Longitude 181
Longitude 181 is a French non-profit association founded in 2004 that conducts marine research, legal advocacy for ocean rights, and eco-responsible diving certification, serving individual donors, divers, diving centers, and corporate partners across the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersValence, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Longitude 181 does
Longitude 181 (legal entity LONGITUDE 181 NATURE) is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) headquartered at 12 rue la Fontaine, Valence, France, founded in 2004 by oceanographer François Sarano (a 13-year Cousteau team veteran and scientific advisor to Jacques Perrin) and Véronique Sarano. Its stated mission is ocean protection, operationalized through three research and advocacy programs — Programme Cachalots (sperm whales, with 13 years of accumulated acoustic and behavioral data analyzed jointly with Pr. Hervé Glotin's laboratory), Programme Requins et Raies (sharks and rays), and Programme Droits de l'Océan (legal advocacy for ocean rights) — plus the Voil'Océan participatory sailing program (vessel Jolokia), the ICI commence l'OcÉan public awareness campaign, and the discontinued Ocean Academy youth education program (2019–2023). Its core technology is a content-and-community platform comprising a website, weekly podcast distribution via Fréquence Terre, an e-commerce boutique for books and merchandise (Sauvons l'OcÉan, Au nom des Requins, Justice pour l'étoile de mer), a directory of eco-responsible diving centers, and a membership/donation system via HelloAsso. The business model is donation- and membership-driven, with contributions starting from €1, book and merchandise sales, legacy gifts routed through the François Sarano Endowment Fund, and a small Voil'OcÉan corporate engagement line; it is financially independent and does not disclose revenue. Customers are individual ocean-conscious citizens, scuba divers, freedivers, certified eco-responsible diving centers, and corporate partners. Strategic positioning centers on regulatory advocacy (IUCN Resolutions 054/056 adopted in October 2025, BBNJ Treaty entry into force January 17, 2026), coalition work with ~25 NGOs, and ongoing legal victories for marine ecosystems such as posidonia meadows.
Longitude 181 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Longitude 181
- Legal name
- LONGITUDE 181 NATURE
- Website
- https://longitude181.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Longitude 181 is a French non-profit association founded in 2004 that conducts marine research, legal advocacy for ocean rights, and eco-responsible diving certification, serving individual donors, divers, diving centers, and corporate partners across the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Longitude 181 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Conservation and Ocean Advocacy
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)
Keywords
Where Longitude 181 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Valence
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Longitude 181 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual donations starting from 1€, with a stated goal of growing from 450 donators in 2022 to 2000 by 2026.
- Membership fees: Annual membership (adhésion) to support the association and receive benefits.
- Online boutique sales: Sale of books (Sauvons l'Océan, Au nom des Requins, Justice pour l'étoile de mer), merchandise, and promotional items.
- Legs and donations: Legacy gifts, donations, and life insurance contributions through the François Sarano Endowment Fund.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation-based support starting at 1€ |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Longitude 181 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Longitude 181 is a French non-profit association that delivers ocean protection through research programs on sperm whales, sharks, and rays; legal advocacy for Ocean Rights and marine ecosystems; an eco-responsible diving charter and certification directory; citizen science missions aboard the Voil'Oc\u00e9an sailboat; published books; and a weekly podcast. The association funds these activities through donations, membership fees, and sales of educational publications and merchandise.
Product overview
Longitude 181 is a non-profit ocean protection association offering a portfolio of products and services centered on ocean advocacy, education, and research. The core offerings include the 'ICI commence l'Océan' awareness campaign, weekly podcasts, and the Voil'Océan sailing program. The association runs specialized research programs on sperm whales (Programme Cachalots), sharks and rays (Programme Requins et Raies), and ocean rights (Programme Droits de l'Océan). Supporting products include published books (Sauvons l'Océan, Au nom des Requins, Justice pour l'étoile de mer), the Charte Internationale du Plongeur Responsable, the Guide International des Centres de Plongée Eco-responsables, participatory science programs, a monthly newsletter, and an online store. The organization created Ocean Academy in 2019 (stopped in 2023) for educational outreach.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ocean Academy: Educational program for youth about ocean conservation, created in 2019 and discontinued in 2023
- Voil'Océan
- ICI commence l'Océan
- La Voix de l'Océan
Products and services
- ICI commence l'Oc\u00e9an Campaign
- Podcast Series (Le Podcast hebdo)
- Voil'Oc\u00e9an Program
- Charte Internationale du Plongeur Responsable
- Guide International des Centres de Plong\u00e9e Eco-responsables
- Programme Cachalots (Sperm Whale Program)
- Programme Requins et Raies (Sharks and Rays Program)
- Programme Droits de l'Oc\u00e9an (Ocean Rights Program)
- Sauvons l'Oc\u00e9an (Book)
- Au nom des Requins (Book)
- Justice pour l'\u00e9toile de mer (Book)
- R\u00e9concilier les hommes avec la vie sauvage (Book)
- Sciences Participatives (Participatory Science)
- Boutique (Online Store)
Quantifiable outcome
- 5th victory in justice for posidonia seagrass in 2026
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Longitude 181
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Longitude 181 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Longitude 181 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SeastemikcoreLeading organization of a coalition of 25 NGOs (including Longitude 181, Wild Legal, Bloom, Sea Shepherd France, Under the pole) opposing industrial salmon factory projects. Coalition calls for a moratorium on land-based salmon factories.
- Probiomcore10-year cooperation (since 2015) for shark and ray protection and Mediterranean biodiversity conservation. Joint efforts in marine species protection research and advocacy.
- Wild LegalcoreEnvironmental law NGO that co-sponsored IUCN resolutions 054 and 056 on Ocean Rights and Nature Rights with Longitude 181. Joint advocacy for ocean legal protections.
- BloomminorMarine conservation NGO part of the coalition against salmon factories. Collaborates on specific campaigns.
- Sea Shepherd FranceminorPart of the coalition of 25 NGOs opposing salmon factories. Collaborates on specific marine protection campaigns.
- Under the PoleminorPart of the coalition of 25 NGOs opposing salmon factories. Contributes underwater exploration expertise.
- Manta TrustcorePartnership for ray protection worldwide. Both organizations are members of the Manta Ray of Hope project. Collaborated on conferences including at Salon International de la Plongée 2015.
- Coral GuardiancorePartnership for coral ecosystem preservation. Joint efforts in promoting eco-responsibility in diving and protecting coral reef environments.
- ANMP (Association Nationale des Moniteurs de Plongée)coreNational association of diving instructors supporting Ocean Academy educational programs. Shared values of knowledge transmission to new generations.
- Plongeurs du MondecoreInternational diving organization supporting Ocean Academy programs and eco-responsible diving initiatives.
- Parc National de Port-CroscorePartner in organizing 'Rencontres pour le Vivant et l'Océan' events as part of the 'Year of the Sea'. Collaborates on marine protected area initiatives.
- Pr. Hervé Glotin LaboratorycoreResearch laboratory collaborating on sperm whale acoustic data analysis. 13 years of joint research data contributing to scientific publications.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Longitude 181 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bloom: Direct marine conservation advocacy peer and fellow coalition member against salmon factories. Comparable in operating as a French advocacy NGO focused on marine ecosystem protection through campaigns and policy work.
- Sea Shepherd France: Direct marine conservation peer with which Longitude 181 co-operates in the 25-NGO anti-salmon-factory coalition. Comparable as a French advocacy-focused marine protection organization mobilizing volunteers, donors and litigation.
- Coral Guardian: Direct coral reef conservation peer with a formal partnership with Longitude 181 since 2016. Both promote eco-responsible diving and rely on donations, volunteers and educational outreach to protect marine ecosystems.
- Wild Legal: Direct legal-advocacy peer co-sponsoring IUCN Resolutions 054 and 056 with Longitude 181. Comparable as a small environmental law NGO focused on rights-of-nature litigation and regulatory engagement.
- Manta Trust: Direct research and conservation peer focused on manta and devil rays worldwide; Longitude 181 is an active partner in the Manta Ray of Hope project, sharing comparable marine species protection programs and citizen-science methodologies.
Broad incumbents
- Blue Marine Foundation: Established marine conservation foundation focused on ocean protection through policy, marine reserves and litigation. Comparable advocacy and litigation model but with significantly larger budget, institutional funders and global footprint.
- Surfrider Foundation Europe: Larger European ocean protection NGO with strong citizen/diver mobilization and policy advocacy. Comparable in mobilizing recreational water users (surfers/divers) and citizens, but with substantially more staff, members and revenue.
- WWF France: Large French arm of the global environmental NGO with active marine programs and substantial donor base. Comparable in environmental advocacy and citizen engagement in France, but operates with vastly larger staff, revenue and institutional funding.
- Oceana: Major international ocean advocacy organization with science-based campaigns and policy victories. Comparable in mission to defend marine ecosystems and influence international law, but operates at materially greater scale and budget.
- Sea Shepherd Global: Larger global marine conservation incumbent with established donor base, fleet operations and direct-action campaigns. Comparable in mission (marine wildlife protection, anti-industrial fishing) but materially larger in scale and resources.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Longitude 181 social profiles
Digital presenceLongitude 181 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Longitude 181 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Longitude 181 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Longitude 181 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 Longitude 181
What does Longitude 181 do?
Longitude 181 is a French non-profit association that delivers ocean protection through research programs on sperm whales, sharks, and rays; legal advocacy for Ocean Rights and marine ecosystems; an eco-responsible diving charter and certification directory; citizen science missions aboard the Voil'Oc\u00e9an sailboat; published books; and a weekly podcast. The association funds these activities through donations, membership fees, and sales of educational publications and merchandise.
Is Longitude 181 a public or private company?
Longitude 181 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Longitude 181 founded?
Longitude 181 was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Longitude 181 based?
Longitude 181 is headquartered in Valence, France, in the Europe region.
How does Longitude 181 make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are membership fees, online boutique sales and legs and donations.
Who are Longitude 181's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bloom, Sea Shepherd France, Coral Guardian, Wild Legal and Manta Trust. Broad incumbents are Blue Marine Foundation, Surfrider Foundation Europe, WWF France, Oceana and Sea Shepherd Global.
Does Longitude 181 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Longitude 181.
What industry is Longitude 181 in?
Longitude 181's product category is Marine Conservation and Ocean Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAIAH, Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks), with a secondary code of BPAIAMAI, Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines). Its NAICS code is 813312.