Aluna Moon Clock & The Aluna Foundation

What Aluna Moon Clock & The Aluna Foundation does

The Aluna Foundation is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1130613) building the world's largest Moon and Tide Clock on the Greenwich Peninsula at Point Wharf, 0° longitude. Founded by artist Laura Williams, the project centres on the planned Aluna main installation — a 40m-wide, 13m-high structure of three translucent recycled glass rings that will track lunar phase (~29.5 days), lunar day (~24h 50m), and tide cycles (~12h 25m) using low-energy LED illumination. The display system, branded Alunatime, is driven by a master time code developed with the National Oceanography Centre using harmonic analyses of Thames geography, local tide gauges, and astronomical computations. A working prototype, Baby Aluna, has operated at Trinity Buoy Wharf since October 2010 with 5,000 LEDs and is being used as the live R&D platform for the full installation. Power will come from a 1.5kWp solar array (554 PV panels installed March 2020 on the Arora Ballroom roof) and planned tidal turbines.

Operating as a non-profit, the foundation derives all income from individual donations (one-off and recurring, processed via the Enthuse platform with Gift Aid), corporate sponsorship (financial, in-kind services, media/networking, employee volunteering), and grants from Arts Council England, the Mayor of London Community Energy Fund, and the Royal Borough of Greenwich Community Arts Fund. Cryptocurrency donations are being introduced. There is no commercial pricing model; donors and partners are acknowledged on the foundation's website and at the eventual site.

The foundation primarily serves schools, community and cultural groups, and the general public, with secondary focus on corporate partners. The Greenwich Moon Time programme (2018-2019) engaged 3,500+ participants across 60+ workshops, including the Tết Trung Thu Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (1,200+ attendees), the Greenwich Moon Time Exhibition (1,000+ pupils), and Eid Hilal crescent moon sighting events. Strategic partners include Ramboll UK, Heneghan Peng Architects, Kardorff, SELCE, Royal Museums Greenwich, and the Royal Astronomical Society. Governance is provided by a five-person board of trustees chaired by Stuart Axford.

Name

Aluna Moon Clock & The Aluna Foundation

Legal name

The Aluna Foundation

Website

https://alunatime.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Aluna Foundation is a UK-registered charity building the world's largest Moon and Tide Clock at the Greenwich Peninsula. Operating through donations and grants, it engages schools, community groups, and the public via astronomical displays, education programmes, and cultural festivals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seaton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-off or regular donations from individuals via secure online platform, BACS transfer, or cheque. Gift Aid declaration allows UK charities to claim 25p per £1 donated from HMRC.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Financial contributions, in-kind services (specialist services), media and networking (advertising/promotion), and employee volunteering from businesses seeking association with internationally recognised landmark.
3. Cryptocurrency Donations (Upcoming): The Aluna Foundation will soon accept cryptocurrency donations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Aluna Foundation is a UK charity building what is positioned as the world's largest Moon and Tide Clock — a 40m wide, 13m high public art installation at Point Wharf on the Greenwich Peninsula at 0° longitude. Three translucent recycled glass rings track lunar phases, lunar days, and tidal cycles through moving light, powered by solar panels and planned tidal turbines. The Foundation also delivers the Greenwich Moon Time community engagement programme and Aluna Education initiative.

Product overview

Aluna Moon Clock & The Aluna Foundation is an art and heritage project centered on the Aluna Main Moon Clock, the world's largest Moon and Tide Clock installation planned for the Greenwich Peninsula. The product portfolio includes the main Aluna monument (a 40m wide public installation tracking lunar and tidal cycles), the Alunatime display system (a language of time in moving light using LED technology), and the Baby Aluna prototype clock at Trinity Buoy Wharf. Supporting offerings include the Greenwich Moon Time community programme and Aluna Education programme, which use the Moon as a catalyst for cultural engagement, education, and community building. The installation is powered by renewable solar and tidal energy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alunatime: A graphical notation of time in light designed by Laura Williams, showing the lunar phase (wax & wane), the lunar day (rise & set) and tide cycles (ebb & flow). Displayed on two 1m diameter clock faces.

Products and services

• Baby Aluna (Alunatime Prototype) London's first public Moon and Tide Clock installed at Trinity Buoy Wharf in East London since October 2010. Features two 1m diameter clock faces with 5,000 low-energy LEDs displaying real-time lunar and tidal data calculated by the National Oceanography Centre. Serves as the research and development prototype for the full-scale Aluna installation and is freely accessible to the public.
• Greenwich Moon Time (GMT) Community Programme A community engagement programme delivered in Greenwich that explores the cultural meanings of the Moon with diverse community groups, schools, faith organisations, and cultural institutions. Includes co-design workshops, exhibitions, moon sighting events, and cultural festivals celebrating lunar traditions across different communities.
• Aluna Education Programme An inter-curricular creative programme linked to the Aluna landmark exploring humanity's relationship with the Moon through school partnerships, workshops, and educational events connecting lunar science, navigation heritage, cultural traditions, and environmental awareness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,500+ participants engaged through GMT community programme with 60+ workshops
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Simon JonescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2010Electronic design engineer who programmed lunar and tidal data for Baby Aluna's clock faces. Designed circuit boards and PCB control systems.
• Andrew BaldwinsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2010Metal artist who designed and made Baby Aluna's steel housing at Trinity Buoy Wharf.
• Ramboll UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partner for Aluna's design and construction. Provided scheme design and elevation drawings. Core technical partner for the landmark project.
• Arts Council EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Lottery Project Grants funding for Greenwich Moon Time community programme. Primary public funding body supporting community engagement and educational outreach.
• Mayor of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported through London Community Energy Fund for solar panel installation. Mayor's office provides endorsement and political backing for the project.
• South East London Community Energy (SELCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity energy partners for 1.5kWp solar panel array installation. Their community shareholders enabled the first capital element of Aluna.
• Royal Museums GreenwichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through National Maritime Museum for community exhibitions, lectures, and cultural events including The Moon exhibition and co-designed festivals.
• National Oceanography CentrecoreTechnology or IntegrationDesigned Aluna's master time code using world's most accurate lunar phase algorithm. Provided harmonic analyses, tide gauge data, and astronomical computations for Alunatime system.
• Royal Astronomical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder of Baby Aluna prototype clock. Scientific endorsement and funding for research and development of moon and tide clock technology.
• Trinity Buoy Wharf TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Baby Aluna since 2010 launch. Funder and partner for London's first public moon and tide clock at their East London site.
• HR WallingfordsupportingTechnology or IntegrationRiver morphology expertise for understanding Thames tidal patterns and designing Aluna's relationship with the tidal waterfront.
• Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac OfficesupportingTechnology or IntegrationAstronomy expertise supporting accurate lunar calculations and timekeeping for Alunatime system.
• Royal Borough of GreenwichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Arts Fund funding for GMT programme. Political support and endorsement from Deputy Mayor of Culture Justine Simons OBE.
• Heneghan Peng ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScheme design partner for Aluna architecture and landscape design.
• KardorffsupportingTechnology or IntegrationLighting design partner for Aluna's illumination system.
• Boult Wade TennantsupportingTechnology or IntegrationLegal intellectual property services for Aluna's design and technology.
• Dominic Cole Landscape ArchitectssupportingTechnology or IntegrationLandscape architecture for Aluna's public space design.
• Hanson (Heidelberg Materials)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcrete supplier for Baby Aluna's 4.2 tonne concrete base, sourced from their local Canary Wharf plant.
• SikasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeather-proofing materials sponsor for Baby Aluna's steel housing.
• Saint Gobain Performance PlasticssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaterials sponsor providing weather-proofing for Baby Aluna's steel housing.
• Urban Space ManagementsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstallation partner for Baby Aluna's construction and assembly.
• National Maritime MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner for Greenwich Moon Time programme. Hosted co-designed exhibitions, moon festivals, and lecture series including The Moon exhibition (July 2019-January 2020).
• Flamsteed Astronomy SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Eid Hilal crescent moon sighting events with Afyah Sisters, providing astronomical expertise.
• Afyah Sisters Support GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner for first Eid Hilal moon sighting in Plumstead. Co-designed and delivered cultural celebration bringing moon back home to Muslim community.
• James Wolfe Primary School with Centre for the DeafcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Greenwich Moon Time exhibition involving 1,000+ pupils across Early Years and Years 1-6. Foundation for Aluna Education programme.
• New Crescent SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-led international movement for moon sighting events. Linked Plumstead event to UK-wide sightings and Royal Observatory.
• C40 CitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Director Mark Watts endorsed Aluna as aligned with C40's mission for green and just urban transformation. Cultural support for climate action.
• World Cities Culture ForumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector Laia Gasch endorsed Aluna as essential to building better cities through culture. Network support and international recognition.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tate Modern: Major UK art institution in London with national and international reach. Comparable as a large-scale public cultural institution that drives tourism, educational engagement, and brand recognition. Both are publicly accessible cultural landmarks in London.
• Eden Project: UK environmental and cultural landmark in Cornwall, operated by the Eden Trust charity. Comparable as a charitable foundation that built a major public destination focused on environmental themes. Both projects combine education, sustainability, visitor experience, and a non-profit operating model.
• London Eye: Iconic London public landmark on the South Bank of the Thames attracting millions of visitors annually. Comparable as a major London destination that has become a cultural symbol and driver of tourism. Both are publicly recognizable landmarks associated with the Thames.

Others

• Burning Man: Annual large-scale public art and cultural event in Nevada, USA. Comparable in its celebration of community, large-scale art installations, and themes of human connection and transformation. Both create spaces for cultural gathering and contemplation around shared human experience.
• The Shard: Iconic London skyscraper and public landmark. Comparable as a major architectural landmark in London that has become a cultural symbol and visitor destination. Both are publicly recognizable structures that shape London's identity and visitor experience.

Direct peers

• Royal Observatory Greenwich: Historic timekeeping institution at the Prime Meridian in Greenwich. Direct thematic match with Aluna's planned location at 0° longitude and its mission to extend Greenwich's 400-year timekeeping legacy. Both are publicly accessible cultural landmarks celebrating humanity's relationship with time and astronomy.
• National Maritime Museum: Direct partner of The Aluna Foundation through the Greenwich Moon Time programme. Shares themes of maritime heritage, navigation, and humanity's relationship with the sea and tides. Located in Greenwich, complementary to Aluna's planned location on the Greenwich Peninsula.
• Angel of the North: Antony Gormley's iconic 20m public sculpture in Gateshead, UK. Comparable as a landmark UK public art installation that has become a cultural symbol and tourist attraction. Both projects demonstrate how large-scale public art can transform places and create lasting cultural value.

Emerging players

• British Airways i360: Observation tower in Brighton, UK, offering views from a 138m tall pod. Comparable as a UK public landmark combining distinctive architecture, technology, and visitor experience. Both are tall public structures offering panoramic views and cultural engagement.
• Studio Drift: Dutch art collective creating large-scale public art installations with light, movement, and nature themes. Comparable in its focus on kinetic light installations in public spaces, similar to Aluna's LED-based Alunatime display system showing lunar and tidal cycles through light.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AlunaLondon
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlunaLondon
• Instagraminstagram.com/alunalondon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-aluna-foundation

Compliance2 records

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 Aluna Moon Clock & The Aluna Foundation