What OneSea does

OneSea (Fundación OneSea) is a Costa Rican nonprofit foundation dedicated to marine conservation through environmental policy advocacy, rather than a commercial enterprise. The foundation operates through a network of lawyers, scientists, volunteers, and civil society members to develop, draft, and promote legislation addressing ocean pollution (microplastics, single-use plastics, cigarette butts, ghost fishing gear) and overexploitation of marine resources. It is credited as a key contributor to Costa Rica's Ley N° 9786, the country's Plastic Pollution Law, and has driven multi-stakeholder processes on microplastics regulation and Costa Rica's first smoke-free beach in Garabito.

The foundation delivers its mission through programmatic offerings including Incidencia Política (Policy Advocacy), Mini Océano Defensores (youth education), Comercios Océano Amigables (business certification), and Paisajes Sin Plástico (Plastic-Free Landscapes), alongside content distributed via OneBlog and social media channels (Facebook, X, Instagram). OneSea partners with government agencies (MINAE, Incopesca, SINAC), academic institutions (Universidad de Costa Rica / CIMAR), and international conservation organizations (MarViva, WildAid, Re:wild, Costa Rica por Siempre), and participates in the Costa Rica Blue Fund (Fondo Azul) targeting $10 million alongside Bezos Earth Fund, Moore Foundation, and Wyss Foundation.

Its business model is donation-based, with all programs, campaigns, and volunteer activities offered free to participants. The foundation accepts voluntary contributions via PayPal (paypal.me/oneseaorg) and accepts no commercial revenue. Headquartered in Escazú, San José, Costa Rica, OneSea operates exclusively within the domestic Costa Rican market and serves government bodies, fishing communities, local businesses, civil society, and academic institutions as stakeholder groups rather than paying customers.

Name

OneSea

Legal name

Fundación OneSea

Website

https://onesea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OneSea (Fundación OneSea) is a Costa Rican nonprofit foundation that develops and promotes marine conservation legislation through policy advocacy, research partnerships, and community programs, serving government, civil society, fishing communities, and local businesses in Costa Rica.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Marine conservation advocacy
• Ocean policy development
• Plastic pollution prevention
• Environmental legislation promotion
• Marine protected areas

Headquarters

HQ city

Escazú

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and philanthropy: OneSea operates as a nonprofit foundation funded through donations. The organization accepts contributions via PayPal (paypal.me/oneseaorg) and relies on charitable support to fund its marine conservation policy advocacy, research, campaigns, and community programs in Costa Rica.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OneSea (Fundación OneSea) is a Costa Rican nonprofit foundation that develops and promotes environmental policies to prevent ocean contamination and overexploitation of marine resources. It works through a network of lawyers, scientists, volunteers, and civil society to draft marine conservation legislation, run public awareness campaigns, and operate community programs targeting plastic pollution, microplastics, ghost fishing gear, cigarette butt waste, and hydrocarbon exploration.

Product overview

OneSea (Fundación OneSea) is a Costa Rican non-profit foundation focused on ocean conservation through environmental policy advocacy, research support, and community organizing. Rather than a commercial technology product, OneSea offers advocacy programs and campaigns addressing marine conservation issues including plastic pollution, microplastics, fishing regulations, and hydrocarbon exploration. The organization operates programs such as Incidencia Política (Policy Advocacy), Mini Océano Defensores (youth education), Comercios Océano Amigables (business certification), and publishes content through its OneBlog platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Advocacy Program (Incidencia Política) Program developing and promoting marine conservation legislation in Costa Rica, including bills on microplastics, plastic pollution, ghost fishing gear, and fishing regulations, prepared with legal, scientific, and technical justification and tabled with the Legislative Assembly.
• Mini Océano Defensores (Mini Ocean Defenders) Educational program for children that introduces ocean conservation concepts, plastic pollution awareness, and environmental stewardship activities to school-age youth in Costa Rica.
• Comercios Océano Amigables (Friendly Ocean Shops) Certification program for local businesses that adopt ocean-friendly practices, reduce single-use plastics, and commit to sustainable operations as part of OneSea's private-sector engagement.
• OneBlog Digital content platform publishing news, research summaries, and educational articles on ocean health, marine conservation, microplastics, illegal fishing, and environmental policy in Costa Rica.
• #OcéanoDefensores Volunteer Program Volunteer network that recruits and mobilizes community members to participate in beach cleanups, awareness campaigns, and grassroots conservation activities in Costa Rican coastal communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Contributed to Ley N° 9786 — Costa Rica's law to combat plastic pollution and protect the environment, including plastic straw ban
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MarVivacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Costa Rica committed to collaborating with MarViva to reinforce research and surveillance at Isla del Coco (Cocos Island), a critical marine protected area and shark habitat. MarViva supports OneSea's conservation goals through enhanced monitoring of Costa Rica's marine protected zones.
• WildAidcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Costa Rica signed a five-year agreement with WildAid, a US-based conservation group, to help implement better surveillance in marine areas. WildAid supports the enforcement and monitoring of marine protected areas, aligning with OneSea's policy and enforcement advocacy goals.
• Municipalidad de GarabitocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOneSea partnered with the Municipality of Garabito to develop Costa Rica's first smoke-free beach, aiming to set a precedent for disseminating information about the impact of cigarette butts on coastal ecosystems and marine environments.
• Civil society organizations and municipalitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOneSea collaborates with multiple civil society organizations and municipalities on waste management and regulation projects related to cigarette butts, plastic bottles, and fishing gear. These partnerships are part of the 'El Poder de Todos' (The Power of All) collective approach to addressing coastal pollution.
• Academia and research institutions (Universidad de Costa Rica / CIMAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOneSea works with academic institutions, notably the Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR) at Universidad de Costa Rica, to integrate scientific research on marine pollution, microplastics, and biodiversity into policy advocacy. OneSea also collaborated with the Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA) on coral reef restoration projects in Samara.
• Costa Rica por SiemprecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCosta Rica por Siempre is a key partner in the Blue Fund (Fondo Azul) joint fundraising initiative alongside Re:wild, Bezos Earth Fund, Moore Foundation, and Wyss Foundation. The fund aims to reach $10 million to complement Costa Rica's marine conservation efforts toward 30×30 targets.
• Re:wildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRe:wild co-leads the Costa Rica Blue Fund (Fondo Azul) joint fundraising effort together with Costa Rica por Siempre and the Government of Costa Rica. The fund targets $10 million for marine conservation before 2030.
• Government of Costa Rica (Executive and Legislative branches)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOneSea works directly with Costa Rica's government on marine conservation policy, collaborating with MINAE, Incopesca, SINAC, and the Legislative Assembly. It contributed to Ley N° 9786 and its regulations, and collaborated with Deputy Monserrat Ruiz on a microplastics bill involving civil society, private sector, and academia.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Sea Shepherd is a major marine conservation organization focused on marine wildlife protection, illegal fishing enforcement, and ocean ecosystem preservation. Comparable to OneSea's efforts against illegal fishing in protected areas and shark protection campaigns.
• Plastic Pollution Coalition: Plastic Pollution Coalition is a global alliance focused on plastic pollution advocacy, education, and corporate engagement. Highly comparable to OneSea's plastic pollution campaigns, microplastics regulation work, and Ocean Friendly Shops certification program.
• Oceana: Oceana is the largest international ocean advocacy organization campaigning for policy reforms on plastic pollution, illegal fishing, and marine protected areas. Operates globally with a Latin America office, overlapping heavily with OneSea's marine policy advocacy scope.

Direct peers

• Costa Rica por Siempre: Costa Rica por Siempre is a national conservation association focused on protected areas and biodiversity financing. Co-leads the Blue Fund with Re:wild and aligns closely with OneSea's marine conservation policy mission in Costa Rica.
• Re:wild: Re:wild is an international conservation organization co-leading the Costa Rica Blue Fund (Fondo Azul) with Costa Rica por Siempre. A core strategic partner of OneSea, it shares the marine biodiversity protection and species conservation model.
• WildAid: WildAid is a US-based marine conservation organization that signed a five-year agreement with Costa Rica for surveillance in marine protected areas. Listed as a core strategic partner of OneSea, it shares the marine enforcement and wildlife protection mission.
• MarViva: MarViva is a regional marine conservation foundation operating across Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. It is the most direct peer—it co-implements research and enforcement at Isla del Coco alongside OneSea and shares the same marine-coastal advocacy mandate in Central America.

Emerging players

• Surfrider Foundation: Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots marine conservation organization with volunteer chapters focused on beach protection, plastic pollution, and coastal water quality. Comparable to OneSea's #OcéanoDefensores volunteer network and beach cleanup programs.
• 5 Gyres Institute: 5 Gyres is a science-driven ocean plastic pollution research and advocacy organization. Comparable to OneSea on microplastics research translation and policy advocacy, though smaller and more research-focused.

Others

• Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA): EIA is an environmental advocacy organization that investigates and exposes environmental crimes, including illegal fishing and wildlife trafficking. Functionally similar to OneSea in policy advocacy and enforcement-oriented marine conservation, though with a broader global scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oneseaorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/OneSeaOrg
• Instagraminstagram.com/oneseaorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oneseaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 OneSea