Minorities in Aquaculture

Name

Minorities in Aquaculture

Legal name

Minorities in Aquaculture

Website

https://mianpo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Workforce Development

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaculture & Fisheries Operations (EDAOAOAK)

Keywords

• Aquaculture workforce development
• Maritime career training
• Paid internship programs
• Captain licensing training
• Nonprofit diversity programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Easton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: MIA offers founding member subscriptions at $2/month or $24/year, providing access to educational courses, resources, exclusive events, member directory, and career development tools.
2. Merchandise Sales: MIA sells branded merchandise including t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, beanies, and water bottles through their e-commerce platform. All proceeds fund the Summer Internship Program and community engagement events.
3. Donations and Grants: MIA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that receives tax-deductible donations and grant funding from organizations including Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, Acme Smoked Fish Foundation, SOAR Program, and corporate sponsors to support internship programs and workforce development.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Businesses and institutions sponsor MIA to help fund essential resources such as field gear, housing, transportation and training tools for program participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Minorities in Aquaculture is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs paid summer aquaculture internships, a 12-week USCG captain licensing program called Minorities On Course, and a global online member network. It supplements these with merchandise fundraising, a job board, blog content, and community events. Programs are targeted at women of color and other underrepresented individuals seeking careers in aquaculture and maritime industries.

Product overview

Minorities in Aquaculture is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a workforce development platform with multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include the Aquaculture Internship Program (summer internships providing hands-on experience), the Minorities on Course program (maritime training for U.S. Coast Guard captain licensing), and the Member Network Portal (online platform for community, courses, and career resources). Additional offerings include the Champions Program (three-tiered support structure), merchandise store (fundraising), job board (employment listings), blog/news content platform, and the Host Partner Program. These products collectively serve to educate, equip, and connect individuals for careers in aquaculture and maritime industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Minorities On Course (MOC): A program offering aspiring captains an opportunity to engage with experienced Black captains on the Chesapeake Bay, designed to assist in completing the U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Captain's License Course.

Products and services

• Aquaculture Internship Program Flagship paid summer internship program (10 weeks, June–August) placing selected participants with 30+ host farms, labs, hatcheries, and nonprofits across 9 U.S. states. Interns receive $17.50/hour for 35 hours/week, plus housing and transportation support based on host site. Designed for women of color and underrepresented individuals seeking entry into aquaculture careers.
• Minorities on Course (MOC) Program 12-week in-person maritime career training program with bi-weekly Saturday sessions on the Chesapeake Bay. Provides scholarships, mentorship from experienced captains, and support obtaining required USCG sea time via partner vessels (e.g., Chesapeake Bay Foundation). Targets aspiring captains from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing the USCG 100-ton Captain's License.
• Member Network Portal Online platform offering members access to a directory, on-demand educational courses, career development tools, exclusive events, and aquaculture/maritime resources. Available as a paid founding member subscription ($2/month or $24/year) or free for 2026 internship cohort participants.
• MIA Champions Program Three-tiered supporter structure enabling individuals and organizations to champion workforce development: Supporter (donations), Partner (internships/mentorship), and Sponsor (financial support for field gear, housing, transportation, and training tools for program participants).
• MIA Merchandise Store Direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling branded merchandise — short-sleeve t-shirts ($25), long-sleeve t-shirts ($30), crew sweatshirts ($40), cuffed beanies ($35), and 17oz stainless steel water bottles ($25). Proceeds fund the Summer Internship Program and community events.
• MIA Job Board Online employment opportunity listing service featuring aquaculture internships, farm hand positions, hatchery technician roles, and other aquaculture sector jobs, including eligibility requirements, compensation details, and application information.
• MIA Blog Educational content platform publishing articles by interns, team members, and guest contributors on aquaculture techniques, conservation, marine science, seafood sustainability, and career pathways.
• Host Partner Program Program inviting farms, labs, hatcheries, nonprofits, and businesses to host MIA interns, providing supportive hands-on learning environments, meaningful skill-building work, and mentorship during the internship term.
• Coastal Community Table BBQ Annual community gathering hosted by MIA and Lift All Boats that brings together seafood producers, fisherpeople, farmers, organizations, and students to strengthen connections and celebrate working waterfront communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 cohort alumni hired full-time post-internship
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lift All BoatscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Maine-based nonprofit mentorship program that connects students with hands-on experience in the lobster industry. Co-hosts the annual Coastal Community Table BBQ with MIA.
• Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the EnvironmentminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Provides venue for the Coastal Community Table BBQ event in Freeport, ME.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CBF provides program participants access to educational vessels to obtain USCG-required sea time and well-rounded maritime education. MIA partners with CBF on the Minorities On Course program to train diverse captains on the Chesapeake Bay.
• XTRATUF Boot CompanyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024XTRATUF provides field gear sponsorship to MIA program participants, supplying necessary boots and equipment for internship and Minorities On Course activities.
• The Jetty Rock FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Provides gear sponsorship to MIA participants, supporting essential field equipment for women and minorities in aquaculture programs.
• Captain Michael McQueen (Reel Altitude Fishing Charter)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Son to Captain Sonny McQueen of Solomon's Island (oldest living Black captain on the Chesapeake Bay). Partners with MIA to provide mentorship and maritime instruction for the Minorities On Course program.
• Captain Bill Tynall (R&B Boat Supply)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Provides maritime expertise and support for the Minorities On Course program from Cambridge, MD location.
• Mahogany Yacht CharterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Black female-owned luxury charter business in Washington, D.C. partnering with MIA to expand maritime career opportunities and mentorship for underrepresented groups.
• Host Partner OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor30+ farms, labs, hatcheries, nonprofits, and businesses that provide internships and hands-on training for MIA program participants. Host partners open their doors to help shape the next generation of aquaculture professionals.
• Coalition for Sustainable AquaculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIA Founder Imani Black is a member of this coalition of 22 organizations advocating for sustainable seafood policy and federal regulations for open ocean aquaculture, including permitting, fish health, labor standards, and climate sustainability.

Scale indicators12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Acme Smoked Fish Foundation: Foundation arm of Acme Smoked Fish that awarded MIA the 2023 Seafood Industry Climate Award ($70K). Comparable as a seafood-industry funder focused on climate and diversity, with overlapping priorities around workforce diversification in seafood supply chains.
• Ocean Conservancy: National ocean conservation nonprofit addressing policy, science, and public engagement. Comparable as an adjacent marine-focused nonprofit where workforce development and DEI in ocean-related careers overlap with MIA's mission, though Ocean Conservancy operates at materially larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Established nonprofit focused on Chesapeake Bay restoration, education, and workforce pathways. Comparable as a Bay-area organization running educational vessels, oyster restoration programs, and youth training that intersect directly with MIA's Minorities On Course sea-time program and internship hosts.
• National Fisheries Institute: Trade association for the U.S. seafood industry providing advocacy, education, and workforce initiatives. Comparable as a broader seafood-industry incumbent addressing labor pipelines and seafood sustainability messaging that MIA taps into through programs and conferences.
• East Coast Shellfish Growers Association: Trade association representing East Coast shellfish farmers, including aquaculture industry employers that MIA places interns with. Comparable as a host-partner ecosystem representative and aquaculture industry advocate intersecting with MIA's training pipeline.

Direct peers

• Lift All Boats: Maine-based nonprofit mentorship program that connects students with hands-on experience in the lobster industry. Directly comparable as a diversity/workforce nonprofit in commercial fishing that co-hosts the Coastal Community Table BBQ with MIA, indicating overlapping mission, geography expansion model, and target audience.
• Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture: Coalition of 22 organizations (including MIA via founder Imani Black) advocating for sustainable seafood policy and federal aquaculture regulations. Comparable as a coalition peer working on aquaculture policy, permitting, and labor standards advocacy alongside MIA.
• National Working Waterfront Network: Network supporting working waterfronts and maritime workforce development through conferences and advocacy. Comparable as a maritime workforce-development peer where MIA's founder participates and recruits host partners and advocates for sustainable aquaculture policy.
• Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) Program: Multi-state funder/coalition distributing grants for shellfish aquaculture career development. Directly comparable as a funder and program partner to MIA's Career Development Internship Program for Women of Color, operating in 18 coastal states with similar workforce-development goals.

Emerging players

• MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences): National society supporting minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences through professional development, mentorship, and career pathways. Comparable as a broader-scope minority workforce-development organization whose aquaculture/maritime subset overlaps with MIA's mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mia_npo
• Facebookfacebook.com/MinoritiesInAquaculture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minorities-in-aquaculture

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Minorities in Aquaculture