Scubanauts International, Inc.

What Scubanauts International, Inc. does

Scubanauts International, Inc. is a Florida-based nonprofit organization founded in 2001 that provides marine science education and scientific scuba diving programs for teenagers ages 12-18. The organization operates local chapters across Florida (Sarasota, Tampa, Tarpon Springs, Orlando) and Savannah, delivering structured diving training under AAUS science research diving standards. Members conduct real scientific research including AGRRA benthic surveys, fish surveys, photogrammetry of shipwrecks, coral restoration (fragging, nursery maintenance, and outplanting), and debris cleanup, with data submitted to the REEF, GLOBE, AGRRA, and Big Anchor Project databases.

The core program offering is the SCUBAnauts Program, supplemented by Summer Science Expeditions to locations including the Florida Keys, Grenada, Belize, Roatan, and Thunder Bay, plus a Coral Restoration Training service, a Scholarship Program, and an internal Manta database platform for managing dive logs and survey data. The organization does not charge participants for program involvement. Instead, revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships at tiered levels ($1,250 to $25,000 per sponsorship), and an annual fundraising gala at Zoo Tampa (with a 25th anniversary edition planned for November 2026).

Strategic partnerships anchor the operating model: Mote Marine Laboratory (coral restoration, Summerland Key; Mote President/CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby sits on the board), Florida International University (Aquarius underwater habitat access), Florida State University Panama City (advanced diving training), NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (shipwreck science), the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge (coral restoration with veterans), and the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center. The organization employs 1-10 staff supplemented by volunteer mentors, is AAUS-certified, and operates as a non-fee-based youth STEM education nonprofit.

Name

Scubanauts International, Inc.

Legal name

SCUBAnauts International, Inc.

Website

https://scubanautsintl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scubanauts International is a Florida-based nonprofit founded in 2001 that provides marine science education and scientific scuba diving programs for teens ages 12-18, conducting coral restoration, reef surveys, and photogrammetry through Florida chapters and partner institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Marine Science Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dive & Snorkel Guides / Dive Masters (Boat-Based & Shore-Based) (THAAALAC), Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Marine science education
• Scientific scuba diving
• Coral reef restoration
• Youth STEM programs
• Underwater research training

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunedin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at multiple levels ($1,250-$25,000) providing visibility at annual gala, website recognition, and event program placements
2. Donations: Individual donations supporting marine science education programs and scholarship funding
3. Event Revenue: Annual fundraising gala with ticket sales, silent auctions, and sponsorship packages

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SCUBAnauts International provides free marine science education and scientific scuba diving programs for teenagers ages 12-18 through local chapters across Florida and summer science expeditions to destinations including the Florida Keys, Caribbean, and Great Lakes. Participants conduct real scientific research including coral restoration, fish and benthic surveys, shipwreck documentation, and marine debris cleanup under AAUS scientific diving standards. Supporting services include a scholarship program, progressive certification pathways culminating in Masternaut rank, and an annual fundraising gala for financial support.

Product overview

Scubanauts International is a nonprofit youth education organization operating under the AAUS science research diving standards. The organization offers a single unified program—the SCUBAnauts Program—that provides teens with marine science education through underwater exploration. The core offering consists of structured dive training, local chapter activities, and summer science expeditions to various Caribbean and domestic dive locations. Supporting infrastructure includes the Manta database for data management and an annual fundraising gala for program support. The organization partners extensively with Mote Marine Laboratory for coral restoration training and NOAA for various research initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Manta: An online platform or system referenced as manta.scubanautsintl.org, potentially used for member tracking or program management.
• SCUBAnauts Gala

Products and services

• SCUBAnauts Program A youth marine science education program for teens ages 12-18 that teaches scientific diving, coral restoration, and ocean conservation through hands-on underwater exploration and research activities. Delivered through local chapters across Florida and delivering progressive certification pathways up to Masternaut rank.
• Summer Science Expeditions Multi-day field expeditions to various dive locations including the Florida Keys, Belize, Grenada, Roatan, and Thunder Bay where teens conduct real scientific research including coral restoration, fish surveys, shipwreck documentation, and debris cleanup.
• Coral Restoration Training Hands-on training in coral fragging, nursery maintenance, and outplanting techniques conducted in partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory's Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration in Summerland Key, FL. Participants contribute to active coral restoration with documented 75% outplant survival rates.
• Scholarship Program Financial assistance program supporting teens interested in pursuing marine science education and diving certifications through SCUBAnauts, funded through donations and annual fundraising gala proceeds.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% survival rate for coral outplants in Mote restoration program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025Collaboration with NOAA on shipwreck documentation projects including the Big Anchor Project and photogrammetry mapping. SCUBAnauts conduct scientific dives in Lake Huron to document historic anchors and create 3D models of shipwrecks.
• NOAA Goal: Clean SeasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2025Debris cleanup dives supported by NOAA Goal: Clean Seas initiative. SCUBAnauts remove fishing line and trash from reefs in Key West as part of marine debris removal efforts.
• Florida State University Panama City (FSU-PC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2025Partnership with FSU-PC Advanced Science Diving and Underwater Crime Scene Investigation team provides full face mask training, sonar operations, and underwater communications instruction. Naut members gain specialized diving skills and exposure to professional diving career paths.
• Mote Marine LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2015Long-standing partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory for coral reef restoration projects. SCUBAnauts assist with coral nursery maintenance, fragging, and outplanting at Mote's Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration in Summerland Key. Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote President and CEO, serves on SCUBAnauts Board of Directors.
• Combat Wounded Veteran ChallengeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Annual partnership pairing SCUBAnauts with wounded veterans for coral restoration dives and team-building experiences. Veterans serve as role models while contributing to reef restoration efforts. SCUBAnauts have participated in this program for over 10 years.
• Florida International University (FIU) - AquariuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with FIU provides access to the world's only underwater research laboratory. Naut members tour the Aquarius facility and conduct dives around the Aquarius Reef Base, learning about marine research operations.
• Naval Diving and Salvage Training CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacility tours provide Naut members exposure to commercial and military diving operations, including underwater construction, salvage techniques, and hyperbaric training. Located in Panama City, FL.
• US Coast Guard Air Station St. PetersburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacility tours expose Naut members to military aviation and search and rescue operations. Members learn about C-130 cargo planes and Black Hawk helicopter capabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Living Oceans Foundation: Nonprofit dedicated to ocean conservation, reef health monitoring, and youth education with expedition-based programs—comparable in scale, mission, and reef research focus.
• Sea Camp: Texas-based nonprofit youth marine science education program offering summer camps, dive training, and field expeditions for teens—comparable educational diving and marine science programming for the same 12–18 demographic.
• Beneath the Sea: Nonprofit organization producing youth marine science education programs, scholarships, and career exposure events for teens interested in diving and ocean careers—directly comparable mission and target demographic to SCUBAnauts.
• Project AWARE Foundation: Global nonprofit mobilizing scuba divers for marine conservation, debris cleanup, and policy advocacy—comparable dive-driven conservation education model and youth-engagement programming.
• Coral Restoration Foundation: Nonprofit focused on coral reef restoration through outplanting programs that engage volunteers, divers, and citizen scientists—directly overlaps with SNI's Mote partnership restoration work and educational diving mission.
• Ocean First Institute: Nonprofit combining marine science education, scuba training, and conservation expeditions for youth and adults—directly comparable youth-diving-plus-citizen-science model.
• Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF): Nonprofit running citizen-science fish survey programs that train volunteer divers to contribute to marine research databases—an existing SNI data integration partner with closely aligned citizen-science diving mission.
• Marine Science Institute (Port Aransas): Nonprofit marine science education organization offering hands-on youth programs, field trips, and summer camps focused on coastal and estuarine ecosystems—overlaps with SNI's youth STEM education focus.

Broad incumbents

• National Marine Sanctuary Foundation: Nonprofit supporting NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary system with youth education, volunteer dive programs, and citizen-science initiatives—a broader incumbent that has historically sponsored SNI programming.
• Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium: Major marine research institution operating an extensive coral restoration program (Elizabeth Moore International Center) and broader education programs—SNI's flagship partner and a broader-incumbent operating in the same marine science and conservation space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/SCUBAnauts-International/140269784018
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scubanauts-international-inc-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Scubanauts International, Inc.