The Drill Project

What The Drill Project does

The Drill Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in the United States, with operational presence on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. Its mission is the conservation of the endangered drill monkey (Mandrillus leucophaeus) and the broader biodiversity of Bioko Island, where 11 primate species — including 9 endemic subspecies — face pressure from habitat loss and an illegal bushmeat trade that has reduced drill range from 525 km² in 1986 to 220 km² today. Founder Justin Jay established the program after becoming the first person to track, photograph, and film wild drills in 2010, and the organization has since run a longitudinal camera trap study since 2012, the first long-term study of drill behavioral ecology in the wild.

The organization delivers value through a portfolio of conservation products and programs: four documentary films ('El Proyecto del Mono Dril', 2012; 'Lost Kings of Bioko', 2019; BBC 'Primates', 2020; 'Monkeys of Bioko', 2020) that have earned 39+ awards and 43 festival screenings and been broadcast on BBC, Smithsonian Channel, NDR/ARTE, Paramount+, and Amazon; a camera trap research program generating behavioral and ecological data; a village film tour taking conservation messaging into remote Bioko communities; a volunteer program in Ureka; the US Embassy-supported Karítyóbo environmental education initiative; and a planned Bioko Wildlife Rescue Center. Go-to-market combines community-led field engagement on Bioko Island with global documentary distribution via tier-1 broadcast and streaming partners.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit construct. Primary funding comes from tax-deductible charitable donations in the US (501(c)(3)) and an equivalent legal registration as an ONG in Equatorial Guinea. Secondary, non-material revenue comes from documentary licensing and one-time digital sales on Amazon and Paramount+. The 6-person team is led by the founder, with biologists, field managers, and a project manager handling operations, social media, and donor communications. Strategic priorities signaled by the organization are the build-out of the Bioko Rescue Center, ecotourism development, and continued enforcement of the 2007 presidential decree banning primate hunting — which currently suffers from very low compliance.

Name

The Drill Project

Legal name

The Drill Project

Website

https://thedrillproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Drill Project is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that conserves the endangered drill monkey on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea through longitudinal camera-trap research, award-winning wildlife documentaries, and community education programs serving local Bioko villages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife & Animal Care Volunteering (EDAIAGAE), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Documentary film production
• Primate conservation research
• Community education outreach
• Nonprofit conservation funding

Headquarters

HQ city

United States

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accepting tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations to support conservation and research efforts on Bioko Island
2. Documentary Sales and Licensing: Revenue from documentary film licensing to broadcast networks (Smithsonian Channel) and digital platforms (Paramount+, Amazon)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Drill Project is a conservation nonprofit that protects the endangered drill monkey on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, through field research, wildlife documentary production, and community education. It operates a longitudinal camera trap study of drill behavioral ecology (since 2012), produces conservation documentaries that air on BBC, Smithsonian Channel, Paramount+, and other broadcasters, and runs film tours and volunteer programs in local Bioko Island villages to reduce bushmeat demand.

Product overview

The Drill Project is a conservation nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of documentary films (Lost Kings of Bioko, Monkeys of Bioko, El Proyecto del Mono Dril), field research programs (camera trap studies, primate monitoring), education and outreach initiatives (village film tours), a volunteer program in Ureka, and a planned wildlife rescue center on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. The organization's products focus on conservation awareness, scientific research, and species protection for the endangered drill monkey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 43 festival screenings and 39+ awards for 'Lost Kings of Bioko' documentary
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, core and supporting.

• Smithsonian ChannelflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020US broadcast television partner for 'Monkeys of Bioko' documentary premiere on July 29, 2020.
• Paramount+majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Streaming platform distributing 'Monkeys of Bioko' documentary.
• BBC StudiosflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Featured in BBC 'Primates' documentary series (Episode 1) broadcast April 26, 2020, showcasing drill monkeys in their habitat.
• Drill FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Wildlife documentary production company founded by Justin Jay (also founder of The Drill Project). Co-producer of 'Lost Kings of Bioko' and 'Monkeys of Bioko' documentaries.
• Gulo Films ProductionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019German production company and co-producer of 'Lost Kings of Bioko' documentary along with Drill Films, Doclights, and NDR.
• NDR Naturfilm (ARD)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019German broadcaster partner for 'Lost Kings of Bioko' documentary broadcast in Europe.
• ARTEmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019European documentary channel co-producer/broadcaster of 'Lost Kings of Bioko'.
• Government of Equatorial GuineacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012ONG legally registered in Guinea Ecuatorial, inscribed in the Ministry of Interior. Documentary aired on national television since December 2012. Working with government agencies to promote eco-tourism.
• Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (BBPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner running local wildlife patrols in the Gran Caldera and Southern Highlands Reserve (GCSH) as passive deterrence to hunting activities. Co-produced documentary 'El Proyecto del Mono Dril' with Dr. Shaya Honarvar of BBPP.
• Ian Redmond (Conservationist)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRenowned conservationist who narrated the English version of 'El Proyecto del Mono Dril' documentary.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (BBPP): Direct operational partner on Bioko Island running wildlife patrols in the Gran Caldera reserve. Most direct peer — operates in the same geography on overlapping primate conservation objectives, making it both a collaborator and the closest functional comparable.
• Primate Conservation Inc. Small nonprofit funding and coordinating field conservation projects for endangered primate species worldwide. Comparable in mission (primate-focused conservation) and organizational scale, with overlapping donor and grantee ecosystems.
• Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: Nonprofit dedicated to a single endangered primate species (mountain gorillas) combining long-term field research, community programs, and global awareness. The Drill Project mirrors this species-specific, research-plus-content model for drills on Bioko Island.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Large global conservation organization running Bronx Zoo and field programs across Africa. Both operate in African primate habitat conservation, but WCS operates at a far larger scale with broader species and habitat portfolios.
• World Wildlife Fund: Largest global wildlife conservation NGO with extensive African field programs including great apes. Operates as a broad incumbent overlapping with The Drill Project on primate conservation, fundraising channels, and corporate partnerships.
• Fauna & Flora International: Long-established UK-headquartered conservation NGO with species-specific programs across Africa. Comparable in species-protection mission and use of field research plus global awareness campaigns, with broader organizational scale.
• Conservation International: Global conservation organization with significant African biodiversity and primate programs. Overlaps on conservation science, donor engagement, and government partnerships but operates at much greater scale and breadth.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation NGO focused on wildlife and wildlands across the continent. Comparable geography (Africa) and overlapping primate habitat concerns, but with a much broader mandate and institutional funding base.
• Panthera: Wild cat conservation NGO using field research, community engagement, and media partnerships. Comparable operational model (small focused team, science + awareness) but focused on big cats rather than primates.

Emerging players

• Re:wild: Species- and ecosystem-focused conservation nonprofit using field research and high-profile media partnerships (Leonardo DiCaprio-backed). Comparable in scale and species-specific focus, with similar reliance on celebrity/film-driven awareness.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-drill-project

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Drill Project