What Shark Research Foundation does

Shark Research Foundation is a U.S. non-profit organization headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, dedicated to shark conservation through field-based research, public education, and citizen science engagement. The foundation conducts tagging and tracking expeditions along the U.S. Atlantic coast — including Hatteras Island, the Outer Banks, Port Saint Joe, Cape Canaveral, and Florida's Treasure Coast — using NOAA-certified shark tags whose data is submitted to the federal tracking framework for population, migration, and habitat-use analysis. Its technical toolkit includes proprietary field equipment such as a remote-controlled bait deployment boat used to attract sharks for safe tagging, alongside partnerships with OCEARCH (real-time GPS tracking), NOAA (regulatory and data infrastructure), and a roster of marine research and sanctuary partners.

The foundation operates a content publishing platform at sharkrf.org that distributes educational articles on shark species (great white, hammerhead, mako, tiger, whale, reef, nurse sharks), marine ecosystem topics (deep-sea sharks, climate impacts, finning), and child-focused material through a dedicated Kids Corner section. It runs citizen science programs — shark sightings reporting, beach surveys, and public tagging expedition participation — that function as both engagement and supplementary data channels. The organization's distribution is concentrated on organic web content, a Twitter presence (@SharkResearchF), and email appeals.

Revenue is donation-driven through Donorbox with no disclosed pricing, product, or service sales and no disclosed financials, grants, or audited figures. Stakeholders identified include donors and supporters, general public/ocean enthusiasts, young learners, and partner marine researchers; one executive is publicly named — Dr. Mike Benoit, Director of Conservation — with no broader leadership team disclosed.

Name

Shark Research Foundation

Legal name

Shark Research Foundation

Website

https://sharkrf.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Shark Research Foundation is a U.S. non-profit organization that conducts shark tagging and conservation field research along the U.S. Atlantic coast, delivers educational content through its website, and engages the public via citizen science programs supported by donations through Donorbox.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Shark conservation research
• Marine wildlife education
• Citizen science programs
• Shark tagging initiatives
• Ocean conservation nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The Shark Research Foundation operates as a non-profit organization funded primarily through public donations. The organization solicits support through their website using Donorbox and promotes donation buttons throughout their content to support shark conservation, research expeditions, educational outreach, and marine ecosystem protection initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shark Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization that advances shark conservation through field research expeditions, a shark tagging program, citizen science participation opportunities, and public educational content on its website. It coordinates with established marine research partners and is funded by individual donations processed online via Donorbox.

Product overview

Shark Research Foundation is a non-profit research and education organization focused on shark conservation. Rather than offering a commercial product platform, the foundation operates through its website to publish educational content, conduct field research expeditions, and engage in shark tagging programs. The primary offerings include shark research expeditions, the NOAA shark tagging program, citizen science initiatives, and a library of educational articles about shark species, marine ecosystems, and conservation topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Field Research Expeditions
• Shark Tagging Program A shark tagging initiative that supports the study and tracking of shark populations, contributing data to partner marine research institutions and the broader shark conservation community.
• Citizen Science Programs Programs that enable members of the public to participate directly in shark and ocean conservation data collection and research activities organized by the foundation.
• Educational Content Public educational content published on the foundation's website to raise awareness of shark biology, conservation issues, and the foundation's research activities, aimed at the general public, donors, and aspiring citizen scientists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Documented rare same-day nurse shark recapture demonstrating effective tag tracking methodology
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OCEARCHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025OCEARCH provides real-time shark tracking data and GPS pings used by the Shark Research Foundation to monitor great white shark movements and migration patterns. The foundation references OCEARCH tracking data in their research articles and uses their platform to share findings about shark migrations along the Atlantic coast.
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOAA provides the shark tagging program framework and data submission system used by the foundation. Research teams submit tag information to NOAA to support ongoing shark tracking and science efforts. The partnership enables regulatory compliance for protected shark species.
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute conducts aerial surveys and documented the orca sighting off Kitty Hawk in March 2025. Their research activities complement the foundation's field research efforts.
• Mote Marine LaboratoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMote Marine Laboratory conducts research initiatives on shark nursery locations and conditions, providing valuable data for informing management decisions and ensuring targeted conservation measures.
• Atlantic White Shark ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Atlantic White Shark Conservancy offers opportunities for public participation in tagging expeditions and conducts research on white shark behavior and ecology.
• Marine Conservation Science InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Marine Conservation Science Institute provides opportunities for public participation in tagging expeditions and contributes to shark research and conservation efforts.
• Florida Keys National Marine SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary provides protected marine areas that benefit various shark species including reef sharks. The sanctuary designation supports conservation efforts by restricting fishing and development in critical shark habitats.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oceana: Oceana is the largest international ocean conservation advocacy organization. It is much broader in scope than Shark Research Foundation but competes for marine conservation donor dollars and operates large-scale public awareness campaigns.
• National Wildlife Federation: National Wildlife Federation is a large U.S. wildlife conservation nonprofit that occasionally campaigns on shark and marine species protection. It is a broader incumbent competing for wildlife donor dollars but with a much wider species focus.
• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Sea Shepherd is a global marine wildlife conservation nonprofit combining direct-action campaigns with public awareness. It overlaps in marine wildlife donor audiences and educational mission, though its advocacy model differs.

Direct peers

• Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute: Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute conducts marine research including aerial surveys and shark population studies along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf. It is a listed partner and shares the same regional field research footprint.
• Atlantic White Shark Conservancy: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy conducts research, public safety, and education programs on white sharks in the U.S. Atlantic. It shares citizen science tagging and education models with Shark Research Foundation and operates in overlapping New England/Atlantic geographies.
• Shark Research Institute: Shark Research Institute is a long-standing global nonprofit focused on shark conservation science, public education, and policy advocacy. It is a direct peer in mission, audience (donors and ocean enthusiasts), and educational content publishing.
• OCEARCH: OCEARCH is a marine research organization focused on shark and other large predator tracking via satellite tags, operating global expeditions with real-time GPS data. It is both a strategic data partner of Shark Research Foundation and a direct peer in U.S. Atlantic shark research.
• Mote Marine Laboratory: Mote Marine Laboratory conducts applied marine and shark research, including shark nursery habitat studies. As a listed partner of Shark Research Foundation and a Florida-based research operator, it is a close scientific peer with overlapping Atlantic shark nursery research.
• Marine Conservation Science Institute: Marine Conservation Science Institute runs field-based marine research and public tagging expeditions, including shark work. It is a listed partner of Shark Research Foundation and competes for similar donor and volunteer audiences.

Regional players

• Shark Trust: Shark Trust is a UK-based shark conservation charity focused on research, policy advocacy, and citizen science. It is comparable in mission and programs but serves a different geography than Shark Research Foundation's U.S. Atlantic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SharkResearchF
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Shark Research Foundation