresher training on EarthRanger software for informed operational decisions.
• International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Damien Mander, pioneered the Akashinga model in 2017. Worked alongside ZEITZ foundation to develop a template for female-led conservation applicable throughout Africa.
• The Long RuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent UK-registered charity founded by ZEITZ foundation, now a membership organization of nature-based tourism businesses. Collectively safeguards 21 million acres and touches 750,000 lives, pursuing the 4C philosophy globally.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Space for Giants: Kenya and Africa-focused wildlife and habitat protection organisation that trained Segera's rangers on EarthRanger; operates the same tech-enabled ranger training programmes in similar ecosystems.
• Ol Pejeta Conservancy: One of Kenya's largest conservancies and a direct partner to Zeitz Foundation for rhino translocation, sharing the same Laikipia ecosystem, wildlife protection mandate, and community-engagement model.
• The Long Run: UK-registered membership charity founded by Zeitz Foundation, aggregating nature-based tourism businesses under the 4C philosophy; operates as the foundation's global extension arm.
• Lewa Wildlife Conservancy: Northern Kenya conservancy that supplied source rhinos for Segera's 2025 translocation; runs a comparable anti-poaching, community, and wildlife sanctuary operation with similar donor base.
• International Anti-Poaching Foundation: Pioneer of the Akashinga all-women ranger model that partnered with Zeitz to develop the All-Women Anti-Poaching Ranger Academy; directly comparable in tactical training and female-led anti-poaching approach.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Large global environmental NGO investing in nature-based climate solutions, community conservation, and biodiversity protection; overlaps with Zeitz's reforestation and community programmes at scale.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global conservation organisation with field programmes across Africa; comparable in wildlife protection, anti-poaching, and landscape conservation mandate.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation organisation working across landscapes on wildlife protection, anti-poaching, and community programmes; broader geographic mandate but same conservation and community-development thesis as Zeitz.
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Large wildlife conservation organization operating both zoo-based and field conservation programs; comparable as a global conservation partner alongside Zeitz's rhino and community work.

Regional players

• Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association: Umbrella body for Kenya's Mara conservancies running community-based conservation, anti-poaching, and tourism models; comparable operational model in a different Kenyan ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Zeitz Foundation