What Billion Oyster Project does

Billion Oyster Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a program of The New York Harbor Foundation. Founded in 2014 and headquartered on Governors Island in New York Harbor, with a secondary water quality testing field station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the organization's mission is to restore oyster reefs to New York Harbor through public education initiatives. The organization serves multiple constituencies across New York City: K-12 students and educators at over 100 partner schools, approximately 15,000 individual volunteers, more than 100 NYC restaurants participating in shell recycling, and corporate partners that purchase dedicated volunteer days. The organization employs approximately 40 staff and is led by Executive Director and Co-Founder Pete Malinowski.

The organization's product portfolio centers on oyster reef restoration installations across multiple field stations in all five NYC boroughs. Its Shell Recycling Program collects oyster, clam, and scallop shells from partner restaurants; shells are cured on Governors Island and deployed as substrate for juvenile oyster settlement. Oyster Research Stations (ORS) - small 8"x8"x18" underwater laboratories secured to docks, bulkheads, or floating buoys at permitted sites - serve as monitoring devices and student science platforms. The Community Water Quality Testing (CWQT) Program samples water at 50+ sites weekly, producing over 1,100 samples in 2022. Education products include a K-12 STEM curriculum, the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School (a public high school on Governors Island with seven CTE programs), and an Ambassador Program for trained volunteers. As of the most recent reporting, the organization has restored 150 million live oysters, recycled approximately 3 million pounds of shells, and installed roughly 19 acres of oyster reef.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of channels. Individual donations solicited via the website represent the primary revenue mechanism, with gifts of $500 or more including oyster dedication opportunities. Annual memberships provide restaurant oyster vouchers, merchandise discounts, and early event access. Corporate groups pay for dedicated volunteer day experiences on Governors Island. Grant funding includes multi-year support from 11th Hour Racing and a $500,000 federal appropriation secured in 2024 by U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Merchandise is sold via a Threadless storefront. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on volunteer engagement, school partnerships, restaurant shell collection, and earned media coverage; no paid advertising is referenced. The organization has stated a long-term goal of restoring 1 billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035.

Name

Billion Oyster Project

Legal name

The New York Harbor Foundation d/b/a Billion Oyster Project

Website

https://bop.nyc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Billion Oyster Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 that restores oyster reefs to New York Harbor through public education. It serves NYC K-12 students at 100+ schools, approximately 15,000 volunteers, 100+ restaurant shell donors, and corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation & Restoration Services

NAICS

Shellfish Farming (112512), Aquaculture (1125)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Oyster reef restoration
• Marine conservation
• Environmental education
• STEM curriculum
• Shell recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations & Fundraising: Individual donations solicited through the website and direct mail. Gifts of $500 or more include the opportunity to dedicate 2,000 oysters in a name or in honor of someone. The organization also runs annual fundraising campaigns.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership offering benefits including oyster vouchers at partner restaurants, merchandise discounts, and early access to event tickets. Memberships expire one year from purchase date and can be purchased as individual or group gifts.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel and accessories through the Threadless online store.
4. Corporate Volunteer Programs: Corporate groups pay for dedicated volunteer day experiences on Governors Island including training, tours, and lunch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Billion Oyster Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that restores oyster reefs to New York Harbor by collecting shells from 100+ NYC restaurants, curing them on Governors Island, and deploying them as reef substrate across the harbor. Its operations are integrated with K-12 STEM education programs reaching 100+ schools, Oyster Research Stations used by students and volunteers to monitor oyster growth and biodiversity, and a Community Water Quality Testing program sampling harbor sites weekly. The organization funds this work through donations, memberships, grants, and paid corporate volunteer experiences.

Product overview

Billion Oyster Project is an environmental nonprofit organization operating a portfolio of interconnected restoration and education programs focused on restoring oyster reefs to New York Harbor. The core offerings include Oyster Reef Restoration installations across the harbor, the Shell Recycling Program that collects shells from NYC restaurants for reef substrate, and Oyster Research Stations (ORS) that serve as underwater monitoring laboratories. Education initiatives encompass a K-12 STEM Curriculum, the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School (a public high school on Governors Island), and the Community Water Quality Testing Program that monitors water quality across the harbor. Volunteer engagement is facilitated through the Volunteer Program, Ambassador Program, and annual membership with partner restaurant benefits. Together, these programs work toward the goal of restoring one billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oyster Reef Restoration Ecological restoration initiative that installs oyster reefs across New York Harbor to provide habitat for marine species, filter water, and protect shorelines from storm damage.
• Shell Recycling Program Program that partners with over 100 NYC restaurants to collect and recycle oyster shells for use as substrate in oyster reef restoration, diverting shell waste from landfills.
• K-12 STEM Curriculum Hands-on science curriculum for New York City schools that engages students with New York Harbor and trains them as scientists working to solve local environmental challenges.
• Urban Assembly New York Harbor School Public high school on Governors Island focused on preparation for maritime careers, offering seven Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs of study leading to industry certification.
• Oyster Research Stations (ORS) Small underwater laboratories (8" x 8" x 18") secured to docks or bulkheads that monitor oyster growth and biodiversity, engaging students and volunteers in hands-on marine ecology data collection.
• Community Water Quality Testing Program Weekly water sampling and testing program that monitors enterococcus levels and other water quality metrics across 50+ sites in New York Harbor, operated in partnership with community organizations.
• Ambassador Program Volunteer program that provides specialized training for dedicated volunteers to participate in reef monitoring, education support, and public engagement activities.
• Volunteer Program Public volunteer activities focused on cleaning shell substrate and reef ball fabrication at the Governors Island shell pile, engaging nearly 15,000 volunteers annually.
• Billion Oyster Project Membership Annual membership program offering benefits including oyster vouchers at partner restaurants, merchandise discounts, and early access to events and tours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150 million live oysters restored to New York Harbor
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

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.

• Urban Assembly New York Harbor SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA public high school on Governors Island with seven Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Harbor School students participate in maritime career preparation and are engaged in BOP's restoration work. The school and BOP share Governors Island facilities and have aligned educational missions around harbor stewardship.
• NYC Restaurants (100+ partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 100 NYC restaurants in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens partner with BOP's Shell Collection Program, diverting oyster, clam, and scallop shells from landfills. These shells are cured at Governors Island and used as substrate for juvenile oysters to settle on, creating new reef structures.
• Waterfront Alliance / NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOP partners with Waterfront Alliance and the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program for events like City of Water Day, community water quality monitoring coordination, and broader harbor stewardship initiatives.
• Community Water Quality Testing (CWQT) Program PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOP carries on the CWQT program started by NYC Water Trail Association, in collaboration with: Two Trees Management, Sarah Lawrence Center for Urban River, SUNY Maritime Marine Environmental Science program, Bronx River Alliance, Queens College, Newtown Creek Alliance, Interstate Environmental Commission, Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership, and Randall's Island Park Alliance. Partners collect and process weekly water quality samples across NYC waterways.
• Double Discovery Center (Columbia University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Columbia University's Double Discovery Center for summer education programming. Brought waterfront programming to twelve students in a multi-week program covering various aspects of BOP restoration and NYC outdoor exploration.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension Suffolk (SPAT Program)minorOthersNot a direct BOP partner, but cited as a resource for Long Island communities interested in oyster restoration. BOP's permitting restricts live oysters to within NYC boundaries, so Long Island residents are referred to Cornell Cooperative Extension's SPAT program.
• The Fulton Fish Market CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for shell collection and recycling from the Fulton Fish Market, ramping up shell recycling operations as referenced in a November 2024 blog post.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oyster Recovery Partnership: Nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay through spat production, shell recycling, and volunteer engagement. Most directly comparable peer with a near-identical restoration + community + shell recycling model.
• Restore America's Estuaries: National membership-based nonprofit umbrella organization for U.S. coastal and estuary restoration. Compares as a peer in the marine restoration space with shared policy and funding-advocacy roles.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Large regional nonprofit focused on Chesapeake Bay restoration, including oyster reef rebuilding, education programs, and policy advocacy. Comparable in mission scope (restoration + education + advocacy) and nonprofit structure, though at a larger geographic scale.
• Urban Assembly New York Harbor School: Public high school on Governors Island with seven CTE programs, deeply integrated with BOP's restoration work. Operationally a partner but mission-wise an education-first peer with shared maritime and marine science focus.
• NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program: Regional estuary program coordinating water quality, habitat, and stewardship across the New York-New Jersey Harbor. BOP is a listed partner for water quality monitoring and community science, with shared harbor-restoration mission.
• Waterfront Alliance: NYC-based nonprofit advocating for a resilient, accessible waterfront. BOP's listed partner for City of Water Day and harbor stewardship initiatives, with overlapping mission around waterfront access and education.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: National nonprofit focused on ocean health, with marine habitat, fisheries, and policy programs. Comparable as a marine conservation nonprofit with similar donor base and restoration framing, but at a national advocacy scale.
• NOAA Restoration Center: Federal program funding and coordinating marine habitat restoration including oyster reefs. Cited as a regulatory counterpart; comparable as a funder and operator of oyster reef restoration in U.S. estuaries.
• The Nature Conservancy (New York): Global environmental nonprofit with active marine and coastal conservation programs in New York. Operates at much larger scale and broader scope, but overlaps significantly with BOP's restoration and stewardship work.

Emerging players

• Mission Blue / Sylvia Earle Alliance: Marine conservation nonprofit focused on ocean hope spots and public engagement. Comparable in using marine restoration as a springboard for science education and community mobilization, though operating at a global advocacy scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BillionOyster
• Facebookfacebook.com/billionoysterproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/billion-oyster-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/billionoyster

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Billion Oyster Project