PMDP

Name

PMDP

Legal name

Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project

Website

https://pmdphawaii.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Coastal Remediation (Shoreline/Port Spill Cleanup) (IMAIAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pollution Control & Environmental Remediation (Booming, Skimming, Shoreline Cleanup) (TLAHAIAH), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Underwater Cutting, Demolition & Obstruction Removal (TLAHAIAI)

Keywords

• Marine debris removal
• Coral reef conservation
• Wildlife disentanglement services
• Ocean habitat protection
• Marine conservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: PMDP receives tax-deductible donations from individuals through their website (pmdphawaii.org/donate) and merchandise store. EIN# 83-4554194 confirms their 501(c)(3) status.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Major project sponsorships at multiple tiers: 'Ilio holo I ka uaua ($50,000+), Honu ($30,000-$50,000), 'Iwa ($15,000-$30,000), Omilu ($5,000-$15,000), 'Ohana ($500-$5,000).
3. Federal Grants: Primary funding from NOAA Marine Debris Program via $5.8 million grant to NFWF (National Fish and Wildlife Foundation), funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Additional funding from NOAA Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program, NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA National Sea Grant Office.
4. Philanthropic Contributions: Significant matching contribution of $6 million from philanthropists Marc and Lynne Benioff as part of their commitment to improving ocean health. Additional support from Pahlmeyer 'Ohana, McPike-Zima Foundation, JEM Project, Bruce G. Geary Foundation, The Hawaiian Islands Trading Company, and community donors.
5. Merchandise Sales: PMDP operates an online merchandise store (Bonfire and Shopify) selling PMDP-branded merchandise to supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PMDP plans and executes annual month-long marine debris removal expeditions to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, deploying freediver teams from chartered vessels and Zodiac inflatable boats to extract derelict fishing nets, plastics, and other debris from coral reefs and shorelines. The organization also conducts wildlife disentanglement and rescue, delivers education and outreach, and runs Hawaii-wide community stewardship programming in partnership with NOAA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Native Hawaiian cultural advisors.

Product overview

PMDP is a non-profit service organization, not a technology product company. Its primary offering is large-scale marine debris removal missions to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands). PMDP conducts annual cleanup expeditions using chartered vessels (such as the M/V Imua) and small boats (FC 580 Futura Commando Zodiacs) to remove derelict fishing nets and plastics from reefs and shorelines. Additional services include education and outreach, community stewardship programs, and wildlife disentanglement operations. PMDP does not offer software products, platforms, or modules — all fields related to technology products are not applicable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Large-Scale Marine Debris Removal Missions Annual month-long expeditions to Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument that remove derelict fishing nets, plastics, and other debris from coral reefs and shorelines using freediver teams, FC 580 Zodiacs, and chartered vessels.
• Wildlife Disentanglement and Rescue Operations Field operations that locate, disentangle, and rescue endangered marine animals (Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles) caught in ghost nets and marine debris during cleanup missions.
• Community Engagement and Stewardship Programs ("Bringing the Place to the People") In-person talk story sessions, youth and multi-generational programming, and cultural-stewardship events that connect Hawaii residents to Papahānaumokuākea, delivered in partnership with the Papahānaumokuākea Sanctuary Advisory Council, the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Multi-tier sponsorship packages for businesses and philanthropists supporting PMDP's debris removal operations, named in Hawaiian after marine species: 'Ohana ($500-$5,000), Omilu ($5,000-$15,000), 'Iwa ($15,000-$30,000), Honu ($30,000-$50,000), and 'Ilio holo I ka uaua ($50,000+), with multi-year contracts at the top tiers.
• PMDP Branded Merchandise Online merchandise store operated on Bonfire and Shopify selling PMDP-branded apparel and goods to supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Removed 1,046,457 pounds of marine debris from Papahānaumokuākea (2020-2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• NOAA Marine Debris ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Primary federal partner providing grant funding through 2026. NOAA Marine Debris Program pledged $5.8 million via NFWF, funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of President Biden's Investing in America initiative. Additional support from NOAA Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program and NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitates PMDP's visits to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial. Refuge staff including biologists assist with operations and have collected debris for PMDP to remove. Partnership critical for Kuaihelani cleanup missions.
• Papahānaumokuākea Sanctuary Advisory CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity advisory group partnering with PMDP on 'Papahānaumokuākea: Bringing the Place to the People' initiative. Represents communities and provides advice to NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries on resource management.
• University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of UH Mānoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. Supporting 'Papahānaumokuākea: Bringing the Place to the People' initiative with community engagement expertise. One of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by NOAA.
• NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides scientific support and research collaboration for marine debris operations and ecosystem monitoring in Papahānaumokuākea.
• NOAA Office of National Marine SanctuariescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversees Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary. PMDP operates under permits and coordination with this agency for all cleanup missions.
• Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency representing Native Hawaiian interests. PMDP coordinates with OHA for permits and operations in Papahānaumokuākea, ensuring cultural considerations are addressed.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Ocean Cleanup: Nonprofit focused on removing ocean plastic, including ghost-net-style derelict fishing gear recovery using specialized vessels and field teams. Comparable mission, comparable operating model (large-scale cleanup expeditions, donor + corporate funding, high media profile), but PMDP is reef/shoreline-scoped while Ocean Cleanup is open-ocean.
• Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL): Nonprofit dedicated to coral reef conservation with active Hawaii programs and partnerships with NOAA, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Comparable Hawaiian operating geography, comparable federal/philanthropic funder mix, but broader reef protection scope versus PMDP's debris-removal specialization.
• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Nonprofit running direct-action marine conservation campaigns, including derelict fishing gear removal operations, using ship- and small-boat-based expedition teams. Comparable field operations, comparable Hawaii/Pacific presence, comparable reliance on grassroots donations and media.
• National Marine Sanctuary Foundation: Official nonprofit partner of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, providing grants and community engagement for Papahānaumokuākea and other sanctuaries. Direct funding partner to PMDP and the natural closest "in-house" nonprofit comparator within the same federal ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: One of the largest U.S. marine conservation nonprofits. Both organizations run marine debris programs (Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup) and engage NOAA and federal funders, but Ocean Conservancy operates across many geographies and policy areas rather than a single monument.
• Surfrider Foundation: Beach Clean-up and marine debris advocacy nonprofit with active Hawaii chapters and frequent NOAA/state partnerships. Overlaps on shoreline debris removal and grassroots donor mobilization but is much broader (coastal policy, water quality, plastic advocacy).

Emerging players

• 5 Gyres: Smaller nonprofit focused on plastic pollution research, education, and policy. Both organizations target marine debris as a primary issue and pursue similar donor bases (individual giving, foundations, corporate sponsors), though 5 Gyres emphasizes research and advocacy over direct field removal.
• Marine Mammal Center: Veterinary and response nonprofit that disentangles and rescues Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles. Comparable wildlife outcomes (especially the disentanglement metric) and comparable federal partnership structure, but the Center focuses on veterinary response versus habitat/debris removal.

Regional players

• Ghost Fishing Foundation (Stichting Ghost Fishing): Dutch nonprofit using volunteer dive teams to remove lost fishing gear from North Sea reefs. Direct operational model comparator (volunteer freedivers, reef debris removal) but operates in European waters and lacks PMDP's federal NOAA/USFWS partnership structure.
• Healthy Seas Foundation: European-based nonprofit focused on recovering derelict fishing nets ("ghost gear") from the Mediterranean and North Sea with corporate brand partners. Direct operational analog (ghost net recovery, recycling partnerships) operating in a different geography from PMDP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pmdphawaii
• Facebookfacebook.com/pmdphawaii
• Instagraminstagram.com/pmdphawaii
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/papahanaumokuakea-marine-debris-project-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 PMDP