Gallifrey Foundation

What Gallifrey Foundation does

Gallifrey Foundation is a Geneva, Switzerland-based charitable foundation, founded in 2016 and operating with roughly eight employees, that practices venture philanthropy focused on ocean conservation and social enterprise education. Its explicit model is to contribute financial, intellectual and personal involvement to collaborative projects and to measure success by Social Return on Investment rather than financial ROI; it does not solicit funds or grant proposals. The foundation's product portfolio is content- and program-driven rather than software-driven: it produces and distributes self-directed online educational programs (Plastic Free Campus and Carbon-Free Campus), the Poseidon Patrol marine education comic book series in eight languages (delivered via Ministries of Education), the Fair Carbon blue carbon investment guidance program (which it sponsors), the Sea Fever e-book, multilingual health and deep-sea-mining infographics, and original research reports such as Blue Carbon – Mind the Gap, Primary Microplastics in the Oceans, and a 2025 shark meat toxicity study.

Its revenue model is philanthropic: the foundation funds and co-creates initiatives using contributed capital, channeling resources through a broad partner ecosystem that includes IUCN, Mission Blue, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Break Free From Plastic, Stop Ecocide, Shark Project, IPEN, She Changes Climate (co-created by co-founder Antoinette Vermilye), Fair Carbon, Turquoise Mountain, the Sargasso Sea Commission, and Oceaneye. Its go-to-market is community-led and partnership-driven, relying on earned media, multilingual downloadable content, advocacy campaigns (Fly Without Fins, WTF Where's The Fish), and the Voices from the Ocean podcast rather than paid advertising or commercial sales.

Education is the foundation's second pillar. It administers social-enterprise scholarships and internships with London Business School (MBA, EMBA and Sloan cohorts from 2015 onward, with stated preference for women and African candidates), a one-time gift to Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative, scholarships for graduates of Alexandria Public Schools' T.C. Williams High School, and Turquoise Mountain internship placements in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia. The foundation serves students from primary through post-graduate levels, social entrepreneurs, ocean conservation NGOs, and educational institutions implementing environmental programs, with stated reach labeled global across the languages and geographies of its partner network.

Name

Gallifrey Foundation

Legal name

Gallifrey Foundation

Website

https://gallifrey.foundation

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gallifrey Foundation is a Geneva-based venture philanthropy foundation (est. 2016, ~8 staff) that funds ocean conservation research, advocacy campaigns, and self-directed school programs (Plastic Free Campus, Carbon-Free Campus), while administering social-enterprise scholarships with London Business School, Harvard and Alexandria Public Schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Genève, GE

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic funding (implicit): As a venture philanthropy foundation, Gallifrey Foundation does not solicit funds or grant proposals. It operates by contributing financial, intellectual, and high personal involvement to collaborative projects, working for Social Return on Investment (SROI) rather than financial returns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gallifrey Foundation is a charitable foundation practicing venture philanthropy to advance ocean conservation and social enterprise. It funds and co-develops collaborative projects, scholarships, educational programs (Plastic Free Campus, Carbon-Free Campus), marine education comic books (Poseidon Patrol), research reports, and the Fair Carbon initiative for blue carbon investment. The foundation does not solicit funds or grant proposals and works for Social Return on Investment (SROI) rather than financial ROI.

Product overview

Gallifrey Foundation is a venture philanthropy organization focused on ocean conservation and social enterprise advancement. The organization does not offer a traditional software product but operates a portfolio of educational programs and initiatives including: Plastic Free Campus (online educational program on single-use plastics), Carbon-free Campus (carbon footprint assessment program for schools), the Poseidon Patrol comic book series (marine education content), Fair Carbon (blue carbon investment guidance), Sea Fever e-book, and Health Issues Infographics. Additionally, the Foundation provides scholarships for social enterprise education at partner institutions. These programs are free, self-directed, and available in multiple languages where applicable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fair Carbon: A program sponsored by Gallifrey Foundation protecting and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems through actionable, science-based guidance for blue carbon investment.
• Plastic Free Campus
• Carbon-Free Campus

Products and services

• Plastic Free Campus A self-directed online educational program mobilizing student action on single-use plastics consumption at school, home, school events, and community levels. Available free of charge in multiple languages globally.
• Carbon-Free Campus A companion program to Plastic Free Campus using the same pedagogical process, giving schools and students tools to assess their carbon footprint and take tangible action to reduce it. Available online free of charge.
• Poseidon Patrol Comic Series Marine education comic book series based on UN SDG Goal 14 (Life Below Water), produced with PCI Media Impact and distributed via Ministries of Education to raise ocean issues in national curricula. Available in 8 languages.
• Fair Carbon A program providing actionable, science-based guidance for protecting and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems and building the bridge to blue carbon investment. Sponsored by Gallifrey Foundation with Co-Founder John Vermilye as Co-Founder and Sponsor.
• Sea Fever E-Book An educational e-book examining how humans have used and abused the ocean throughout the centuries, commissioned by the Foundation and written by Dr. Luc Cuyvers.
• Gallifrey Scholarship Program Scholarships and internships supporting social enterprise education at London Business School, Harvard University (Advanced Leadership Initiative), and Alexandria Public Schools (T.C. Williams High School). Candidates with social enterprise backgrounds, with preference for women and candidates residing in Africa.

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mission BluecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission Blue is a partner organization. Co-Founder John Vermilye served as Co-Chair for Sylvia Earle's Mission Blue. The partnership focuses on ocean conservation and protection initiatives.
• IUCNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) collaborated with Gallifrey Foundation on multiple projects including the AZORLIT research project establishing a baseline on marine litter in the Azores, and the Primary Microplastics in the Oceans report.
• Plastic Pollution CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlastic Pollution Coalition is listed as a partner organization working on plastic pollution issues.
• The Sargasso Sea CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sargasso Sea Commission is listed as a partner organization focused on Sargasso Sea conservation.
• Stop EcocideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStop Ecocide is listed as a partner organization advocating for ecocide law at international levels.
• IPENminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPEN (International Pollutants Elimination Network) is listed as a partner organization working on chemical pollution elimination.
• Break Free From PlasticminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreak Free From Plastic is listed as a partner organization working to reduce plastic pollution globally.
• Shark ProjectStrategic or Co-development PartnerShark Project is listed as a partner organization focused on shark conservation.
• She Changes ClimatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShe Changes Climate was co-created by Antoinette Vermilye to get UK, Egyptian and UAE COP leadership teams to include equal gender representation. Gallifrey Foundation co-created this initiative.
• Fair CarboncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Gallifrey Foundation is the sponsor of Fair Carbon, which provides actionable, science-based guidance for protecting and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems and building the bridge to blue carbon investment. Co-Founder John Vermilye is Co-Founder and Sponsor of Fair Carbon.
• Shark GuardiansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShark Guardians led the Fly Without Fins campaign (build-operate-transfer) that Gallifrey Foundation supports, urging airlines to cease carrying shark fins as cargo.
• London Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation provides Scholarships and Internships for Social Enterprise at London Business School. Criterion: All successful MBA, EMBA and Sloan Masters applicants with a background in social enterprise, with preference for women and/or candidates residing in Africa.
• Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation provides a one-time gift to finance participation in the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, supporting social enterprise. The initiative prepares experienced leaders to take on challenges in the social sector.
• Alexandria Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation provides scholarships for social enterprise for graduates of Alexandria High School (T.C. Williams High School), providing financial support for up to four years of college.
• PCI Media ImpactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation engaged PCI Media Impact to create the Poseidon Patrol comic series based on SDG Goal 14 (Life Below Water), distributed via Ministries of Education.
• Turquoise MountainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation's internship program supports Turquoise Mountain, operating in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia. Current MBA candidates fulfill internship requirements by working for this not-for-profit.
• GIST ImpactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Vermilye serves on the Board of GIST Impact.
• University of the Azores (IMAR Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation funded the AZORLIT project in collaboration with IMAR Center of the University of the Azores, the Observatory of the Azores (OMA), and the Regional Directorate for Maritime Affairs (DGRAM).
• OceaneyeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaurianne Trimoulla, Communications and Project Manager at Gallifrey Foundation, is also a part-time Communications Manager for Oceaneye, a Swiss association that studies and maps marine microplastic pollution worldwide.
• IUCN MaldivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation collaborated with IUCN Maldives on a local Reef Guardian project in the Maldives, working with the Maldivian Ministry of Education to institutionalize marine education.
• Experience JordanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallifrey Foundation worked with Experience Jordan to develop plastic free hikes on the Jordan Trail, rethinking how meals and water are sourced along the multi-day hike.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gallifrey-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Gallifrey Foundation