Sea Change Project
Sea Change Project is a South African nonprofit founded in 2012 that protects the Great African Seaforest by combining underwater tracking, marine biology research, and Oscar-winning filmmaking, serving global audiences, scientists, students, and conservation NGOs through free films, books, podcasts, exhibitions, and an upcoming species-identification app.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSea Point, South Africa
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sea Change Project does
Sea Change Project is a South African nonprofit environmental storytelling organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Sea Point, Cape Town. It is dedicated to protecting and restoring the Great African Seaforest, the kelp ecosystem stretching along South Africa's coast into Namibia, by combining daily underwater immersion, marine biology research, and world-class filmmaking into a single integrated practice. The organization's core outputs span documentary films (My Octopus Teacher, Mother Nature in the Boardroom, Pangolin: Kulu's Journey), books (Amphibious Soul, Underwater Wild, A Journey Under the Sea), the Back to the Water podcast, the 1001 Seaforest Species scientific catalog, the Origins Exhibition on early human-seaforest relationships, and education and tracking programs built around indigenous tracking knowledge.
Its underlying methodology is a form of underwater and coastal tracking in kelp forests adapted from San indigenous masters, layered with collaborative marine biology research including environmental DNA work with Stellenbosch University. Fifteen-plus years of daily dives have produced documented observations of 1001 species and over 60 previously unrecorded animal behaviors, forming a biodiversity baseline that is difficult to replicate. The team comprises 7 core staff including co-founder Craig Foster, Executive Director Carina Rubin-Frankal, filmmaker Pippa Ehrlich, marine biologist Dr Jannes Landschoff, journalist Helen Walne, and conservation storyteller Swati Thiyagarajan.
The business model is donation- and grant-based. Revenue is sourced from individual donations in ZAR, USD, EUR, and GBP at suggested tiers of $20-$100, foundation and corporate grants (notably Save Our Seas Foundation as principal collaborator on the 1001 Seaforest Species project), US donors routed via CAF America for tax-deductibility, and likely modest film licensing or production fees from Netflix Original distribution. All storytelling content, science materials, and the upcoming 1001 Seaforest Species mobile app are free to the public. Distribution flows through Netflix (My Octopus Teacher, Pangolin: Kulu's Journey), the organization's own website, social channels, exhibitions at Cape Point, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Stilbaai, and community screenings. The organization serves general public audiences, the marine biology research community, educational institutions, and conservation NGOs, and has formal ambassador relationships with Yo-Yo Ma, Jane Goodall, and Zolani Mahola.
Sea Change Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sea Change Project
- Legal name
- Sea Change Project NPC
- Website
- https://seachangeproject.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Sea Change Project is a South African nonprofit founded in 2012 that protects the Great African Seaforest by combining underwater tracking, marine biology research, and Oscar-winning filmmaking, serving global audiences, scientists, students, and conservation NGOs through free films, books, podcasts, exhibitions, and an upcoming species-identification app.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sea Change Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Conservation Storytelling
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD), Underwater Photography & Videography Tours/Workshops (THAAAIAK), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)
Keywords
Where Sea Change Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sea Point
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sea Change Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Sea Change Project is a nonprofit that relies on donations from individuals to support their environmental storytelling initiatives. The organization offers tax-deductible donations for South African donors (Section 18A certificates) and US donors through CAF America fiscal partner.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Funded by organizations like Save Our Seas Foundation (principal collaborator and funder of 1001 Seaforest Species) and other conservation partners. The organization builds partnerships for project funding.
- Film Licensing and Royalties: My Octopus Teacher was a Netflix Original Documentary. The organization may receive licensing revenue or production funding from film partnerships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free educational content |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Donation amounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sea Change Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sea Change Project is a nonprofit environmental storytelling organization that produces documentary films, books, podcasts, exhibitions, and educational programs to inspire ocean conservation focused on the Great African Seaforest. The organization's portfolio includes the Oscar-winning My Octopus Teacher documentary, several published books, the 1001 Seaforest Species scientific catalog, the Back to the Water podcast, and the upcoming 1001 Seaforest Species mobile app. All content is offered free to audiences, with the organization funded through donations, grants, and partnerships.
Product overview
Sea Change Project is a nonprofit environmental storytelling organization that operates as a multi-platform content producer rather than a traditional software product company. Its portfolio centers on the Great African Seaforest ecosystem and includes: documentary films (My Octopus Teacher, Mother Nature in the Boardroom, Pangolin: Kulu's Journey); published books (Amphibious Soul memoir, Underwater Wild photography book, A Journey Under the Sea children's book); the Back to the Water podcast series; the 1001 Seaforest Species scientific catalog with planned mobile app; the Origins Exhibition on human origins; and Education & Tracking programs. These offerings work together to inspire nature connection through immersive storytelling informed by science and indigenous wisdom.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- My Octopus Teacher: An Oscar and BAFTA-winning Netflix Original Documentary film produced by Sea Change Project, following Craig Foster's year spent with a wild octopus in the Great African Seaforest.
- 1001 Seaforest Species
- Mother Nature in the Boardroom
- Underwater Wild
- Amphibious Soul
- Back to the Water
Products and services
- My Octopus Teacher Oscar and BAFTA-winning Netflix Original documentary following co-founder Craig Foster's year-long underwater journey with a wild octopus in the Great African Seaforest. Features cutting-edge underwater cinematography documenting an animal's complete life cycle in the wild.
- Mother Nature in the Boardroom Documentary film narrated by Jane Goodall exploring corporate responsibility and connection to nature. Part of Sea Change's film portfolio focused on inspiring environmental stewardship.
- Pangolin: Kulu's Journey Documentary about the world's most trafficked animal, the pangolin. Follow-up to My Octopus Teacher addressing wildlife trafficking and conservation. Won SAFTA awards in 2026.
- Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World Memoir by Craig Foster documenting his personal journey of rewilding through daily ocean immersion, drawing from decades of practice and indigenous wisdom. Published by Flatiron Books.
- Underwater Wild Photographic portrait book of the Great African Seaforest featuring a foreword by Jane Goodall. Showcases the ecosystem's biodiversity through stunning underwater photography.
- A Journey Under the Sea Children's picture book introducing young readers to ocean ecosystems and marine life.
- Back to the Water Podcast Six-part podcast series hosted by Zolani Mahola and Pippa Ehrlich exploring disconnection from nature and culture, and the journey of reconnection. Available on all podcast platforms.
- 1001 Seaforest Species Project Flagship scientific and storytelling project documenting 1001 organisms in the Great African Seaforest. Combines underwater tracking, marine biology research, and storytelling to create a biodiversity baseline. Includes a planned mobile app and species catalog.
- Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour Exhibition Exhibition showcasing 30 years of archaeological research in the Southern Cape about early human ancestors who lived in partnership with the Great African Seaforest over 100,000 years ago. Located at Cape Point, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Stilbaai.
- Education & Tracking Programs Nature tracking program blending ancient tracking wisdom with modern storytelling to cultivate environmental custodians. Includes school programs at Windmill Beach and San intern initiatives with !Khwa ttu.
- 1001 Seaforest Species Mobile App Free custom-built nature field guide app for species identification in the Great African Seaforest. Features intuitive species identification tool, marine life categories including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, with species profiles, new discoveries, and first-ever live images of marine life. Planned for launch in 2025.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 60 new animal interactions and behaviors documented that had never been recorded before
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sea Change Project
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sea Change Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sea Change Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Save Our Seas FoundationcorePrincipal collaborator and funder of the 1001 Seaforest Species project. SOSF has spent over 20 years protecting sharks and rays globally. They co-fund research and provide scientific expertise for documenting marine biodiversity in the Great African Seaforest.
- Mission BlueflagshipFounding partner in the Global Kelp Movement initiated by Sea Change Project. Mission Blue works to protect ocean ecosystems globally and provides platform for kelp forest advocacy.
- Kelp Forest AllianceflagshipFounding partner in the Global Kelp Movement. Collaborates with Sea Change Project to unite scientists, filmmakers, and institutions around international recognition and protection of kelp forests.
- Stellenbosch UniversitycoreResearch partner for marine biology studies. Dr Jannes Landschoff is a Research Fellow in the Department of Botany and Zoology. Hosts the Holdfast Project, Environmental DNA research, and hosts Crustacean Society Mid-Year Meeting 2026.
- University of Cape TowncoreEmeritus Prof. Charles Griffiths leads the Marine Biology Research Institute. 50+ years of marine fauna research. Co-author of 1001 Seaforest Species pages and scientific publications.
- NetflixflagshipDistributor of My Octopus Teacher as a Netflix Original Documentary. Also distributed Pangolin: Kulu's Journey. Provides global reach to millions of subscribers for conservation messaging.
- Off the FencecoreProduction partner for My Octopus Teacher documentary. Contributed production management, co-executive producers, and associate producers to the film.
- Senckenberg Ocean Species AlliancecoreInternational collaboration for describing new marine species through SOSA's Ocean Species Discoveries programme. Partnership formed from chance meeting at crustacean conference.
- SANParkscorePartnership for marine protection and education. Sea Change produces content for SANParks Marine Protected Areas Day.
- City of Cape TownminorMunicipal partner for marine conservation initiatives in the Cape Town area.
- WITS UniversityminorAcademic partner for research collaboration on marine biology and conservation.
- University of HawaiiminorAcademic research partner for marine biology studies.
- Two Oceans AquariumminorAquarium partner for marine education and public engagement programs.
- Waterbear NetworkminorEnvironmental storytelling platform for documentary distribution and audience engagement.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sea Change Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Save Our Seas Foundation: Marine conservation foundation and Sea Change Project's principal collaborator and funder on the 1001 Seaforest Species project. Both organizations focus on marine biodiversity, research funding, and shark/ray protection, operating under similar nonprofit grantmaking models.
- Mission Blue: Sylvia Earle's ocean conservation organization and a founding partner with Sea Change Project in the Global Kelp Movement. Both deploy storytelling and advocacy to drive marine protected area establishment.
- Kelp Forest Alliance: Founding partner of the Global Kelp Movement alongside Sea Change Project. Shares an explicit mandate to unite scientists, filmmakers, and institutions around international kelp forest recognition and protection.
- SeaLegacy: Ocean storytelling and conservation organization that uses photography, film, and expeditions to inspire marine protection. Closely comparable in blending high-end visual content with conservation advocacy.
- WildAid: Conservation organization that uses celebrity-driven media campaigns and storytelling to combat wildlife trafficking and protect marine species. Closely parallels Sea Change Project's storytelling-led, ambassador-driven conservation model.
Broad incumbents
- National Geographic Pristine Seas: Larger marine conservation storytelling initiative from National Geographic that combines underwater filming, scientific expeditions, and policy advocacy. Comparable mission but operates with vastly greater resources and institutional backing.
- Oceana: One of the largest international ocean conservation advocacy organizations, focused on policy-driven marine protection. Comparable mission of ocean conservation but operates at substantially larger scale with global campaign infrastructure.
- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Established marine conservation organization with high brand recognition through direct-action campaigns and media partnerships. Comparable in leveraging media visibility for ocean protection but operates a much broader portfolio.
- Ocean Conservancy: Major US-based ocean conservation nonprofit with broad programmatic reach including trash cleanup, policy advocacy, and scientific research. Comparable marine focus but at significantly greater organizational scale.
Regional players
- Two Oceans Aquarium: Cape Town-based aquarium and an existing Sea Change Project partner. Both focus on marine education and public engagement with the oceans surrounding South Africa, sharing overlapping audience and mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sea Change Project social profiles
Digital presenceSea Change Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sea Change Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Sea Change Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sea Change Project 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 Sea Change Project
What does Sea Change Project do?
Sea Change Project is a nonprofit environmental storytelling organization that produces documentary films, books, podcasts, exhibitions, and educational programs to inspire ocean conservation focused on the Great African Seaforest. The organization's portfolio includes the Oscar-winning My Octopus Teacher documentary, several published books, the 1001 Seaforest Species scientific catalog, the Back to the Water podcast, and the upcoming 1001 Seaforest Species mobile app. All content is offered free to audiences, with the organization funded through donations, grants, and partnerships.
Is Sea Change Project a public or private company?
Sea Change Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Sea Change Project founded?
Sea Change Project was founded in 2012.
Where is Sea Change Project based?
Sea Change Project is headquartered in Sea Point, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Sea Change Project make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants and film Licensing and Royalties.
Who are Sea Change Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Save Our Seas Foundation, Mission Blue, Kelp Forest Alliance, SeaLegacy and WildAid. Broad incumbents are National Geographic Pristine Seas, Oceana, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Ocean Conservancy. Two Oceans Aquarium is listed as a regional player.
Does Sea Change Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sea Change Project.
What industry is Sea Change Project in?
Sea Change Project's product category is Environmental Conservation Storytelling. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of THAAAEAD, Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking). Its NAICS code is 712190.