BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE - BDRI

What BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE - BDRI does

BDRI (Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute) is a Spanish-registered non-profit association founded in 2005 and headquartered in O Grove, Galicia, with a 6-person scientific staff. It conducts long-term observational, photo-identification, passive acoustic, and GIS-based ecological research on cetaceans, marine birds, and associated ecosystems across Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and Amazon Basin study sites, while simultaneously delivering marine science education and capacity-building programs to a global audience.

The institute's service portfolio comprises onsite internships (1-10+ weeks, €400-800/week with length-based discounts up to 50%), self-paced online courses in bioacoustics, GIS, and cetacean ecology (€50 each), remote and onsite thesis supervision for undergraduate and graduate students (250+ theses completed to date), one-day "Researcher for a Day" experiences (€120+), customized professional training for government agencies and consultancies, and supporting revenue streams from symbolic dolphin adoptions (€50) and wildlife photography sales. Core technical assets include a two-vessel research fleet, photo-identification and acoustic databases built over 20+ years, ecological modeling capabilities, and the Orcinus citizen science mobile application for Orca sightings tracking developed with The Nautilus Project.

BDRI operates a hybrid revenue model: long-tail direct-to-consumer fees from international students and enthusiasts (marketed through a six-language website, social channels, and university/Erasmus+ partnerships across 60+ countries) layered with multi-year institutional grants and contracts from Spanish ministries, CSIC, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, and Interreg Atlantic. Over 1,000 interns from 60+ countries and 50+ peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Marine Biology and Animal Behaviour underpin its scientific credibility, while ongoing partnerships (Environment Agency Abu Dhabi since 2014, CSIC STRAUSS 2021-2024, Interreg WHALE DEAL 2023-2026, TRAGSA 2022-2026) sustain the research program and capacity for expansion.

Name

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE - BDRI

Legal name

ASOCIACIÓN BDRI PARA EL ESTUDIO Y CONSERVACIÓN DE LA BIODIVERSIDAD MARINA

Website

https://thebdri.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BDRI is a Spanish non-profit marine science center founded in 2005 that delivers cetacean research, education, and conservation programs. It serves international university students, government agencies, and NGOs through internships, online courses, thesis supervision, and professional training, supported by multi-year research grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Science Research and Education Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications) (THAAAIAA)

Keywords

• Marine mammal research
• Cetacean conservation
• Marine biology education
• Thesis supervision
• Marine science training

Headquarters

HQ city

O Grove

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Internship program fees: Full-time voluntary internship positions with tiered pricing from €400-800 per week depending on duration. Longer commitments receive discounts (10-20% reduction). Fee covers supervision, facilities, accommodation, and fieldwork access.
2. Online training courses: Self-paced online courses priced at €50 each covering cetacean bioacoustics, GIS for marine mammal ecology, and coastal cetacean ecology. Available year-round.
3. Researcher for a Day program: One-day participation experience priced at €120 for one person plus €60 per additional person (up to 4 total). Includes land-based observations and lab activities.
4. Remote thesis supervision: Weekly supervision and manuscript review services at €50/week plus €50 per review and €100 administration fee. Additional fees for BDRI data extraction at €100.
5. Dolphin adoption program: Symbolic adoption of named dolphins (e.g., Turquesa) at €50, providing supporters a connection to specific research individuals while funding conservation work.
6. Photography sales: Sale of wildlife photographs captured by BDRI research team, with proceeds supporting ongoing research, education, and conservation initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BDRI is a non-profit marine science institute that delivers paid educational programs (onsite internships, online courses, thesis supervision, professional training, and one-day research experiences) and conducts long-term scientific research on cetaceans, seabirds, and marine ecosystems. It also funds conservation through symbolic dolphin adoptions, photography sales, and grants from government and intergovernmental bodies.

Product overview

The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI) is a marine science center offering a portfolio of educational programs and research services rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include onsite internship programs (1-10+ weeks) based in O Grove, Spain, providing hands-on training in marine mammal research; online distance-learning courses covering bioacoustics, GIS, and cetacean ecology; thesis supervision for undergraduate and graduate students; professional training for institutions; and one-day Researcher for a Day experiences. Supporting offerings include symbolic dolphin adoptions and wildlife photography sales. BDRI also conducts long-term scientific research programs on cetaceans, seabirds, and marine ecosystems, and developed the Orcinus citizen science app for global Orca sighting tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Orcinus App: A citizen science tool and mobile application designed to engage users in documenting and sharing Orca whale sightings and encounters worldwide.

Products and services

• Onsite Internships Program Full-time voluntary internship program (1 to 10+ weeks) at BDRI's marine research laboratory in O Grove, Spain, providing hands-on training in cetacean field data collection, photo-identification, boat-based surveys, lab work, and participation in ongoing research projects. Priced at €400-€800 per week with tiered discounts for longer stays. Targets university students and early-career researchers worldwide.
• Online Courses Self-paced online courses in marine mammal science priced at €50 each, including Cetacean Bioacoustics (AC1), GIS for marine mammal ecology (GIS1), and Introduction to coastal cetacean ecology (ECO1). Available year-round for individual learners and professionals seeking methodological training.
• Thesis Supervision & Mentoring Academic thesis supervision service for undergraduate and graduate students, available onsite in O Grove or remotely. Includes weekly supervision at €50/week, manuscript review at €50/review, and €100 administration fee, with data extraction from BDRI archives available at €100.
• Professional Training & Capacity Building Customized professional training programs in marine mammal science designed and led by BDRI scientists, covering cetacean ecology, survey design, photo-identification, bioacoustics, and GIS. Delivered on-site, online, or through partner institutions for governmental agencies, NGOs, environmental consultancies, and universities.
• Researcher for a Day One-day immersive experience at BDRI's O Grove facility allowing individuals and small groups (up to 4 people) to participate in land-based dolphin observations and lab activities alongside BDRI researchers. Priced at €120 for one person plus €60 per additional person.
• Marine Research Programs & Projects Long-term scientific research initiatives covering cetacean ecology, behavior, bioacoustics, habitat use, and conservation across multiple global regions including Galicia, Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, and Arabian Gulf. Funded through government grants (TRAGSA, Fundación Biodiversidad, Interreg Atlantic Program) and contracted by agencies such as the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
• Symbolic Dolphin Adoption Symbolic adoption program allowing supporters to adopt named dolphins such as Turquesa (O9) for €50, receiving an adoption certificate and ongoing updates while directly funding BDRI's research and conservation efforts.
• BDRI Photography Sales Exclusive collection of wildlife photographs captured by BDRI researchers during fieldwork, available for purchase with proceeds supporting the institute's research, education, and conservation initiatives.
• Orcinus App Citizen science mobile application for reporting and tracking Orca whale sightings globally, featuring global mapping and community-driven data collection. Developed in collaboration with The Nautilus Project to engage public participants in whale research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Organized 34th European Cetacean Society conference with 600 participants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Health Research Institute of La Fe de ValenciaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Research partnership investigating Candida auris presence in marine environments and marine megafauna as potential vectors of transmission to humans (2023-2024).
• CSIC (Spanish National Research Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborative STRAUSS project (2021-2024) investigating ocean wave effects on the Rías Baixas Upwelling System, combining wave modeling, passive acoustic detection, and spatial distribution analysis of cetaceans.
• Environment Agency Abu DhabicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Long-term research collaboration for marine mammal surveys and population assessment in the Arabian Gulf, including studies on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, finless porpoises, dugongs, and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. Multiple technical reports submitted (2014-2023) with funding from EA for abundance estimates and habitat analysis.
• CIRCE (Cetacean Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative research on killer whale (Orcinus orca) habitat suitability modeling in the Iberian Peninsula and Gulf of Biscay, contributing to conservation efforts for this species in the NE Atlantic.
• The Nautilus ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Orcinus citizen science app for global Orca sightings reporting and tracking, allowing public participation in whale research.
• CETMAR (Center for Technological Innovation in the Fishing and Marine Environment Sector)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on passive acoustic monitoring using underwater listening devices at river entrances to determine bottlenose dolphin presence in riverine environments.
• European Universities (60+ countries)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcademic partnerships with universities worldwide for thesis supervision, internship recognition, and student exchange. Supports Erasmus and mobility grants for European students. Over 250 theses completed through these arrangements.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: Major US-based marine conservation non-profit working on policy, science, and public engagement. Comparable in mission and non-profit structure with institutional partnerships and educational outreach, but operates at much greater scale and broader scope.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Premier independent oceanographic research institution in the US. Comparable as an independent marine science organization combining long-term research, graduate training, and government grants, though far larger in scale and broader in scope than BDRI.

Regional players

• Iberian Whale Watching / Whale Watch España: Spanish cetacean observation and education networks operating in the same Iberian waters where BDRI conducts research. Comparable in regional cetacean focus and education/outreach mission, though more tourism-oriented than research-driven.

Direct peers

• Dolphin Research Center: Florida-based non-profit marine mammal education, research, and conservation facility. Directly comparable in combining cetacean-focused research with paid education programs, internships, and conservation advocacy for the general public.
• Tethys Research Institute: Italian non-profit cetacean research organization founded in 1986, conducting long-term studies in the Mediterranean. Highly comparable to BDRI: similar non-profit structure, cetacean focus, vessel-based fieldwork, training of students and interns, and partnership with academic institutions.
• Earthwatch Institute: International non-profit connecting volunteers with scientists on field research expeditions worldwide. Comparable in combining citizen science engagement, paid research expedition programs, and educational partnerships with academic institutions.
• Pacific Marine Mammal Center: California-based non-profit marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, research, and education center. Comparable in combining cetacean research with educational programming, internships, and government/institutional partnerships.
• Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU): UK-based marine mammal research unit at University of St Andrews conducting fundamental and applied research on seals, cetaceans, and other marine mammals. Comparable in scientific rigor, publication output, and government-funded research portfolio, though housed within a university rather than operating as an independent NGO.
• Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation: Greek non-profit marine research and conservation organization in the Aegean Sea. Highly comparable in operating model: independent non-profit marine science center running paid internships, thesis supervision, citizen science, and cetacean/marine ecosystem research with international student participation.
• IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group: Global specialist group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature focused on cetacean conservation status, policy, and scientific assessment. Comparable as the apex convening body for cetacean scientists, including many of BDRI's collaborators and conference community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thebdri
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebdri
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thebdri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE - BDRI