Antarctic Science Foundation
The Antarctic Science Foundation is an Australian nonprofit that funds Antarctic, Southern Ocean, and Sub-Antarctic scientific research through grants and fellowships for early-career researchers, supported by individual donations, corporate partnerships, and bequests.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersKingston, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Antarctic Science Foundation does
The Antarctic Science Foundation (ASF) is an Australian nonprofit charitable organisation, incorporated in Tasmania and headquartered in Kingston, that funds scientific research into the Antarctic, Southern Ocean, and Sub-Antarctic environments. Its core offerings are grant and fellowship programs targeted primarily at early-career researchers: Small Grants in Antarctic Science of up to AUD 5,000 for travel, conference attendance, fieldwork logistics, and research technology; the bilateral Mertz Fellowship (AUD 11,000 per year, two grants annually) jointly operated with the Swiss Polar Institute and the Swiss Embassy in Australia; and the R.J.L. Hawke Fellowship in Antarctic Environmental Science, backed by a AUD 1.7 million commitment over a decade. Public engagement is delivered through the Antarctic Dialogues webinar series, National Science Week competitions for K–Year 6 school students, and conventional social media and email channels.
ASF has no proprietary technology product; its 'platform' is a philanthropic funding pipeline plus a Squarespace-based website, a Donorbox self-serve donation portal, and a content ecosystem (Readers Corner, External News, Scholar Profiles). Revenue is generated entirely through donations: individual giving via Donorbox and bank transfer, corporate partnerships (Tasports, Tasmanian Shipping Supplies, Antarctica Flights' OneTomorrow fund, and undisclosed corporate partners), and planned gifts in wills. Grantees are the primary 'customer' segment, with secondary segments including corporate partners, individual donors, and schools. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors currently chaired by Cheryl Walmsley (since January 2025) and led operationally by CEO Andrew Kelly (since February 2021). It operates 1–10 employees across Kingston and Hobart, Tasmania, with program reach extending to Switzerland and broader European research institutions through the Mertz Fellowship.
Antarctic Science Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Antarctic Science Foundation
- Legal name
- Antarctic Science Foundation
- Website
- https://antarcticsciencefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Antarctic Science Foundation is an Australian nonprofit that funds Antarctic, Southern Ocean, and Sub-Antarctic scientific research through grants and fellowships for early-career researchers, supported by individual donations, corporate partnerships, and bequests.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Antarctic Science Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Antarctic Research Foundation
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)
Keywords
Where Antarctic Science Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kingston
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Antarctic Science Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The foundation accepts individual donations through its Donorbox platform and bank transfers. Donations are described as an investment in the future of the planet and are tax-deductible in Australia.
- Corporate Partnerships: The Corporate Partner Program builds and funds research partnerships with businesses seeking to support Antarctic science.
- Bequests and Legacy Gifts: Gifts in Wills program allows supporters to leave a legacy for future generations by remembering Antarctic science in their will.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Donation/ grant-funded | One-time | Small Grants for Early Career Researchers - up to $5,000 AUD per grant |
| Other | Annual | Mertz Fellowship - AUD 11,000 per year |
| Other | Multi-year contract | R.J.L. Hawke Fellowship - $1.7 million commitment over decade |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Antarctic Science Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Antarctic Science Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization that raises funds from individual donors, corporate partners, and bequests to award grants and fellowships supporting scientific research in Antarctic, Southern Ocean, and Sub-Antarctic environments. Its core offerings include Small Grants (up to AUD $5,000) for early-career researchers, the bilateral Mertz Fellowship (AUD $11,000 each) with Switzerland, and the R.J.L. Hawke Fellowship (AUD $1.7 million over a decade), complemented by public education programs such as Antarctic Dialogues webinars and National Science Week competitions.
Product overview
The Antarctic Science Foundation (ASF) is a non-profit philanthropic organization that does not offer commercial products but rather operates grant and fellowship programs to support Antarctic scientific research. The core offerings include: Small Grants in Antarctic Science for Early Career Researchers (up to $5,000 AUD), the Mertz Fellowship (bilateral Switzerland-Australia program, AUD 11,000 grants), the R.J.L. Hawke Fellowship ($1.7 million over a decade), and Traversing the COVID Gap Grants for PhD scholars. Additional programs include National Science Week competitions for school students and Antarctic Dialogues public webinar series. These programs are funded through donations and corporate partnerships and are designed to advance understanding and protection of the Antarctic, Southern Ocean, and Sub-Antarctic environments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Small Grants in Antarctic Science: Grant program for early-career researchers (up to $5,000 AUD) supporting travel, conference attendance, fieldwork embarkation, and research technology purchases.
- Mertz Fellowship
- R.J.L. Hawke Fellowship
Products and services
- Small Grants in Antarctic Science for Early Career Researchers
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported 8 PhD students in 2025 through Small Grants in Antarctic Science
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Antarctic Science Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Antarctic Science Foundation technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Antarctic Science Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Swiss Polar InstitutecoreJoint partner in the Mertz Fellowship program promoting linkages between Swiss and Australian polar research institutions. The fellowship is named after Dr Xavier Mertz, the first Swiss polar explorer in Antarctica.
- Swiss Embassy in AustraliacoreLaunched and manages the Mertz Fellowship programme to promote scientific networking and joint projects between Switzerland and Australia in polar and high altitude research.
- Swissnex networkminorPart of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), involved in funding and supporting the Mertz Fellowship program.
- Tasmanian Polar NetworkcoreRepresents more than 80 organisations within Tasmania's Antarctic community. Significant supporter of ASF early career researcher grants.
- TasportsminorTasmanian ports authority supporting ASF grants to early-career researchers for 2026/2027 round.
- Tasmanian Shipping SuppliesminorSupporting ASF grants to early-career researchers for 2026/2027 round.
- Antarctica FlightsminorPartnership announced on Antarctica Day 2021 through Antarctica Flights' OneTomorrow Charitable Fund to support Antarctic science.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights12 records
Antarctic Science Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Myer Foundation: Major Australian philanthropic foundation funding environment, arts, and Indigenous programs with a broad portfolio. Comparable as a fellow Australian grantmaking institution with overlapping environmental funding but operating at materially greater scale and scope.
- Wellcome Trust: One of the world's largest charitable foundations funding scientific research including climate-related work. Comparable in scientific research grantmaking mission but vastly larger in endowment and global scope.
- Pew Charitable Trusts: Large US-based philanthropic foundation with major environmental and ocean conservation programs including Antarctic-relevant initiatives. Comparable as an environmental science grantmaker but operating globally and at substantially larger scale.
Direct peers
- Bush Heritage Australia: Australian conservation nonprofit that funds land management and biodiversity science and runs donor-supported programs. Comparable to ASF in mission focus (conservation science), donor model, and Australia-centric operating geography.
- Swiss Polar Institute: Swiss-based polar research coordination and funding body that jointly runs the Mertz Fellowship with ASF. Directly comparable as a peer institution funding early-career polar researchers, with bilateral partnerships and grantmaking models aligned with ASF.
- Ian Potter Foundation: One of Australia's largest private grantmaking foundations, funding science, environment, education, and the arts. Directly comparable to ASF as a domestic Australian science/environment grantmaker with a similar philanthropic model.
- Australian Geographic Society: Australian nonprofit funding geographic and environmental science research, exploration grants, and public education. Comparable to ASF as an Australian environmental science grantmaker with parallel public-outreach and grant-awarding functions.
Emerging players
- Schmidt Sciences: Recently established science philanthropy funding climate, AI, and ocean research including Antarctic-relevant programs. Comparable as a science grantmaker with emerging focus on polar research but with materially larger funding capacity.
Others
- Tasmanian Polar Network: Network of 80+ Tasmanian organizations working in the Antarctic sector, of which ASF is a significant supporter. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct grantmaking competitor, providing community infrastructure that benefits ASF's researcher pipeline.
- Australian Antarctic Division: Australian government agency operating Australia's Antarctic program and managing the Australian Antarctic Science Council. Not a direct competitor — functions as a public-sector ecosystem partner whose activities shape ASF's research beneficiary pool.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Antarctic Science Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceAntarctic Science Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Antarctic Science Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Antarctic Science Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Antarctic Science Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Antarctic Science Foundation
What does Antarctic Science Foundation do?
The Antarctic Science Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization that raises funds from individual donors, corporate partners, and bequests to award grants and fellowships supporting scientific research in Antarctic, Southern Ocean, and Sub-Antarctic environments. Its core offerings include Small Grants (up to AUD $5,000) for early-career researchers, the bilateral Mertz Fellowship (AUD $11,000 each) with Switzerland, and the R.J.L. Hawke Fellowship (AUD $1.7 million over a decade), complemented by public education programs such as Antarctic Dialogues webinars and National Science Week competitions.
Is Antarctic Science Foundation a public or private company?
Antarctic Science Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Antarctic Science Foundation founded?
Antarctic Science Foundation was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Antarctic Science Foundation based?
Antarctic Science Foundation is headquartered in Kingston, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Antarctic Science Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and bequests and Legacy Gifts.
Who are Antarctic Science Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Myer Foundation, Wellcome Trust and Pew Charitable Trusts. Direct peers are Bush Heritage Australia, Swiss Polar Institute, Ian Potter Foundation and Australian Geographic Society. Schmidt Sciences is listed as an emerging player. Others are Tasmanian Polar Network and Australian Antarctic Division.
Does Antarctic Science Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Antarctic Science Foundation.
What industry is Antarctic Science Foundation in?
Antarctic Science Foundation's product category is Antarctic Research Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.