The Starfish Canada
The Starfish Canada is a national Canadian charity founded in 2010 that delivers youth environmental education, climate leadership, and ocean programs to children and youth aged 5-25 across Canada, funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, grants, and merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersVictoria, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Starfish Canada does
The Starfish Canada (legally The Starfish Environmental Society) is a CRA-registered national charity founded in 2010 and headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, that delivers environmental education, leadership development, and climate-action programming to children and youth aged 5 to 25 across Canada. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs including Climate75 (an eight-month youth climate leadership fellowship), Sea Smart Summer Camps and Programs (ocean education and shoreline cleanups, expanded via the 2025 merger with Sea Smart School Society in Metro Vancouver), Learning and Development workshops delivered to schools and communities, a Speakers Bureau, a Youth Advisory-Action Committee, an annual Youth Environmental Changemakers Summit, and a digital Journal publication platform hosting 1,942+ youth-written articles including 104+ French-language pieces.
The underlying technology stack is a conventional content and donation platform rather than a proprietary AI system: a WordPress-based Journal on thestarfish.ca, Keela for secure donation processing and the Keystone Club monthly giving program, GiveWise for stock/DAF/crypto donations, Square for merchandise e-commerce, Monday.com for speaker request intake, and podcast distribution via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TELUS Optik TV & Stream+, and YouTube. TELUS STORYHIVE provides grant funding for the Seeds of Hope climate storytelling podcast.
The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: individual tax-deductible donations (one-time and recurring Keystone Club subscriptions), corporate partnerships and sponsorships (e.g., Aryze Developments, Camp Candle Co., 1% For The Planet membership), foundation and government grants (notably Lawson Foundation and TELUS STORYHIVE), and merchandise sales through a Square storefront. The organization has 32 employees, has reached 50,000+ children and youth since 2010, and has announced a 10-year vision to reach 2.35 million young people by 2035 through what it describes as Canada's largest youth environmental culture initiative.
The Starfish Canada firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Starfish Canada
- Legal name
- The Starfish Environmental Society
- Website
- https://thestarfish.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Starfish Canada is a national Canadian charity founded in 2010 that delivers youth environmental education, climate leadership, and ocean programs to children and youth aged 5-25 across Canada, funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, grants, and merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Starfish Canada industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Environmental Education
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Leadership, Debate & Model UN Camps (EDAMALAK), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
Keywords
Where The Starfish Canada is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Victoria
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Starfish Canada business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting youth environmental education, including one-time and monthly recurring contributions via the Keystone Club membership program
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnerships with corporations for marketing and social responsibility initiatives, including program sponsorships and event support
- Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling merchandise to support the organization
- Grant Funding: Funding from foundations and government programs for specific initiatives and youth programming
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Starfish Canada product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Starfish Canada is a national registered charity delivering youth environmental education and leadership programs to children and youth ages 5-25 across Canada. Core offerings include the Climate75 eight-month fellowship program, Sea Smart Summer Camps and ocean education programs, the Starfish Journal publication platform featuring youth-written articles, the Speakers Bureau for booking youth environmental speakers, and school- and community-based Learning and Development workshops. The organization also produces the Seeds of Hope climate storytelling podcast and operates a youth advisory-action committee. Operations are funded through individual donations, corporate partnerships, grants, and merchandise sales.
Product overview
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Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Climate75: An eight-month leadership fellowship program empowering young leaders for climate-resilient future
- Sea Smart Summer Camps
- Seeds of Hope Podcast
- Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25
- Youth Advisory-Action Committee
Products and services
- Climate75 Fellowship Program An eight-month leadership fellowship program that empowers young leaders for a climate-resilient future by providing youth with tools, resources, and community to launch careers in climate action. Intended for Canadian youth applicants seeking climate career preparation and leadership development.
- Sea Smart Summer Camps Summer camp programs offering ocean and environmental education combined with outdoor activities for children and youth. Expanded through the merger with Sea Smart School Society to include Metro Vancouver locations.
- Sea Smart Programs Programs connecting people of all ages to the ocean through hands-on and engaging experiences, including corporate shoreline cleanups in Metro Vancouver. Audience is mixed community and corporate participants.
- Learning and Development Workshops Environmental education workshops delivered to schools and communities across Canada, helping youth understand key environmental issues. Designed for educators and community organizations seeking curriculum-aligned environmental learning.
- The Starfish Canada's Speakers Bureau Booking service connecting young environmental speakers with events across Canada, providing youth speakers to speak truth to power on climate and environmental issues. Used by event organizers seeking youth voices.
- Corporate Programs Corporate partnership and sponsorship offerings enabling organizations to support youth environmentalism, access a national audience, and connect with 450+ young environmental changemakers through CSR campaigns and event sponsorships.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50,000+ children and youth supported since 2010
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Starfish Canada
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Starfish Canada technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
The Starfish Canada partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Aryze DevelopmentscorePartnered with The Starfish Canada to conduct leadership labs, providing 50 Victoria youth with deeper engagement and connection with planning in their city. Supported a donation-matching campaign that raised the profile of urban sustainability careers and helped reach new audiences online.
- Camp Candle Co.minorLocal female-owned business from British Columbia supporting young environmental leaders across the country through product donations, matching campaign donations, and by amplifying young voices through social media channels.
- GiveWisecorePartnership to enable donations from assets including stocks, donor-advised funds, and cryptocurrency, providing guidance to make the process simple and seamless for donors.
- KeelacoreSecure donation processing platform provider for The Starfish Canada's website, enabling one-time and ongoing credit card donations.
- Sea Smart School SocietycoreMerged with Sea Smart School Society, expanding ability to offer summer camp programs and corporate shoreline cleanups in Metro Vancouver.
- Six Nations of the Grand RivercoreContinued collaboration to co-design new environmental literacy and Sustainable Development Goal workshops using Two-Eyed Seeing approaches.
- 1% FTP (For The Planet)minorMember of 1% For The Planet, pledging to donate 1% of sales to environmental causes.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Starfish Canada competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- A Rocha Canada: Canadian conservation organization running environmental education and stewardship programs with strong school/community programming. Comparable on environmental education delivery to schools and youth, though more regionally focused.
Broad incumbents
- Sierra Club Canada: National chapter of a major environmental organization with advocacy and education mandates. Comparable as a broader, established incumbent in the Canadian environmental nonprofit space competing for similar donor and CSR dollars.
- Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS): Long-established national Canadian conservation charity with broader conservation mandate. Comparable as a larger incumbent competing for the same foundation/government grants and corporate sponsorships on youth-environmental programming.
Direct peers
- Jane Goodall Institute of Canada: Canadian arm of a global environmental youth-education charity with Roots & Shoots youth leadership programming. Comparable on youth-led environmental action and education model, with similar school and community delivery channels.
- Climate Reality Canada: Canadian branch of a global climate education and leadership network running training and community programs. Comparable for its climate-leadership training model that overlaps with Starfish's Climate75 fellowship.
- Ocean Wise: Canadian ocean conservation and education organization, including the Ocean Wise AquaProgram delivered to schools. Directly comparable because of the marine/ocean education overlap with Starfish's Sea Smart programs and shoreline cleanup offerings.
- Environmental Defence Canada: National Canadian environmental charity focused on advocacy, education, and policy. Comparable as a peer Canadian nonprofit competing for the same donor, foundation, and CSR funding pools while delivering youth- and education-adjacent environmental programs.
- Earth Rangers: Canadian youth-focused environmental charity delivering education programs and a national membership community. Directly comparable to Starfish on target audience (children/youth), education model, and donor-funded nonprofit structure; both operate national programs building youth environmental engagement.
Emerging players
- GreenLearning Canada: Canadian nonprofit offering free environmental education programs and resources for schools and youth. Comparable as a peer education-focused environmental nonprofit delivering curriculum-aligned programming to Canadian schools and youth.
- TakingITGlobal: Canadian-founded global youth engagement platform with education and social-action programs. Comparable as a niche/emerging peer focused on youth-led content, civic participation, and digital publishing — adjacent to Starfish's Journal and Editorial Program.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Starfish Canada social profiles
Digital presenceThe Starfish Canada financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Starfish Canada leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Starfish Canada subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Starfish Canada funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Starfish Canada 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 The Starfish Canada
What does The Starfish Canada do?
The Starfish Canada is a national registered charity delivering youth environmental education and leadership programs to children and youth ages 5-25 across Canada. Core offerings include the Climate75 eight-month fellowship program, Sea Smart Summer Camps and ocean education programs, the Starfish Journal publication platform featuring youth-written articles, the Speakers Bureau for booking youth environmental speakers, and school- and community-based Learning and Development workshops. The organization also produces the Seeds of Hope climate storytelling podcast and operates a youth advisory-action committee. Operations are funded through individual donations, corporate partnerships, grants, and merchandise sales.
Is The Starfish Canada a public or private company?
The Starfish Canada is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Starfish Canada founded?
The Starfish Canada was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Starfish Canada based?
The Starfish Canada is headquartered in Victoria, Canada, in the North America region.
How does The Starfish Canada make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships, merchandise Sales and grant Funding.
Who are The Starfish Canada's main competitors?
A Rocha Canada is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Sierra Club Canada and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). Direct peers are Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, Climate Reality Canada, Ocean Wise, Environmental Defence Canada and Earth Rangers. Emerging players are GreenLearning Canada and TakingITGlobal.
Does The Starfish Canada have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Starfish Canada.
What industry is The Starfish Canada in?
The Starfish Canada's product category is Youth Environmental Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAJ, Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits, with a secondary code of THAAAIAH, Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8200.