EarthLab

What EarthLab does

EarthLab is the University of Washington's Environmental Impact Hub, operating as a coordination center within UW's College of the Environment rather than as an independent commercial entity. It connects UW's research capabilities with communities, policymakers, and natural resource managers to co-create climate change solutions through community-engaged, interdisciplinary research. EarthLab is home to eight distinct environmentally focused member centers — including the Center for Health and the Global Environment, Climate Impacts Group, Center for Nature and Health, Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, Washington Ocean Acidification Center, Washington State Climate Office, Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, and Future Rivers — plus the Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center, each contributing specialized expertise across climate adaptation, ocean science, health, and conservation.

EarthLab's core products are grant funding programs (Incubator Grants, Rapid Response Grants, and Innovation Grants) and student/research programs (Summer Internship, Research and Faculty Fellowships, the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, and Future Rivers). It also operates technical-assistance platforms including Climate Adaptation Resources for Washington (CAR-WASH), the Tribal Support Desk, and the Washington Tribes Coastal Resilience Program, and provides strategic communications services to member organizations. Core technology is interdisciplinary environmental and climate science research; there are no disclosed proprietary AI/ML, software, or API products.

EarthLab's business model is grant-funded and institutional rather than commercial. Funding flows from UW institutional support, federal science agencies (notably through the NW CASC and USGS partnership), tribal and state government partners, and philanthropy ("Make a Gift" is featured on the site). The Climate Impacts Group alone reports 826 publications, 127 field partners, and 418 engagement activities in 2024, and UW ranks third globally among most-cited climate science institutions per Carbon Brief/COSMOS data. Customer segments are communities seeking equitable climate solutions, regional decision-makers and policymakers, and federal/tribal/state/local natural resource managers in the Pacific Northwest. EarthLab is led by Director Phil Levin with a small core administrative team handling finance, grants, and communications.

Name

EarthLab

Legal name

EarthLab at the University of Washington

Website

https://earthlab.uw.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EarthLab is the University of Washington's environmental impact hub, coordinating eight climate-focused member centers and grant programs that connect UW research with communities, tribal partners, and government natural resource managers across the Pacific Northwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate and Environmental Research Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Climate research
• Environmental science
• Climate adaptation
• Environmental justice
• Community research

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: EarthLab operates as a university research center funded through grants including Incubator Grants, Rapid Response Grants, and Innovation Grants. The organization supports climate and environmental justice research across communities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EarthLab is the University of Washington's Environmental Impact Hub that connects world-class UW research capabilities with communities worldwide to co-create equitable, scalable climate change solutions. It operates grant programs (Incubator, Rapid Response, and Innovation Grants), student and fellowship programs, technical assistance for tribal and government partners, and coordinates eight environmentally focused UW member centers spanning climate impacts, ocean acidification, nature and health, and climate adaptation science.

Product overview

EarthLab is the University of Washington's Environmental Impact Hub and coordination center, operating as a single integrated platform that connects eight distinct environmentally focused member centers with communities worldwide to co-create equitable and scalable climate change solutions. The organization offers grant funding programs (Incubator, Rapid Response, and Innovation Grants), student programs (Summer Internship, Research Fellowships, Conservation Scholars, and Future Rivers), research coordination, and strategic communications services for member organizations. The member centers include the Center for Health and the Global Environment, Climate Impacts Group, Center for Nature and Health, Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, Washington Ocean Acidification Center, Washington State Climate Office, Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, Future Rivers, and Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center, each contributing specialized expertise in climate adaptation, ocean science, health, and conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EarthLab Grant Programs Funding programs offering Incubator Grants for early-stage climate research, Rapid Response Grants for urgent environmental work, and Innovation Grants for established projects advancing climate solutions; available to UW-led teams.
• EarthLab Summer Internship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 418 engagement activities in 2024 (Climate Impacts Group)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHANGE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA member organization within EarthLab focused on integrating health considerations into climate action. Growing community of practitioners and students working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate impacts.
• Climate Impacts GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWidely recognized for scientific discovery and creating impartial, actionable climate science. Catalyst for building regional climate resilience. Hosts the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.
• Center for Nature and HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFocuses on understanding connections between nature and human health and well-being, translating that understanding into programs, practices, and policies that benefit people and nature.
• Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal-university partnership producing relevant and accessible science on climate change impacts and adaptation actions for Northwest natural resource managers and policymakers.
• Washington Ocean Acidification CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads priority areas of ocean acidification research serving Washington state. Connects research to decision makers to advance ocean acidification science, strategies and policies.
• Washington State Climate OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState climate office providing climate information and resources for Washington state stakeholders.
• Doris Duke Conservation Scholars ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent program (2013-2025) providing early career training in conservation and environmental fields for diverse students.
• Future RiverscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent program (2020-2025) focused on river and water resource research and training.
• Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean research center (2020-2025) focused on ocean and coastal sustainability issues.
• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest IndianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner organization within the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center consortium.
• Boise State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the NW CASC consortium.
• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the NW CASC consortium.
• Portland State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the NW CASC consortium.
• United States Geological Survey (USGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner in the NW CASC consortium providing scientific expertise.
• University of MontanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the NW CASC consortium.
• Western Washington UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the NW CASC consortium.
• Washington State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the NW CASC consortium.
• Northwest Indian CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the NW CASC consortium focused on tribal and Indigenous education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Columbia Climate School: Columbia University's interdisciplinary climate research school integrating climate science, policy, and communications. Comparable to EarthLab as a university-based platform convening multiple research centers around climate adaptation and societal impact.
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography (UC San Diego): One of the world's leading ocean and atmospheric research institutions, with overlapping ocean acidification, climate impacts, and adaptation science work. Comparable to EarthLab's Washington Ocean Acidification Center and Climate Impacts Group.
• Princeton Climate Futures Initiative: Princeton's university-wide initiative on climate science and solutions. Comparable to EarthLab as a coordinating platform for interdisciplinary climate research at a major research university.
• Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment: Stanford's university-wide environmental research hub that coordinates interdisciplinary environmental and sustainability research across schools. Directly comparable to EarthLab as an academic institute aggregating multiple centers to address climate, oceans, and sustainability.
• UC Berkeley Institute of the Environment: UC Berkeley's interdisciplinary environmental research institute coordinating climate, ecology, and sustainability research across campus. Directly comparable to EarthLab as a hub-and-spoke university environmental research center.
• MIT Climate Project: MIT's interdisciplinary climate research and policy initiative. Comparable to EarthLab in convening climate science across a major research university for societal impact.
• Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment: Duke's environmental school integrating climate, ocean, and energy research with policy and community engagement. Comparable to EarthLab's interdisciplinary climate research and community-engaged approach.
• University of Michigan Graham Sustainability Institute: University of Michigan's sustainability research institute coordinating climate, water, and energy research across campus. Comparable to EarthLab's role coordinating UW's environmental research centers.
• Harvard University Center for the Environment: Harvard's university-wide environmental research hub funding interdisciplinary climate, ecosystems, and sustainability research. Comparable to EarthLab in role as an academic convener and grant funder for environmental research.
• Yale Center for Environmental Justice: Yale's interdisciplinary center linking climate, equity, and community-engaged research. Closely comparable to EarthLab's community-engaged climate justice focus and university-center structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uwearthlab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EarthLab