The Reef Institute
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersWest Palm Beach, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
The Reef Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Reef Institute
- Legal name
- The Reef Institute
- Website
- https://reefinstitute.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Reef Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Conservation and Coral Restoration Services
- NAICS
- Aquaculture (11251), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Aquaculture Health, Biosecurity & Veterinary Services (AFAEAAAK)
Keywords
Where The Reef Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Palm Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Reef Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Individual donations from supporters, with various giving levels including holiday conservation packages. Over 70% of Earth is covered by ocean and coral is described as the bedrock of life beneath the waves.
- Holiday Conservation Package: $125 donation makes donors honorary members of coral conservation team with branded perks including exclusive hoodie, Reef Institute M&Ms, magnet/sticker pack, and personalized Certificate of Appreciation.
- Educational Programs: High school marine science programs including week-long intensives at facility and field research at Peanut Island. Tuition is $400 for week one, $500 for week two, or $800 for both weeks.
- Education Experiences: Fees for education offerings including speaking engagements, outreach tables, virtual tours, Coral Conservation 101 lessons, field excursions, and customizable curriculum plans for schools and groups.
- Grant Funding: Funding from organizations including Ballen Isles Charities Foundation for coral reproduction shipping container, National Endowment for the Arts for Marine Living Structures Initiative, and Jeff Cook Trust for coastal engineering aspects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Week One - Facility Lab Experience |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Week Two - Peanut Island Field Research |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Both Weeks Complete Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Holiday Conservation Package |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Reef Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Reef Institute operates a land-based coral biobanking, propagation, and restoration facility that houses coral colonies, breeds species in captivity, and outplants juvenile corals to restore degraded Florida reefs. It also delivers marine science education programs, field excursions, and community-development partnerships with Caribbean organizations, supported by grants and donations.
Product overview
The Reef Institute operates as a coral conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on education, research, and restoration. The core offerings include Education Programs (awareness through stewardship pathways with virtual tours, mobile coral labs, and Peanut Island excursions), the Rescue to Reef Biobanking & Restoration pipeline (biobanking, microfragmentation, spawning, juvenile rearing, and outplanting), the Peanut Island Coral Project (monitoring 23+ coral species since 2018), and the Marine Living Structures Initiative (artificial reef modules with Michael Singer Studio). Additional offerings include Caribbean Partnerships, the High School Marine Science Program, Holiday Conservation Packages, Research Internships, and Volunteer Programs. The organization functions as a non-profit research facility with land-based coral holding systems and collaborates with NOAA, Florida DEP, universities, and Caribbean partners to restore Florida's coral reefs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Education Programs Ocean education offerings including awareness outreach events, mobile coral labs, virtual tours, science excursions to Peanut Island, distance learning with marine scientists, and customizable curriculum plans for K-12 schools and groups.
- Rescue to Reef (Biobanking & Restoration) Comprehensive coral conservation pipeline involving live bio-banking of coral genotypes, microfragmentation for coral amplification, indoor spawning and reproduction, juvenile coral rearing, and outplanting juvenile Caribbean coral species to restore Florida's coral reefs.
- Peanut Island Coral Project Long-term coral monitoring initiative in Lake Worth Lagoon tracking coral species adaptability, resilience, and biodiversity around Peanut Island's artificial reefs since 2018, including citizen science programs and field excursions for students.
- Marine Living Structures Initiative (MLSI) Collaborative artificial reef development program with Michael Singer Studio creating ecologically engineered reef modules using 70% recycled cementitious materials to support marine habitat regeneration, coral recruitment, and coastal resiliency.
- Caribbean Partnerships Community development approach providing Caribbean local organizations with coral conservation resources, biobanking expertise, spawning guidance, and long-term partnership support for restoration efforts across the region.
- High School Marine Science and Conservation Program Two-part summer intensive program for students ages 15-18 combining lab-based coral care and restoration training at the TRI facility with field research and ecosystem monitoring at Peanut Island, available as week-long sessions at $400-$800 tuition.
Quantifiable outcome
- Less than 2% of original coral coverage remains in Florida
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Reef Institute
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Reef Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
The Reef Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- South Caicos Coral ConsortiumcoreMulti-phase conservation approach launched in 2022 with TRI, TCRF, and Center for Field Studies. TRI designed a land-based research system integrating broader restoration initiatives with expectation of hundreds of thousands of corals needed for coastal mitigation.
- Michael Singer StudiocoreMLSI collaboration led by TRI as scientific, research, monitoring and testing leader and Michael Singer Studio as design and fabrication leader. Jointly developing Marine Living Structures Initiative using ecologically engineered reef modules with recycled materials for marine habitat regeneration and coastal resiliency.
- Florida Department of Environmental ProtectioncoreTRI is an integral part of The Florida Coral Rescue Project with Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Working to combat Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease affecting coral reefs across the Caribbean.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissioncoreCollaborative partnership in Florida Coral Rescue Project to mitigate effects of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease and rebuild reefs.
- Coral Restoration FoundationcoreTRI serves as the official land-based biobank for the Coral Restoration Foundation, housing duplicate genetic samples of all corals found in their ocean nurseries in the Florida Keys. Received coral colonies from this partner for land-based rescue efforts.
- MOTE Marine LaboratorycoreReceived coral colonies from MOTE Marine Labs' International Coral Gene Bank for land-based rescue efforts as part of Florida Coral Rescue and Propagation Project.
- University of MiamiminorPartner organization providing coral colonies for land-based rescue efforts.
- Nova Southeastern UniversityminorPartner organization providing coral colonies for land-based rescue efforts.
- Reef Renewal USAcoreReceived coral colonies from Reef Renewal USA for land-based rescue efforts. Partner transferred 2,800 corals from shallow reefs to deeper waters during 2023 marine heatwave emergency.
- NOAAcoreNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommended inclusion of threatened Acropora species in rescue biobank due to 2023 bleaching risk. NOAA divers provide coral larvae for spawning programs and collaborate on Florida Coral Rescue Center.
- Florida AquariumcoreWorking with Florida Aquarium and NOAA on coral spawning programs. Received coral larvae from Florida Coral Rescue Center and Florida Aquarium for juvenile rearing.
- Turks and Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF)corePartnership to establish pilot gene banking system, the first land-based initiative of its kind in the British Isles. TRI provided training and support on growing and caring for corals on land. System has been successfully established with ongoing training efforts.
- Center for Field Studies (South Caicos)minorPartner in South Caicos Coral Consortium collaboration for coral restoration efforts.
- SFS (School for Field Studies)minorCollaborating with SFS to build a biobank system in a solar-powered shipping container as part of Caribbean Biobank Initiative.
- Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources ManagementcorePermitted sites held by PBCDERM for MLSI pilot deployments. Collaborating on Peanut Island coral monitoring since 2018, including approval of monitoring projects carried out by Reef Institute interns.
- Ecological Associates, Inc.minorAdditional support for MLSI project providing documentation services.
- Peanut Island Shuttle BoatminorTransportation partner for MLSI project and field excursions to Peanut Island.
- Pura Vida DiversminorDiving partner providing additional support for MLSI project activities.
- Palm Beach County Parks DepartmentminorPartner in Peanut Island coral monitoring project and MLSI additional support.
- Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation DepartmentminorCollaborating with TRI on Peanut Island coral monitoring since 2018 alongside Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management.
- Palm Beach State CollegeminorEnvironmental Studies program collaboration for intern projects at Peanut Island monitoring.
- Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityminorUniversity partner for student intern collaboration for research projects.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Reef Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Florida Aquarium: The Florida Aquarium operates the Florida Coral Rescue Center and is a core partner supplying coral larvae to TRI for juvenile rearing. Larger and broader institution with overlapping coral conservation and education programs but a wider aquarium focus.
- The Nature Conservancy (Florida Oceans program): The Nature Conservancy operates large-scale marine conservation programs including coral reef protection in Florida and the Caribbean. A broader incumbent with overlapping reef restoration and policy work but a much larger mandate.
- National Aquarium: The National Aquarium runs conservation and education programs including coral propagation efforts. Comparable on combining aquarium-based coral husbandry with public marine education but with a much larger institutional footprint.
Direct peers
- SECORE International: SECORE focuses on coral reef restoration through sexual reproduction (coral spawning and larval propagation) globally. Highly comparable to TRI's indoor spawning and juvenile-rearing capabilities and a like-sized nonprofit operator.
- Coral Restoration Foundation: The Coral Restoration Foundation operates ocean-based coral nurseries and outplanting programs in the Florida Keys and is one of TRI's core strategic partners (TRI serves as its official land-based biobank). Highly comparable on mission, restoration methodology, and Florida Reef Tract focus.
- Reef Renewal USA: Reef Renewal USA is a coral restoration nonprofit active in Florida that has transferred colonies into TRI's care and partnered on emergency heatwave rescues. Comparable scope, restoration methods, and Florida geographic focus.
- Mote Marine Laboratory: Mote runs the International Coral Gene Bank and collaborates with TRI on land-based rescue efforts and spawning programs. Both organizations operate coral biobanking, restoration research, and education programming in Florida.
Regional players
- Reef-World Foundation: Reef-World operates globally with a strong emphasis on sustainable reef tourism and dive-center training rather than active restoration. Useful adjacent comparable on marine education and Caribbean conservation ecosystems, though methodology differs.
Emerging players
- Coral World Ocean Park (Coral World Initiative): Coral World runs coral restoration efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands with reef-adjacent community education programming. Comparable on combining restoration science with public-facing marine education in a Caribbean context.
Others
- Pristine Seas (National Geographic): Pristine Seas focuses on marine protected area establishment and ocean exploration rather than active restoration. Thematically adjacent — both are marine conservation entities with educational reach — but operates via a fundamentally different conservation model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Reef Institute social profiles
Digital presenceThe Reef Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Reef Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The Reef Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Reef Institute 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 Reef Institute
What does The Reef Institute do?
The Reef Institute operates a land-based coral biobanking, propagation, and restoration facility that houses coral colonies, breeds species in captivity, and outplants juvenile corals to restore degraded Florida reefs. It also delivers marine science education programs, field excursions, and community-development partnerships with Caribbean organizations, supported by grants and donations.
Is The Reef Institute a public or private company?
The Reef Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Reef Institute founded?
The Reef Institute was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Reef Institute based?
The Reef Institute is headquartered in West Palm Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Reef Institute make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are holiday Conservation Package, educational Programs, education Experiences and grant Funding.
Who are The Reef Institute's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Florida Aquarium, The Nature Conservancy (Florida Oceans program) and National Aquarium. Direct peers are SECORE International, Coral Restoration Foundation, Reef Renewal USA and Mote Marine Laboratory. Reef-World Foundation is listed as a regional player. Coral World Ocean Park (Coral World Initiative) is listed as an emerging player. Pristine Seas (National Geographic) is listed as an others.
Does The Reef Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Reef Institute.
What industry is The Reef Institute in?
The Reef Institute's product category is Marine Conservation and Coral Restoration Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of THAAAIAH, Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks). Its NAICS code is 11251.