What MEDASSET does

MEDASSET (Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles) is an international non-profit NGO headquartered in Athens, Greece, legally established by the Athens Court of First Instance in 1993 and traceable to founding activities in England in 1988. Its mission is the protection of sea turtles and their marine and coastal habitats throughout the Mediterranean, pursued through four interlocking workstreams: scientific research and monitoring, environmental education, policy advocacy at international bodies (notably the Bern Convention and UNEP/MAP, both relationships dating to 1988), and direct conservation action including bycatch mitigation and marine debris cleanup.

Its core deliverables are a mix of digital products and on-the-ground programmes. The flagship asset is the Sea Turtle Rescue Map, the first Mediterranean-wide Google Maps-based open-access database classifying rescue facilities (STRCs, FASTs, IRFs). Supporting digital assets include the CoastWatch citizen-science mobile app and a library of digital games for environmental education. Field-facing products include the NIRETTA (Νιρέττα η Καρέττα) school program, the 'Into the Blue' hands-on discovery workshop, and the Resource Center, a free public archive of more than 30 years of scientific papers and project reports. According to the organization, it has researched 7,800 km of Mediterranean coastline and completed 74 programmes across 11 countries.

MEDASSET is funded by individual donations and 'Friends of MEDASSET' recurring memberships, grant-funded conservation projects (e.g., the EU Attica Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020, WWF Greece's Alliance for Wildlife, the Athina I. Martinou Foundation), and an e-shop selling merchandise and 'Serendipities' gifts. Its go-to-market is community-led: it engages supporters through its website, email newsletter, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube), educational workshops, participation in international conferences, and citizen-science mobilization. The organization reports a small staff and operates a direct-to-consumer and direct-to-partner distribution model with no intermediaries.

Name

MEDASSET

Legal name

MEDASSET, a non-profit association based in Athens, Licavitou 1C, 106 72 Athens, Greece

Website

https://medasset.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MEDASSET is an Athens-based international non-profit NGO that protects sea turtles and Mediterranean marine habitats through research, citizen-science digital tools, education programs, and policy advocacy at bodies including the Bern Convention, operating across 11 Mediterranean countries since 1988.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Sea turtle conservation
• Marine habitat protection
• Environmental NGO
• Citizen science coastal monitoring
• Mediterranean biodiversity programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: MEDASSET relies on individual donations and 'Friends of MEDASSET' memberships to fund operations. Donations contribute to reinforcing the association's actions and campaigns for sea turtle and habitat protection throughout the Mediterranean.
2. E-Shop Merchandise: Sale of unique items and 'Serendipities' gifts from the gift shop collection. Revenues from donations and merchandise sales support conservation programs.
3. Project Grants: Funded conservation projects such as the Athina I. Martinou Foundation project for underwater cleanups, WWF Greece-funded Caretta2Zakynthos program, and EU-funded programs like the Attica Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MEDASSET is an international non-profit NGO that protects sea turtles and their marine and coastal habitats throughout the Mediterranean. It delivers conservation through scientific research, policy advocacy, environmental education programs (e.g., NIRETTA), a citizen science mobile app (CoastWatch), and a Mediterranean-wide Sea Turtle Rescue Map database. It is funded via donations, memberships, project grants, and merchandise sales from its e-shop.

Product overview

MEDASSET offers a portfolio of conservation products and services centered on sea turtle protection in the Mediterranean. Core offerings include the Sea Turtle Rescue Map (an interactive Google Maps-based database of rescue facilities), educational programs like the NIRETTA children's program and Dive Into the Deep workshop, the CoastWatch citizen science mobile app, and Digital Games. Supporting services include a Resource Center with scientific publications and an E-Shop for donations. Programs span research, public awareness, policy advocacy, and hands-on conservation actions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sea Turtle Rescue Map Database An interactive Google Maps-based database providing open access to information on all known sea turtle rescue facilities (STRCs, FASTs, IRFs) in the Mediterranean, including locations, contact details, volunteer information, and turtle care statistics. Intended for the public, volunteers, and conservation partners.
• NIRETTA Educational Program (NIRETTA η Καρέττα) A creative learning and environmental awareness program for school children that teaches about endangered sea turtles, their habitats, and human impacts on the marine environment through videos, theatrical play, and interactive activities. Reaches thousands of students across Greece via school visits and educational festivals.
• Dive Into the Deep (Βουτιά στα βαθιά) Discovery Workshop A 3x3 meter interactive installation providing a hands-on experience simulating the seabed, designed for festivals and environmental events to help participants discover marine species.
• CoastWatch Mobile Application A mobile application enabling citizens to participate in beach monitoring and data collection as citizen scientists, supporting coastal ecosystem protection efforts in the Mediterranean.
• Digital Games for All Ages Interactive digital games designed to educate and engage different age groups about sea turtle conservation and marine ecosystem protection.
• Resource Center A freely accessible online library of scientific papers, technical reports, project reports and articles, providing more than 30 years of accumulated knowledge on sea turtles and marine ecosystems.
• Serendipities E-Shop Online gift shop offering unique items and 'Serendipities' gifts, where proceeds from purchases support MEDASSET's sea turtle and marine habitat protection programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7800 km of Mediterranean coastline researched
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNEP/MAP (Mediterranean Environmental Action Plan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Since its inception, MEDASSET has been working with UNEP/MAP. This foundational partnership positions MEDASSET within the broader Mediterranean environmental policy framework.
• Bern Convention (Council of Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988MEDASSET has been a permanent member/observer of the Bern Convention since 1988, actively presenting cases on sea turtle habitat threats and advocating for policy implementation.
• AquaTechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized professional diving team collaborating on underwater cleanup activities in the Sounio marine protected area.
• Ο.ΦΥ.ΠΕ.ΚΑ (Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ecosystem management projects including 18-month programs for rational management of coastal and marine ecosystems of Attica's protected areas, funded by Attica Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020.
• Φορέας Διαχείρισης Εθνικού Πάρκου Σχινιά – Μαραθώνα (Management Body of Schinias Marathon National Park)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on conservation programs for protected areas in Attica, including citizen science initiatives and coastal monitoring.
• J. Ullmann and M. StachowitschminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborators on the Sea Turtle Rescue Map project, providing academic expertise and contributing to the database development.
• French Institute of GreeceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed for collaboration on environmental and cultural initiatives, including premieres and events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• ClientEarth: Environmental law charity using litigation and policy to drive environmental outcomes. Comparable as a strategic partner type for MEDASSET's Bern Convention policy work, where legal action complements scientific advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• Oceana: Largest international ocean-focused advocacy organization, working on policy campaigns to restore ocean abundance. Comparable in policy advocacy approach, Mediterranean presence, and use of science-based campaigns, though with a much broader mandate and budget than MEDASSET.
• The Ocean Cleanup: Foundation developing technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. Comparable in marine debris and ghost-net cleanup focus (MEDASSET's Sounio underwater cleanup) and in combining field operations with digital storytelling and donor engagement.
• WWF Greece: Greek arm of the World Wildlife Fund and an active MEDASSET funder (Caretta2Zakynthos program). Comparable as a Mediterranean conservation organization, though broader in scope (multiple species and habitats) and significantly larger in resources.
• Greenpeace Mediterranean: Regional branch of Greenpeace operating across the Mediterranean. Comparable as a Mediterranean-focused environmental advocacy NGO with significant fundraising capacity and policy presence, though with a much broader issue portfolio.

Direct peers

• Turtle Foundation: Germany-based NGO with active programs protecting sea turtle nesting beaches in the Mediterranean (e.g., Cape Verde, Turkey, Greece). Comparable in mission, Mediterranean geographic focus, and reliance on donations and project grants.
• Sea Turtle Conservancy: The world's oldest sea turtle research and conservation organization, founded in 1959. Directly comparable as a single-species sea turtle NGO with a long operating history, research programs, and a strong educational and citizen-science orientation similar to MEDASSET's portfolio.
• Archelon (Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece): Greek NGO focused specifically on sea turtle conservation in Greece, including nesting beach protection, rescue, and public awareness. Directly comparable to MEDASSET as a Mediterranean sea turtle NGO with overlapping geography, similar programs (Caretta caretta protection, bycatch mitigation, public education), and shared Greek institutional context.

Emerging players

• Caretta Research Project: Smaller research-oriented sea turtle program operating on the Greek island of Kefalonia. Comparable in single-species Mediterranean focus, but with a narrower scope concentrated on nesting beach research rather than the full conservation-program portfolio MEDASSET operates.
• Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation: Greek marine research and conservation NGO combining scientific research, citizen science, and policy advocacy across the Aegean. Comparable in Greek-based operations, citizen science mobile/data tools, and multi-thematic marine conservation work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGkU7d4kGO8G9cNzKJxZqvg
• Facebookfacebook.com/MEDASSET
• Instagraminstagram.com/medasset_ngo
• Xtwitter.com/medasset
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medasset

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MEDASSET