WAVES International

What WAVES International does

WAVES International is a US-registered nonprofit organization founded in 2008 (originally as WAVES for Development) by Dave Aabo and headquartered in Ballston Spa, New York, with on-the-ground operations in coastal Peru. The organization runs regenerative surf programs — including surf, skate, and art therapy — serving local youth in Lobitos, Pucusana, and Chilca, alongside environmental education, beach cleanups, and regenerative travel advocacy. In 2021, the organization rebranded to WAVES International and transferred the original wavesfordevelopment.org domain and operational ownership of its Lobitos programs to the local Peruvian youth team, exemplifying a community-ownership model.

The organization's flagship initiative is the annual Regenerative Surf Congress, launched in 2022 and held in Lobitos each subsequent year (2022, 2023, 2024), which convenes surfers, scientists, activists, nonprofits, and businesses around environmental and social issues in surfing. Additional activities include the sponsored Pucusana Surf Festival, community events such as "Stand Up for a Cause," and a limited-edition clothing collaboration with Illumine Collect (with 20% of proceeds supporting WAVES Lobitos). Programs are distributed through direct community engagement, volunteer networks, and partner organizations rather than commercial channels.

The business model is donation- and membership-based, with one-time donations and a "BECOME A MEMBER" program accessed through the WAVES International website. There are no disclosed donation tiers, no public pricing, and no commercial product revenue beyond the small Illumine Collect royalty. The organization is founder-led by Dave Aabo (CEO), governed by a small Board of Directors and a larger Board of Directors Emeritus, and operates with approximately 8 employees and a global supporter base reached through blog content, podcast appearances, social media, and the annual congress.

Name

WAVES International

Legal name

WAVES International - Development

Website

https://wavesinternational.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WAVES International is a US-based nonprofit that runs regenerative surf, skate, and art therapy programs for coastal youth in Peru, hosts the annual Regenerative Surf Congress, and operates through donations and membership funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Nonprofit Services

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC), Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Surf therapy programs
• Youth development programs
• Regenerative surf congress
• Nonprofit community development
• Environmental education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ballston Spa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: WAVES International operates as a nonprofit organization relying on donations from individuals and organizations. The website offers one-time donation options and a membership program (BECOME A MEMBER) to support the regenerative surf ecosystem and community programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WAVES International is a nonprofit organization that delivers surf, skate, and art therapy programs for youth in Lobitos, Peru, alongside community development initiatives, beach cleanups, and environmental education projects. It also convenes the annual Regenerative Surf Congress in Lobitos, gathering surfers, scientists, activists, nonprofits, and businesses around regenerative surfing, sustainable surf entrepreneurship, and coastal environmental regeneration.

Product overview

WAVES International is a non-profit organization (not a SaaS product company) offering a portfolio of regenerative surf and community development programs. The core offerings include surf therapy, skate therapy, and art therapy programs for youth in Lobitos, Peru, along with the annual Regenerative Surf Congress as a knowledge-sharing and networking platform. Additional programs include community development initiatives, beach cleanups, and collaborative merchandise (clothing partnerships). The organization transitioned its original wavesfordevelopment.org domain to the WAVES Lobitos crew in Peru in 2021, maintaining a US-based headquarters while supporting grassroots initiatives worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Surf Therapy Programs Therapeutic surfing initiatives for young people in Lobitos, Peru, designed to leverage the power of social connection and the ocean for mental health and healing.
• Skate Therapy Programs Skateboarding therapy initiatives offered alongside surf therapy to provide alternative forms of movement-based therapy for local youth in Lobitos, Peru.
• Art Therapy Programs Art therapy initiatives integrated into the regenerative surf ecosystem, supporting creative expression and mental well-being for community members.
• Regenerative Surf Congress Annual congress convening surfers, scientists, activists, not-for-profits, and businesses to share knowledge on surf therapy, environmental regeneration, social impact, and sustainable surf entrepreneurship; held in Lobitos, Peru.
• Regenerative Travel Resources Educational resources and guidance for traveling regeneratively while adapting to the climate crisis, supporting local communities and environmental protection.
• Community Development Initiatives Grassroots initiatives supporting local communities, including beach cleanups, environmental education, and capacity building for young people in coastal areas.
• WAVES Lobitos x Illumine Collect Clothing Collaboration Limited edition clothing line co-developed by WAVES Lobitos and Illumine Collect, with designs by Peruvian artist Koa Prato; 20% of proceeds benefit WAVES Lobitos youth programs.
• Pucusana Surf Festival Annual year-end surf festival sponsored by WAVES International to benefit and improve the environment surrounding the Pucusana and Chilca communities in Peru.
• Stand Up for a Cause Community event hosted in partnership with Kayak Shak, featuring a grom skate contest and fundraising activities for the WAVES mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Local youth in Lobitos, Peru have taken over all operations of WAVES programs including surf, skate, and art therapy — representing a successful community capacity-building outcome.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ellms FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAVES International has a recycling partnership with Ellms Farms, supporting environmental regeneration efforts through collaborative waste reduction and recycling initiatives in the local community.
• Illumine CollectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAVES Lobitos partnered with Illumine Collect on a limited edition clothing line designed by Peruvian artist Koa Prato. Twenty percent of the proceeds benefit WAVES Lobitos, supporting local youth programs and community operations.
• Regenerative Surf Congress Ecosystem (surfers, scientists, activists, nonprofits, businesses)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Regenerative Surf Congress is co-convened by WAVES International with participation from surfers, scientists, activists, not-for-profits, and businesses who are passionate about using surfing as a force for environmental and social good. It serves as the central convening platform for the regenerative surf ecosystem.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• International Surfing Association (ISA):
• Patagonia: Patagonia is a purpose-driven surf and outdoor apparel company funding grassroots environmental activism (1% for the Planet founder), thematically aligned with WAVES' regenerative surf and community-empowerment ethos, though operating as a for-profit brand.

Emerging players

• SeaTrees: SeaTrees partners with Sustainable Surf to fund mangrove, kelp, and coral restoration projects, directly aligned with WAVES' regenerative ocean and coastal ecosystem framing through a surf-community channel.
• Protect Our Winters: Protect Our Winters is a climate-focused nonprofit mobilizing the action sports community (including surfers) to advocate for climate policy, similar to WAVES' integration of climate adaptation into surf-based community programming.
• Lonely Whale Foundation: Lonely Whale Foundation is a nonprofit focused on ocean health and behavior-change campaigns, comparable to WAVES in mobilizing community around marine regeneration but focused more on plastic-pollution and corporate-engagement levers.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: Ocean Conservancy is a large marine conservation nonprofit running global ocean-health campaigns, comparable to WAVES as a marine-focused nonprofit pursuing coastal protection and community engagement.
• World Surf League (WSL): WSL is the governing body of professional surfing globally and increasingly engages in ocean conservation through its PURE initiative, comparable to WAVES as a surf-anchored organization operating at scale across the surfing ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Surfrider Foundation: Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots nonprofit mobilizing surfers to protect oceans, beaches, and coastlines through activism, clean water initiatives, and chapter-based community programs, mirroring WAVES' community-led, surf-rooted environmental model.
• Save The Waves Coalition: Save The Waves Coalition is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting surf ecosystems and coastal environments worldwide through advocacy, protected areas, and stewardship programs, directly comparable to WAVES' mission of using surfing as a force for environmental regeneration.
• Sustainable Surf: Sustainable Surf is a nonprofit that mobilizes the global surfing community around ocean conservation, sustainability, and eco-labeling, closely aligned with WAVES' regenerative surf positioning and convening role through events like the Regenerative Surf Congress.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waves-for-development

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 WAVES International