What Centre ValBio does

Centre ValBio (CVB) is a non-profit research station and conservation organisation founded in 1986 and affiliated with Stony Brook University. It is headquartered at Stony Brook, New York, with its primary research campus on the edge of Ranomafana National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Madagascar. The organisation was founded by Dr. Patricia C. Wright, a distinguished primatologist and inaugural holder of the Herrnstein Professorship of Conservation Biology at Stony Brook, who also helped establish the national park following her 1986 discovery of a new lemur species.

CVB's core product is a full-service tropical research centre that provides laboratory facilities (genetics, disease, ecology, biology, technology) and direct field access to one of the world's most significant biodiversity hotspots. It serves four primary customer segments: (1) academic researchers (PhDs, master's students, established scientists), (2) study abroad students (programs of three weeks to three months in tropical biology, conservation, environment, human health, engineering, and social sciences), (3) interns and volunteers (high school graduates through retirees), and (4) local villages surrounding Ranomafana National Park. Its products and services additionally include biodiversity conservation and restoration, a Health Outreach Program delivering first-line healthcare to remote villages (revived in 2004 from an original 1989 program), economic development initiatives (women's weaving cooperatives, essential oils, spice growing with reforestation) across 12 villages, and a Conservation Education Program (Child and Tree Fund, Madaworks scholarships for women).

The organisation operates on a donation- and grant-based non-profit revenue model, accepting contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations through a Stony Brook-managed 'Make a Gift' portal. Its go-to-market is community-led, attracting researchers and students via academic reputation while engaging donors, volunteers, and media partners through documentary storytelling (notably the 2014 IMAX/Warner Brothers 'Island of Lemurs: Madagascar' and the 2024 'Ivohiboro: The Lost Forest') and social media channels. CVB reports 45 disclosed staff (99% Malagasy), and its cumulative research output exceeds 1,000 scientific publications, 55 PhDs mentored, and 300+ Master's theses supported.

Name

Centre ValBio

Website

https://centrevalbio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre ValBio is a non-profit research station and conservation organisation affiliated with Stony Brook University, operating on the edge of Madagascar's Ranomafana National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site). It runs laboratory and field research facilities, study abroad and volunteer programs, and community outreach across 12 villages, funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Research Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation & Research Lodges (Citizen Science, Field Stations with Guests) (THAAAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD), Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs (BPAGACAI)

Keywords

• Tropical biodiversity research
• Conservation science services
• Study abroad programs
• Community conservation outreach
• Rainforest research station

Headquarters

HQ city

Stony Brook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: CVB relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The website features a 'Make a Gift' link and 'Give to CVB' donation pages for supporters to contribute to conservation work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Centre ValBio is an internationally renowned research station operating laboratory and field research facilities on the edge of Madagascar's Ranomafana National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). It sells and delivers full-service research support to scientists and graduate students, structured study abroad programs (three weeks to three months), and tailored internship and volunteer placements, alongside community-based conservation services including healthcare delivery, reforestation, economic development, and education programs for surrounding villages.

Product overview

Centre ValBio is a research station and conservation organization (not a unified software product) offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include: research facilities and field access to Ranomafana National Park for scientific studies; study abroad programs for students; volunteer and internship opportunities; and community-based conservation initiatives spanning healthcare, education, economic development, and reforestation. The Ivohiboro Campus represents a secondary research location for remote expeditions. These programs collectively serve the organization's mission of conserving Madagascar's biodiversity while improving local livelihoods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Facilities and Services Full-service research center providing laboratory facilities for genetics, disease, ecology, biology, and technology research, with direct access to Ranomafana National Park for field-based research, available to academic researchers, PhD students, Master's candidates, and established scientists.
• Study Abroad Programs Structured academic programs in tropical biology, conservation, environment, human health, engineering, and social sciences, ranging from three weeks to three months, available to undergraduate and graduate students from any academic background.
• Internship and Volunteer Programs Tailored conservation programs welcoming volunteers and interns from diverse backgrounds including high school graduates, working professionals on career breaks, and retirees seeking meaningful conservation field experience.
• Biodiversity Conservation and Restoration (Reforestation) Core conservation program focused on ensuring the long-term survival of Ranomafana National Park and other tropical ecosystems through on-the-ground research, applied science, and reforestation across 12 partner villages.
• Health Outreach Program Healthcare delivery program providing first-line medical intervention to remote villages surrounding Ranomafana National Park, often serving as the only accessible healthcare service for these communities.
• Economic Development Initiatives Economic outreach programs including women's weaving cooperatives, essential oil production, and spice growing with reforestation components, delivered to 12 villages surrounding Ranomafana National Park.
• Conservation Education Program Education programs for Madagascar's youth including the Child and Tree Fund and Madaworks scholarships for women, with participation requirements for visiting researchers to support local students.
• Ivohiboro Campus Remote secondary research campus and expedition base operating in a previously unknown Malagasy forest, supporting scientific fieldwork, new species documentation, and being the filming location for the 2024 documentary 'Ivohiboro: The Lost Forest'.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 scientific publications produced
• +4 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Stony Brook UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVB is affiliated with Stony Brook University's Department of Anthropology and the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments (ICTE). Dr. Wright is a distinguished professor at Stony Brook. The US headquarters is located at Stony Brook University in New York.
• Ranomafana National ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVB is located on the edge of Ranomafana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After Dr. Wright discovered a new lemur species in 1986, she helped establish the habitat as a national park, creating the foundation for CVB's conservation work.
• UNESCO World HeritagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRanomafana National Park, where CVB operates, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, providing international recognition and protection for the ecosystem.
• Local Villages (12 villages)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVB maintains deep partnerships with 12 local villages surrounding Ranomafana National Park, implementing community-based conservation, healthcare, education, and economic development programs. The 99% Malagasy staff demonstrates commitment to local employment.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Large international conservation NGO operating field programs globally, including in Madagascar. Comparable to CVB in conservation science and community-based programs but at vastly greater scale, with diversified funding and broader programmatic portfolio.
• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO with significant Madagascar programs and large institutional donor base. Comparable in tropical-forest and biodiversity conservation mission, but operates globally rather than from a single field station.
• Field Museum Rapid Biological Inventories: Major natural history institution running rapid biodiversity inventories and conservation training globally, including in Madagascar. Comparable in producing species-discovery outputs and training cohorts of conservation scientists, but operates as a museum-based program rather than an independent field station.
• Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI): A larger, globally recognized tropical research institute operating multiple field stations across Panama. Comparable in tropical biology research, training, and academic-affiliation structure, but at greater scale, more diversified funding, and broader geographic footprint than CVB.

Emerging players

• Earthwatch Institute: Nonprofit that places paying volunteers and citizen scientists at field research projects worldwide. Comparable to CVB's volunteer program and study-abroad revenue model, though without CVB's single-station depth or academic research output.

Direct peers

• Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG) Madagascar Program: Long-running botanical research and conservation program in Madagascar with field stations and community-based conservation. Comparable to CVB in operating a Madagascar-based research station with integrated biodiversity and community programs.
• Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS): A consortium-based network of tropical research stations and graduate study-abroad programs in Costa Rica and Africa. Comparable to CVB in operating field stations, training graduate students, and serving study-abroad cohorts, though it is multi-site and university-consortium-governed.
• Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership: NGO working on lemur population monitoring and reforestation in eastern Madagascar. Comparable to CVB in geographic focus, lemur/conservation science mission, and donor-funded field research plus community partnerships.
• Duke Lemur Center: The largest lemur-focused research and conservation facility outside Madagascar, affiliated with Duke University. Comparable to CVB in mission (lemur/primatology research, conservation science, academic pipeline) and customer base (researchers, students, volunteers), though it operates ex-situ rather than in-situ.
• The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: Long-running primate conservation NGO with a field research station model (Karisoke), academic affiliation, donor-driven funding, and integrated community programs. Closely analogous to CVB in operating model, scale, and reliance on a founding scientist's legacy.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CentreValBio
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentreValBio
• Instagraminstagram.com/centrevalbio/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-valbio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Centre ValBio