Name

Ocean Census

Legal name

Ocean Census Ltd

Website

https://oceancensus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Biodiversity Research

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Marine species discovery
• Deep-sea exploration
• Marine taxonomy research
• Ocean biodiversity data
• Marine conservation science

Headquarters

HQ city

Yarnton, Oxfordshire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Philanthropic Funding: Ocean Census is primarily funded by The Nippon Foundation (founding partner) and other philanthropic organizations. Nekton (co-founder) is seeking $100M in catalytic capital to unlock $75M+ already pledged by global partners.
2. Government and Institutional Support: Backed by governments, marine institutes, museums, and universities through in-kind support, research vessel access, and scientific collaboration. Partnerships with organizations like JAMSTEC, CSIRO, and Schmidt Ocean Institute provide expedition infrastructure.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ocean Census is a non-profit global initiative that operates open-access digital platforms (Ocean Census NOVA and the Biodiversity Data Platform) to accelerate the discovery, documentation, and publication of new marine species. It enables this mission through deep-sea expeditions using partner submersibles and ROVs, Species Discovery Workshops that bring together taxonomists worldwide, a global Science Network of 1,433 scientists from 660 institutions across 85 countries, and grant-funded Species Discovery Awards and Expedition Awards.

Product overview

Ocean Census is a global initiative founded by The Nippon Foundation and Nekton in 2023, operating as the world's largest program of ocean species discovery. The core offering consists of Ocean Census NOVA — an open-access digital platform for newly discovered marine species — and the Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform, which serves as the world's first open-access digital gateway for species registration. These platforms are supported by the Science Network, a global community of taxonomists and marine scientists. The programme delivers value through Species Discovery Awards funding taxonomists, Species Discovery Workshops for identification and classification using high-resolution imaging and genetic sequencing, and Expedition Awards enabling scientist participation on research vessels. The architecture combines a public-facing discovery platform with community-building programmes and funding mechanisms to accelerate marine biodiversity documentation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ocean Census NOVA: Open-access digital gateway for newly discovered marine species, enabling rapid species data publication and global access
• Ocean Census Science Network

Products and services

• Ocean Census NOVA An open-access digital hub for newly discovered marine species, streamlining the journey of novel species data from initial input and quality assurance to global public presentation. Makes collected data available within weeks or days through a systematic, transparent, open-access approach. For taxonomists, marine biologists, conservation researchers, and policymakers.
• Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform The world's first open-access digital gateway for newly discovered marine species, allowing taxonomists and biologists to register new species when discovered without requirement for full description. Data about new species discoveries is stored indefinitely and publicly available on an open access basis.
• Ocean Census Science Network A worldwide community of marine biologists, taxonomists, geneticists, ecologists, and conservationists working together to accelerate species discovery and expand knowledge of ocean life. Provides access to expeditions, Discovery Workshops, research funding, training, and global community connections through an open application process.
• Species Discovery Awards Grant funding programme supporting exceptional taxonomists, biodiversity, and community scientists in marine species discovery. Awards focus on advancing research, particularly from legacy collections stored in museums and research institutes. Total fund of $70,000 in 2026 provided by The Nippon Foundation.
• Species Discovery Workshops In-person taxonomic workshops held worldwide where taxonomists, geneticists, marine biologists, and ecologists identify, classify, and describe new marine species using high-resolution imaging, genetic barcoding, and sequencing. Results feed directly into the NOVA platform and accelerate discovery while building global capacity.
• Expedition Awards Funding programme providing support to taxonomists, biodiversity and community scientists who wish to take part in existing expeditions aboard partner research vessels. Enables scientist participation in deep-sea exploration across the global expedition programme.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,121 previously unknown species discovered in a single year (Year 3)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core partner, supporting partner, research partner and host institution.

• JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey expedition partner providing research vessel Yokosuka and DSV Shinkai 6500 deep-sea submersible. Hosted the JAMSTEC-Shinkai Flagship Expedition (June 2025) exploring Japanese EEZ including Nankai Trough and Shichiyo Seamounts.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's national science agency partner for Coral Sea expeditions. Provided research vessel RV Investigator for deep-water survey in Coral Sea Marine Park, discovering over 110 new species including rays, sharks, and chimaeras.
• Schmidt Ocean Institutecore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides research vessel Falkor (too) and ROV SuBastian for Ocean Census expeditions. Supported Mar del Plata Canyon expedition and Argentina Species Discovery Workshop. Core expedition partner for multiple major expeditions.
• Parks Australiasupporting partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting Coral Sea Marine Park expeditions, providing access and regulatory support for species discovery activities in Australian marine protected areas.
• Bush Blitzsupporting partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting biodiversity discovery efforts in Australia, contributing to taxonomic workshops and species identification activities.
• Nagoya Universityresearch partnerTechnology or IntegrationJapanese university participating in JAMSTEC-Shinkai expedition scientific team, contributing taxonomic expertise and research capabilities.
• Hokkaido Universityresearch partnerTechnology or IntegrationJapanese university contributing to JAMSTEC-Shinkai expedition scientific team for deep-sea species discovery and documentation.
• Australian National Universityresearch partnerTechnology or IntegrationANU scientists contributing to JAMSTEC-Shinkai expedition scientific team for deep-sea research activities.
• Seabed 2030supporting partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal initiative to map the world's seafloor by 2030, listed as Alliance partner working toward shared ocean knowledge goals.
• CONICET (Argentina's National Scientific and Technical Research Council)research partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerArgentina's national research council leading deep-sea exploration through Talud Continental expeditions, with Dr. Daniel Lauretta serving as expedition chief scientist for Mar del Plata Canyon expedition.
• Universidad Maimónideshost institutionStrategic or Co-development PartnerArgentinian university hosting the Argentina Species Discovery Workshop (July 2026), bringing together international taxonomists to identify specimens from Mar del Plata Canyon expedition.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• REV Ocean: Norwegian-founded ocean exploration initiative operating a dedicated research vessel for marine research, including biodiversity discovery. Comparable in scale and ambition, with shared focus on accelerating ocean science.
• Nekton: Co-founder of Ocean Census and a closely aligned deep-sea research organization focused on ocean exploration. Nekton's mission on accelerating ocean science is structurally embedded within Ocean Census, making them both parent and peer.
• Schmidt Ocean Institute: Both operate deep-sea expeditions focused on marine biodiversity discovery. Schmidt Ocean Institute is also a core expedition partner of Ocean Census, providing R/V Falkor (too) and ROV SuBastian, making them both a peer and an infrastructure provider.
• National Geographic Pristine Seas: Conducts marine expeditions focused on exploring and protecting pristine ocean ecosystems, with shared mission of expanding scientific knowledge of marine biodiversity and informing conservation policy.
• Minderoo Foundation Ocean Resolutions: Philanthropic initiative supporting deep-ocean science and conservation, with comparable funding model (large-scale private philanthropy) and mission of advancing marine biodiversity research.
• Census of Marine Life: The completed predecessor program (2000-2010) that Ocean Census is explicitly positioned to scale and continue. Both initiatives focus on accelerating discovery of marine species through global scientific collaboration, though Ocean Census aims to be larger in scope and speed.

Broad incumbents

• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Premier independent oceanographic research institution conducting deep-sea exploration and marine species research. Significantly larger in scale and historical depth, but operates comparable scientific mission.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - Department of Invertebrate Zoology: Major taxonomic institution holding historical marine specimen collections and conducting species identification work. Comparable as a contributor of taxonomic expertise and legacy collections to species discovery programs.
• NOAA Ocean Exploration: U.S. federal program conducting deep-sea exploration and species discovery, with comparable mission of mapping and characterizing unknown ocean areas. Operates with much larger institutional scale as a government agency.

Emerging players

• OceanX: Marine exploration organization combining scientific research, media production, and deep-sea expeditions. Comparable in deploying advanced submersibles and ROVs for species discovery, though with a stronger media and storytelling orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oceancensus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@oceancensus
• Facebookfacebook.com/oceancensus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oceancensus
• Instagraminstagram.com/oceancensus

Compliance3 records

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 Ocean Census