Palau International Coral Reef Center

What Palau International Coral Reef Center does

Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) is a non-profit marine research, education, and conservation institute founded in 2001 and headquartered in Koror, Republic of Palau. Under Republic of Palau Public Law 10-35, it serves as the mandated administrator of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS), which closed 80% of Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone to extractive activities on January 1, 2020, making PICRC the operational steward of one of the world's largest marine protected areas. The organization runs five core lines: (1) research services covering coral reef monitoring across 23 reef sites, fisheries research, MPA assessment, and ocean acidification; (2) the Palau Aquarium as a public-facing education and tourism product; (3) school and community education programs reaching all 16 states of Palau; (4) coral restoration using larval propagation and heat-resilient coral identification; and (5) facility rentals to visiting researchers and event organizers.

PICRC's technology stack centers on environmental DNA (eDNA) species detection, Baited Remote Underwater Videos (BRUVs), deep-sea drop cameras deployed with National Geographic's Exploration Technology Lab, ocean acidification monitoring buoys (an 850-pound KIOST-installed buoy in Ngederrak), a 200-sensor network deployed with Stanford for coral heat-tolerance studies, and the AIMS-partnered ReefCloud computer vision platform for automated coral identification. Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model combining aquarium admissions, facility rentals (conference rooms $150-$450/day, boats $210-$500/day, accommodation $28-$88/night, lab space $60/day), membership fees, individual and corporate donations, and an active grant pipeline (Yasuda Foundation, TNC, GBRF, IAEA, Ireland, NSF, KIOST, JICA). The organization employs approximately 50+ staff across research, aquarium, outreach, administration, and operations functions, and is governed by a Board of Directors that includes ex officio representation from the President of Palau.

PICRC serves a hybrid customer base: Palau K-12 students and teachers (primary), Palauan communities across all 16 states, international visiting researchers, domestic and tourist aquarium visitors, and the Republic of Palau government for sanctuary administration. Strategic priorities include scaling the coral restoration program (40,000 juveniles produced, 1,600+ substrate devices outplanted), extending marine ecotourism through the 2025 BlueTrend partnership, and deepening regional Pacific capacity building via the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Micronesian conservation society partnerships.

Name

Palau International Coral Reef Center

Legal name

Palau International Coral Reef Center

Website

https://picrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Palau International Coral Reef Center is a non-profit marine research and conservation institute in Koror, Palau, mandated to administer the Palau National Marine Sanctuary covering 80% of the country's EEZ, while running the Palau Aquarium, education programs, coral restoration, and research facilities for visiting scientists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Research and Conservation

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Wildlife Sanctuaries & Protected Seascape Visitor Operations (Reef/Marine Parks) (THAAAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Marine research services
• Coral reef conservation
• Marine aquarium tours
• Environmental education programs
• Fisheries research

Headquarters

HQ city

Koror

HQ country

Palau

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Aquarium Operations: Revenue from aquarium tours (30-60 minutes) and school programs offering hands-on marine science education for students of all ages at the Palau Aquarium
2. Conference and Facility Rental: Rental of conference rooms (Otkang Boardroom, Kedarm Conference Room, TR Conference Room with capacities 10-50 people), grounds, and research facilities with catering options
3. Research Equipment and Lab Rental: Boat rentals (Merand II, Merand III, Mesekuuk Chemang), research assistants, wet/dry lab space, and outside lab facilities for visiting researchers
4. Accommodation Services: Short and long-term accommodation including Single Studio Apartments, 2 Bedroom Apartments, Single and Double Rooms with varying rates from $39-132 per night depending on duration and room type
5. Membership Program: Annual membership offering unlimited aquarium visits, 10% gift shop discount, 5 complimentary passes, complimentary Arts & Tides Calendar and guided tour
6. Donations and Fundraising: Online donations via credit/debit, endowment/allotment program (tax-deductible salary deductions), gala dinners ($140,000 raised at 25th anniversary gala), and general fundraising
7. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships providing high-impact visibility as stewards of Palau's underwater world, with opportunities suitable for businesses of all sizes
8. Grants and External Funding: Research funding from organizations including Ireland (fishery species assessment), Yasuda Foundation ($15,000), TNC (coral monitoring), and Great Barrier Reef Foundation (restoration projects)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

PICRC operates the Palau Aquarium as its public-facing attraction and delivers marine research, education, and conservation programs centered on Palau's coral reefs and the Palau National Marine Sanctuary. It conducts ecological monitoring, fisheries research, coral restoration, and ocean acidification studies while administering one of the world's largest marine protected areas covering 80% of Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone. The center also rents research boats, labs, and accommodation to visiting scientists and offers conference facilities and education programs to schools and the public.

Product overview

Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) is a marine research and education organization operating the Palau Aquarium as its core visitor-facing product, complemented by research services, education programs, and facility rentals. The Center conducts coral reef monitoring, fisheries research, marine protected area studies, and ocean acidification research, while offering school programs, aquarium tours, internships, and volunteer opportunities. PICRC also provides research facility rentals (boats, labs, accommodation) and conference facilities to visiting researchers and organizations. The organization publishes technical reports, journal articles, and biennial reports documenting its scientific findings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Palau Aquarium: Public aquarium operated by PICRC offering educational tours, marine exhibits, and hands-on learning experiences for students and visitors.
• Giant Clam Gift Shop

Products and services

• Palau Aquarium Tours Educational 30-60 minute aquarium tours showcasing Palau's marine biodiversity with live animal exhibits, interactive displays, and a dedicated student laboratory for hands-on learning.
• Marine Research Services Research services covering coral reef monitoring, fisheries population studies, marine protected area assessments, ocean acidification research, and administration of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary for governments, NGOs, and international institutions.
• Education Programs School programs, aquarium tours, intersession and summer programs, and education resources aligned with Palau Ministry of Education Science Curriculum Standards for students and teachers.
• Internships 6-week to 2-month internship terms (Term A: January-April, Term B: April-June, Term C: July-October) for college students interested in marine biology, offering hands-on research experience with mentors and fieldwork.
• Volunteer Program Volunteer opportunities at the aquarium, business office, public outreach, field research, and education department for individuals aged 17 and older.
• Research Facilities Rental Rental of research boats (Merand II, Merand III, Mesekuuk Chemang), dry/wet lab space, outside lab facilities, and accommodation units for visiting researchers and organizations.
• Conference Facilities Multi-purpose conference rooms (Otkang Boardroom for 10, Kedarm Conference Room for 35, TR Conference Room for 50) plus grounds and catering options for meetings, trainings, workshops, weddings, and events.
• Aquarium Membership Annual membership program offering unlimited aquarium visits, 10% gift shop discount, 5 complimentary passes, complimentary Arts & Tides Calendar, and a guided tour.
• Tekoi'l Chei Newsletter Quarterly eNewsletter providing updates on marine research, conservation projects, and upcoming programs.
• Donations and Sponsorships Online donations via credit/debit, endowment/allotment salary-deduction program, and corporate sponsorship opportunities that fund PICRC's research, conservation, and education programs.
• Technical Reports and Biennial Reports Published results of PICRC's ongoing ecological monitoring surveys assessing and conserving Palau's marine resources since 2002, plus biennial overviews of programs, objectives, and accomplishments.
• Journal Articles and Books Peer-reviewed scientific journal articles and book chapters authored by PICRC research staff in partnership with leading scientists and institutions, covering coral reefs, marine ecosystems, and conservation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,000 students reached at Education Carnival 2026 from 14 schools
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Great Barrier Reef FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Long-standing collaboration hosting week-long coral reef restoration planning workshop (May 25-30, 2026) bringing together local and international partners, government representatives, technical experts, and conservation practitioners. Workshop focused on long-term strategies for coral reef conservation, restoration science, community engagement, workforce development, and regional collaboration.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2020Sister Sanctuary partnership between Palau National Marine Sanctuary and National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa formalized through MOU signing. Purpose is to strengthen partnership between small island states protecting large ocean areas, facilitate exchange of ideas, personnel, and resources.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2019Four-year project begun June 2019 to increase PICRC's capacity to respond to ocean acidification. Provides new lab infrastructure and technical training; also supports Palauan students studying ocean acidification at graduate level. Includes Palau's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Tourism and Ministry of State.
• Stanford Center for Ocean SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Working partnership begun January 2019 to provide essential data and information on current state of PNMS and latest research in fisheries, socio-economics, and ecology. Produced report 'Palau's National Marine Sanctuary: Managing Ocean Change and Supporting Food Security' published December 2019.
• Professor Peter Mumby, University of QueenslandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Adjunct researcher joined PICRC in 2019 after collaborating for over a decade. Completed projects including monitoring coral reef recovery from Typhoon Bopha, quantifying overfishing impacts on herbivore fish populations, and investigating fishing pressure effects on grouper spawning aggregations. Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow (2010).
• Professor Stephen Palumbi, Stanford University Hopkins Marine StationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership since 2017 investigating how Palau's corals are responding to rising sea temperatures. Deployed 200 temperature sensors at 40 field sites; results identified 'heat resilient' corals and areas with broad heat tolerance. Supported by National Science Foundation grant.
• Belau Offshore Fishers Inc (BOFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership to collect gonad samples from tuna to investigate how the Palau National Marine Sanctuary is protecting spawning events critical to tuna population maintenance.
• Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with KIOST and Koror State Government to install 850-pound monitoring buoy in Ngederrak Conservation Area. Buoy constantly monitors pH, water temperature, salinity and CO2 concentration, providing critical insight into how Palau's waters are changing.
• Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on ReefCloud development - online reef monitoring tool using facial recognition software and 3-D models to automatically identify coral species. PICRC has contributed extensive reef monitoring data towards ReefCloud's development.
• SECORE InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational expert partner in coral restoration. Collaborated on developing coral settlement devices specifically designed by Coralassist Lab and SECORE International to enhance coral settlement, survival, and growth.
• Coralassist LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing training (with funding from TNC and Great Barrier Reef Foundation) that enabled successful coral spawning and development of coral juveniles for reef restoration.
• Newcastle UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partner collaborating on coral restoration efforts to promote peer learning and knowledge exchange among island communities.
• University of QueenslandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in coral restoration collaboration working with international experts and conservation partners to promote peer learning among island communities.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore funding partner providing grants for coral reef monitoring and coral spawning training programs. Grant signed October 2024 to support coral monitoring in Palau. Collaboration on studies including longnose emperor life-history research.
• Conservation Society of PohnpeiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Pacific partner collaborating on coral restoration efforts to strengthen knowledge exchange and conservation capacity across Micronesian and Pacific island communities.
• Marshall Islands Conservation SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Pacific partner in coral restoration collaboration promoting peer learning and knowledge exchange among island communities.
• MARS Sustainable SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner contributing to coral restoration efforts and conservation initiatives.
• The Horniman Museum and Gardens in LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational museum partner collaborating on coral restoration efforts and conservation education.
• WhaleologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to record whales and dolphins around Palau, contributing to marine biodiversity documentation in Palau's waters.
• BlueTrendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration announced December 2025 to advance marine ecotourism in Palau, combining PICRC's research expertise with BlueTrend's marine tourism knowledge.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellowship collaboration with Stanford University (Ms. Sophia Siegel) concluded August 2025. Ongoing research collaboration with Professor Stephen Palumbi on heat-resilient coral research.
• The Nature Conservancy, Micronesia and PolynesiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation partner supporting coral restoration, fisheries research, and climate-smart adaptive management framework development.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-published 'Mangrove Guidebook – Okeburs er a Belau' in collaboration with Palau Community College, providing comprehensive guide to Palau's mangrove species.
• Ministry of the Environment, JapancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Handbook of a Tropical Coral Seedling for Climate Change Adaptation' contributing expertise on coral restoration techniques and climate adaptation strategies.
• National Geographic SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with National Geographic Society's Exploration Technology Lab on deep-sea camera systems to explore Palau's deep ocean, capturing footage hundreds of meters below the surface.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Coral Restoration Foundation: Non-profit operating large-scale coral restoration in Florida and the Caribbean using similar larval propagation and outplanting techniques. Directly comparable in mission, methods, and reliance on volunteer/donor support for restoration output.
• Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS): Australia's tropical marine science agency that partners with PICRC on the ReefCloud computer-vision reef monitoring platform. Both organizations conduct applied coral reef research and operate aquarium-adjacent public engagement programs, making them directly comparable in mission and methodology.
• Great Barrier Reef Foundation: Non-profit that funds and delivers coral reef restoration and resilience research globally and is a core funding and technical partner for PICRC. Comparable in mandate (coral conservation), funding model (grants plus partnerships), and stakeholder base (researchers, communities, government).
• Blue Marine Foundation: Global ocean conservation NGO focused on marine protected areas and policy advocacy. Comparable to PICRC in mission around MPA establishment and science-to-policy translation, though operating at greater geographic scale.
• SECORE International: Non-profit specializing in coral sexual reproduction and larval propagation techniques that PICRC uses in its restoration program. Highly comparable in coral restoration R&D focus, settlement device innovation, and global partner network of aquariums and research institutions.
• Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium: Independent marine research institute with a public aquarium and active coral reef restoration program in Florida. Closely mirrors PICRC's combined research-plus-aquarium-plus-education model.

Broad incumbents

• California Academy of Sciences: Major natural history museum with a public aquarium and active coral reef research programs. Comparable in combining public aquarium/museum, research, and education missions, though with a much broader science portfolio than PICRC.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Large, established aquarium and ocean conservation institution with research, education, and policy programs. Comparable in aquarium-plus-conservation model, but at substantially greater scale, budget, and brand recognition than PICRC.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC): Global conservation NGO that is both a PICRC grant funder and an active marine conservation operator across the Pacific. Comparable in marine program portfolio but far larger in budget and geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI): Small-island marine and environmental research institute combining education, internships, and field science in The Bahamas. Comparable to PICRC in scale, island research station model, and education/internship pipeline.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/picrcpalau
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1_veVmnHDKJVyZrXpNbZlA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Palauinternationalcoralreefcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/picrcpalau
• TikToktiktok.com/@picrcpalau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/palau-international-coral-reef-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Palau International Coral Reef Center