Ocean Data Network

What Ocean Data Network does

Ocean Data Network, Inc. is a private US-headquartered ocean-technology company founded in 2021 that operates a fishing-vessel-based ocean observation platform. The company mounts oceanographic instruments on fishing gear such as nets and traps, where they collect subsurface profiles of the water column during normal fishing operations. Data is relayed via Bluetooth to a deck hub and automatically transmitted to cloud infrastructure for analysis and distribution, producing coastal-zone ocean profiles that traditional autonomous platforms struggle to capture due to complex bathymetry and strong currents. The instrument stack includes ZebraTech Moana TD temperature/depth profilers and surface weather stations, complemented by Gannet Analytics' haul-by-haul gear performance analytics and the ODN Portal web application, which serves authorized users with download access in CSV, Excel, or Parquet formats.

ODN sells through three revenue streams: Data Driven Fisheries Intelligence (a subscription offering for fishing operators that bundles Gannet Analytics and a Fleet Management Tool), Oceanographic Data-As-A-Service (usage-based data delivery for customers commissioning vessel coverage in specific regions, delivered in near real time with machine-to-machine connections compliant with GOOS data standards), and Supporting Services (managed data handling, storage, quality control, and delivery). Customers span individual fishing captains (e.g., Captain Mick Tory, F/V Kona Rose; Captain Thomas Pascoe, F/V Charlotte Claire), large fishing fleets, government agencies including NOAA AOML, NOAA NCEP, the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, and the eMOLT Program, as well as universities including the University of Alaska and the University of Ghana.

The company leads FVON, the Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network, an international coordinating group endorsed under the UN Decade of Ocean Science GOOS CoastPredict program and aiming to become the coastal complement to the Argo program. Operations span Portland, US and Valencia, Spain, with 11 established projects in 9 countries and 10 pilot projects in 6 countries. No external funding rounds or annual revenue figures have been disclosed.

Name

Ocean Data Network

Legal name

Ocean Data Network, Inc.

Website

https://oceandata.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ocean Data Network is a private US-based ocean-technology company that mounts oceanographic instruments on commercial fishing gear to collect subsurface coastal ocean data during normal fishing operations, selling Data-Driven Fisheries Intelligence subscriptions to fishing operators and Oceanographic Data-As-A-Service contracts to government agencies, universities, and research institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oceanographic Data Services

NAICS

Navigational Services to Shipping (488330), Navigational Services to Shipping (48833)

SIC

Totalizing Fluid Meters & Counting Devices (3824)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI)

Keywords

• Ocean data collection
• Marine observation networks
• Fisheries intelligence
• Oceanographic data services
• Coastal ocean monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Data Driven Fisheries Intelligence: Provides sensing solutions for fishing gear performance analytics and environmental intelligence to fishing industry customers. Serves owner-operators and large fleets with data-driven tools to increase profitability and sustainability. Includes Gannet Analytics proprietary tools and Fleet Management Tool.
2. Oceanographic Data-As-A-Service (ODAAS): Identifies, engages, and instruments vessels operating in customer-specified regions of interest. Delivers near real-time data in customizable formats with machine-to-machine connections, compliant with GOOS data standards.
3. Supporting Services / Data Management: Data handling, storage, quality control, and delivery services for collaborative projects. Leverages cloud and scientific expertise to help scientists manage oceanographic data from various platforms.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ocean Data Network provides data collection as a service by instrumenting commercial fishing vessels with oceanographic sensors mounted on fishing gear (nets, traps) that collect water column profiles during normal fishing operations. Data is relayed via Bluetooth to a deck hub and automatically transmitted to cloud infrastructure for analysis and distribution. Customers include commercial fishing operators, government meteorological and fisheries agencies, and research institutions that use the data for fisheries intelligence, hurricane forecasting, climate monitoring, and ocean modeling.

Product overview

Ocean Data Network operates as a platform and data management company offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services centered on fishing vessel-based ocean observation. The core ODN Portal provides authorized users access to oceanographic and fisheries data collected from instrumented fishing vessels, with data downloadable in CSV, Excel, or Parquet formats. Data Driven Fisheries Intelligence is the primary service offering, supplemented by the proprietary Gannet Analytics tool for gear performance analytics and a Fleet Management Tool for vessel tracking. Oceanographic Data-As-A-Service enables customers to request data from specific regions, while Supporting Services provide data management and quality control. The Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network (FVON) serves as the coordinating framework and international initiative that underlies the entire data collection network, operating as an endorsed project under the UN Decade of Ocean Science.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Increases met-ocean data from fishing vessels by 10 to 100 times in coastal zones
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Berring Data CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS partner organization to Berring Data Collective. ODN founder Cooper Van Vranken is also the founder of BDC, indicating a closely integrated organizational relationship. BDC likely serves as the parent or sibling organization for data collection operations.
• GOOS CoastPredictflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFVON is an endorsed project by the UN Decade of Ocean Science under the GOOS CoastPredict program. This provides international scientific legitimacy and aligns ODN's network with the Global Ocean Observing System framework.
• Environmental Defense FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF collaborates on fishing vessel ocean observation initiatives including the Bahamas Hurricane Forecasting Improvement Network. Christopher Cusack from EDF co-authored publications with ODN on FVON. EDF provides scientific expertise and advocacy for ocean data solutions.
• POGO (Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting pilot networks in developing regions. Collaborates with University of Ghana and POGO to provide critical subsurface observations for ocean modeling in historically data sparse regions like the Gulf of Guinea.
• ZebraTechcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of Moana TD temperature/depth profiling instruments. ODN deploys ZebraTech sensors on fishing gear for oceanographic data collection. These instruments provide temperature and pressure measurements during fishing operations.
• Gannet AnalyticscoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides proprietary gear performance analytics tools that integrate with ODN's data platform. Gannet Analytics tools provide captains with haul-by-haul feedback on net performance in the water column.
• NOAA AOML (Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOAA laboratory receiving fishing vessel ocean data for hurricane intensity forecasting models. Data feeds into operational models that predict hurricane track and intensity, improving disaster response capabilities.
• NOAA NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOAA center receiving fishing vessel data for hurricane track and intensity prediction models. Partner in the Bahamas Hurricane Forecasting Improvement Network.
• Bahamas Department of MeteorologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner in the Bahamas Hurricane Forecasting Improvement Network. Collaborates with ODN and EDF to operate fishing vessels in coastal Bahamian waters for hurricane forecasting improvement.
• eMOLT ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative program using bottom temperatures from fishing vessels in the American Lobster Stock Assessment. ODN data contributes to understanding how environmental conditions impact lobster life history and migration patterns.
• Alaska Sea GrantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerODN is a key project partner managing data for an electronic logbook program in the southeast Alaska salmon troll fishery. Data delivered to Alaska Department of Fish & Game and University of Alaska researchers.
• University of GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Ghana pilot network providing subsurface observations to improve ocean modeling in the Gulf of Guinea. Collaboration with POGO supports capacity development in data-sparse regions.
• University of AlaskacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner receiving environmental and biological data from Alaska fisheries programs. Data supports stock assessments and understanding of environmental impacts on fisheries.
• Alaska Department of Fish & GamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency receiving electronic logbook data from southeast Alaska salmon troll fishery. Data aids stock assessments and ecosystem understanding.
• Gulf of Maine Lobster FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional fisheries organization in the Gulf of Maine. Listed as partner supporting fishing vessel ocean observation initiatives.
• OceanOpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational ocean observation coordination body. Listed as partner indicating alignment with global ocean observing system frameworks and coordination.
• CoastPredictflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGOOS CoastPredict program under which FVON operates as an endorsed project. The program aims to predict coastal ocean variability and change through enhanced observation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Teledyne Marine: Division of Teledyne Technologies supplying acoustic, imaging, and oceanographic instrumentation to scientific, naval, and offshore markets. Broad incumbent whose sensors and instruments are commonly deployed in ocean observation networks, including those ODN serves.
• Sea-Bird Scientific: Manufactures high-precision oceanographic sensors (CTD profilers, water sampling instruments) widely used in research and operational oceanography. Broad incumbent on the instrumentation side, supplying sensors that complement or substitute for those ODN deploys.
• Kongsberg Discovery: Major marine technology incumbent offering underwater sensors, sonars, and oceanographic instrumentation alongside broader maritime and naval solutions. Broad incumbent providing overlapping sensors and instruments used in ocean observation, but as part of a much larger portfolio.

Others

• Ocean Networks Canada: Operates cabled ocean observatories (NEPTUNE, VENUS) and related coastal monitoring networks producing continuous ocean data for research and policy. Thematically aligned—operates complementary ocean observation infrastructure—but uses fixed/funded observatory assets rather than commercial fishing-vessel platforms.
• Berring Data Collective: U.S. partner organization to ODN, sharing the same founder (Cooper Van Vranken) and closely integrated operations. Thematically related ecosystem participant rather than a competitor—likely functions as a sister organization supporting data collection operations.

Direct peers

• Saildrone: Builds and operates autonomous uncrewed surface vehicles that collect ocean data for weather forecasting, climate science, and defense. Direct peer competing in ocean observation-as-a-service, though using dedicated autonomous platforms rather than fishing vessels.
• Liquid Robotics (a Boeing company): Operates the Wave Glider, an autonomous wave- and solar-powered ocean data platform serving defense, science, and commercial customers. Direct peer in autonomous ocean observation, with significant overlap in government/research customer profiles.
• XOcean: Provides uncrewed surface vessels for ocean data collection serving hydrography, offshore wind, and environmental monitoring customers. Direct peer offering similar ocean-data-as-a-service, with overlapping end-users in government, research, and offshore industries.
• Sofar Ocean: Operates the Spotter buoy network collecting real-time ocean data and offers data-as-a-service products. Direct peer—competes in the same coastal and open-ocean data-collection category, supplying oceanographic data to government, research, and commercial customers via a similar met-ocean intelligence model.

Emerging players

• Alseamar: Designs and operates underwater gliders (SeaExplorer) and ocean-sensing systems for science, defense, and offshore customers. Emerging player with overlapping ocean data collection technology but focused on autonomous gliders rather than vessel-mounted sensors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Ocean Data Network