BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION
Biosphere Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit co-founded by original Biosphere 2 crew members that delivers ecological restoration and experiential education programs, including the trademarked Wastewater Gardens® system, coral reef conservation, and forest regeneration, to communities across the Coral Triangle via its Bali Stewardship Center and sailing vessel Mir.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersDesa Pejarakan, Kecamatan Gerokgak, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali, Indonesia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION does
Biosphere Foundation is a US-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization co-founded in the early 1990s by Abigail Alling, Mark Van Thillo, and Sally Silverstone — three of the eight original crew members of the Biosphere 2 closed ecological system experiment (1991-1993). The foundation applies lessons from that mission to real-world environmental conservation, focusing on coral reef protection, watershed and forest regeneration, sustainable agriculture, and wastewater recycling. Its core proprietary technology is Wastewater Gardens®, a trademarked subsurface wetland system that treats and reclaims wastewater without mechanical parts or chemicals, deployed across 10+ countries.
The organization operates a portfolio of experiential education programs delivered primarily through two physical assets: the Biosphere Stewardship Center in Pejarakan, NW Bali (capacity for 40 people, featuring demonstration gardens and sustainable infrastructure), and the 1910 sailing vessel Mir, which functions as a mobile education platform traveling to island communities across the Coral Triangle. Programs include a 2-day Coral Steward Course, a 7-night Coral Stewardship Apprenticeship Program, an 8-day International Summer Program for youth aged 16+, and bespoke workshops on reforestation, home garden empowerment, and ecosystem stewardship. Additional initiatives include Mars On Earth® (space habitat research), the Laboratory Biosphere in Santa Fe (closed ecological system research), the Studio of the Sea (documentary film production), and published educational books.
Revenue mechanics comprise tax-deductible donations, program fees for experiential courses, and periodic corporate/foundation sponsorships documented across 2009-2022. The organization maintains a US office in Bishop, California, and works with strategic partners including Bali Barat National Park, Yayasan Biosfir Indonesia, Raffles Marina, Institute of Ecotechnics, and Biospheric Design. It has initiated and trained a network of community conservation groups (Friends of Menjangan, Friends of Moyo, Friends of Mansuar, and others) across the Coral Triangle.
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION
- Legal name
- Biosphere Foundation
- Website
- https://biospherefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Biosphere Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit co-founded by original Biosphere 2 crew members that delivers ecological restoration and experiential education programs, including the trademarked Wastewater Gardens® system, coral reef conservation, and forest regeneration, to communities across the Coral Triangle via its Bali Stewardship Center and sailing vessel Mir.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB), Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE)
Keywords
Where BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Desa Pejarakan, Kecamatan Gerokgak, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali
- HQ country
- Indonesia
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals supporting conservation and education initiatives.
- Program Fees: Fees for experiential learning programs including the Coral Stewardship Apprenticeship Program, International Summer Program, and workshops/courses at the Biosphere Stewardship Center.
- Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors and foundations documented in periodic sponsor acknowledgments (2009-2010, 2011-2015, 2016-2020, 2021-2022).
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Biosphere Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers experiential conservation education, ecosystem restoration projects, and proprietary ecological engineering. Its flagship offerings include the trademarked Wastewater Gardens® subsurface wetland wastewater recycling system, immersive learning programs at the Biosphere Stewardship Center in NW Bali and aboard the sailing vessel Mir, and hands-on coral reef and monsoon forest restoration initiatives across the Coral Triangle.
Product overview
Biosphere Foundation operates as a non-profit environmental organization offering a portfolio of conservation, education, and research programs rather than a unified commercial product. Core offerings include Wastewater Gardens® (an ecological wastewater recycling system), the Biosphere Stewardship Center campus for experiential learning, and sailing vessel Mir for sea-based education. The organization provides certification courses such as the 2-day Coral Steward Course and 7-night Coral Stewardship Apprenticeship Program. Research initiatives include Mars On Earth® (space habitat research) and the Laboratory Biosphere (closed ecological system experiments). Additional offerings encompass coral reef conservation at Menjangan Island, monsoon forest restoration, Studio of the Sea video production platform, and published educational books.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wastewater Gardens®
Quantifiable outcome
- World record for duration of time humans spent in a closed ecological system (2 years, 1991-1993)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Raffles Marina (Singapore)coreNearly three decades of collaboration with Raffles Marina for marine conservation in the ASEAN Sea. Includes participation in the 1999 'Marine Parks of Indonesia Expedition' and design of Wastewater Gardens® for floating fish farms. In 2006, a long-term agreement was signed to further marine conservation in Southeast Asia. Sailing yacht Mir became Raffles Marina's 'Club at Sea' and communications were shared through Nautique magazine from 2006-2016.
- Yayasan Biosfir IndonesiacoreIndonesian partner organization coordinating local conservation and education programs in Bali.
- Bali Barat National Park (BBNP)coreAligned with BBNP to form Friends of Menjangan community movement for reef protection. Local nature guides Pak Nono Suparono and Pak Ketut Sutama lead conservation programs within the park.
- Biospheric Design (Global Ecotechnics Corporation)coreCo-designer and builder of the Laboratory Biosphere with Biosphere Foundation and Institute of Ecotechnics. Now owns and operates the Laboratory Biosphere facility in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- Institute of EcotechnicscoreCo-designer and builder of the Laboratory Biosphere closed ecological system facility.
- Bezzina ShipyardminorEngineering team at Bezzina Shipyard has worked with Captain Mark Van Thillo on Mir maintenance and repairs.
- Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)minorPublisher of Coral Reefs: A Handbook for Their Future by Orla Doherty, a book produced by Biosphere Foundation.
- Bezzina ShipyardminorEngineering team collaboration with Captain Mark Van Thillo for vessel Mir maintenance and repairs.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wetlands International: Global nonprofit dedicated to wetland conservation and restoration. Comparable as an established environmental nonprofit whose ecosystem-restoration mission aligns with Biosphere Foundation's wetlands-adjacent wastewater and watershed work.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation organization with major marine and forest programs in Indonesia and the Coral Triangle. A broad incumbent whose Indonesian and reef-conservation initiatives overlap with Biosphere Foundation's core geographies.
- The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental nonprofits with extensive marine and forest conservation programs globally. Comparable as a major incumbent in the environmental conservation nonprofit space, though operating at vastly larger scale and broader programmatic scope.
Direct peers
- Coral Triangle Center: A Bali-based nonprofit focused on coral reef ecosystem and fisheries management across the Coral Triangle, with training programs and community engagement that directly mirror Biosphere Foundation's marine conservation and education mission in the same geography.
- Biospheric Design (Global Ecotechnics Corporation): Strategic partner that co-designed and now operates the Laboratory Biosphere facility in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Direct peer in the closed ecological system and Biosphere 2 lineage ecosystem.
- Island Conservation: Nonprofit specializing in invasive species removal and ecosystem restoration on islands, with active programs in the Coral Triangle. Comparable as a tropical island ecosystem restorer that also works in Indonesia and adjacent regions.
- Reef Check Foundation: Global volunteer-based coral reef monitoring and stewardship organization with EcoDiver training programs—directly comparable to Biosphere Foundation's Coral Steward Course and reef restoration methodology.
- Institute of Ecotechnics: Co-designer and operator of Biosphere 2 and active partner of Biosphere Foundation. Comparable as a closed ecological system research and operations organization, sharing IP lineage and key personnel.
- Mars Coral Reef Restoration (MARS Sustainable Solutions): Pioneer of low-cost, mineral accretion-based coral reef restoration, focused on the Coral Triangle and Caribbean. Directly comparable to Biosphere Foundation's coral replanting program and target geographies.
Emerging players
- Global Coral Reef Alliance: Nonprofit focused on coral reef restoration and micro-fragmentation techniques. Comparable emerging player pursuing coral reef restoration through scientific methods, sharing Biosphere Foundation's mission of practical reef recovery.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION social profiles
Digital presenceBIOSPHERE FOUNDATION financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BIOSPHERE 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 BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION
What does BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION do?
Biosphere Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers experiential conservation education, ecosystem restoration projects, and proprietary ecological engineering. Its flagship offerings include the trademarked Wastewater Gardens® subsurface wetland wastewater recycling system, immersive learning programs at the Biosphere Stewardship Center in NW Bali and aboard the sailing vessel Mir, and hands-on coral reef and monsoon forest restoration initiatives across the Coral Triangle.
Is BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION a public or private company?
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION founded?
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION based?
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION is headquartered in Desa Pejarakan, Kecamatan Gerokgak, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali, Indonesia, in the Asia region.
How does BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are program Fees and sponsorships.
Who are BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wetlands International, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Nature Conservancy. Direct peers are Coral Triangle Center, Biospheric Design (Global Ecotechnics Corporation), Island Conservation, Reef Check Foundation, Institute of Ecotechnics and Mars Coral Reef Restoration (MARS Sustainable Solutions). Global Coral Reef Alliance is listed as an emerging player.
Does BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION have an API?
No public API is recorded for BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION.
What industry is BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION in?
BIOSPHERE FOUNDATION's product category is Environmental Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAD, Forestry & Reforestation. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 800.