Tenji: Aquarium Design + Build

What Tenji: Aquarium Design + Build does

Tenji Inc. is a privately held specialty construction and engineering firm that designs, fabricates, and installs custom aquariums, aquatic exhibits, and Life Support Systems (LSS). Founded in 2001 by three former Monterey Bay Aquarium employees — Ed Seidel, Mark Faulkner, and Andy Case — the firm operates from a West Coast showroom and headquarters in Carmel, California, an East Coast office in Newcastle, Maine, and an in-house fabrication facility housed in an airplane hangar in Monterey. The company has completed work in 8 countries and 30 states across an installed base of more than 150 institutional and commercial clients.

The company's core offering spans four service lines: Studio services (planning, design with a proprietary Rapid Design Process, engineering for LSS and tank systems, and cost estimating); Construction services (construction administration, LSS build, FRP platforms, and tank fabrication across acrylic, glass, fiberglass, and concrete materials); Showroom services (animal care and maintenance, repair and renovation, and conditioned animal sourcing); and standalone specialty products including the Hyperbaric Chamber for fish treatment and customizable Wave Crash Tanks. The team includes marine biologists, aquatic designers, engineers, and builders with over 100 years of combined experience, and the firm uses CAD, Revit, SketchUp, and BIM for design and 3D modeling.

Tenji's revenue model is primarily project-based custom pricing on multi-year contracts, with anchor clients including Monterey Bay Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium (including the $10 million Milne Center for Ocean Science and Conservation), Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences (160 exhibits over seven years), the Museum of Science Boston, Turtle Back Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, Amazon Spheres, L.L. Bean, and Cabela's (12+ locations). A smaller recurring maintenance stream serves Northern California customers. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales through both coast offices, supported by an industry portfolio, case studies, AZA membership, and a physical showroom, with no disclosed outside funding, institutional investors, or revenue figures.

Name

Tenji: Aquarium Design + Build

Legal name

Tenji Inc.

Website

https://tenji.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tenji is a privately held aquarium design and build firm founded in 2001 that engineers, fabricates, and installs custom aquatic exhibits, Life Support Systems, and specialty equipment for public aquariums, zoos, museums, universities, and commercial clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Aquarium Design and Build: Full-service custom aquarium and aquatic exhibit design, engineering, and construction. Includes conceptual planning, CAD design, 3D modeling, and complete fabrication. Projects range from small residential tanks to massive public aquarium installations spanning thousands of square feet.
2. Life Support System (LSS) Design and Installation: Design, fabrication, and installation of aquarium life support systems including filtration, temperature control, and water quality management systems. Provided as standalone services or as part of complete aquarium builds.
3. Repair and Renovation Services: Retrofitting, repairing, and renovating existing aquariums and exhibits. Services include refreshing dated displays, improving LSS and husbandry techniques, restoring worn systems, and complete reimagining of existing facilities.
4. Animal Care and Maintenance: Ongoing aquarium maintenance services primarily for customers in Northern California (Monterey area through Silicon Valley). Includes daily care, feeding, water quality management, and system upkeep.
5. Conditioned Animals: Sourcing, quarantine, and sale of sustainably collected or captive-bred aquatic animals including fish, corals, jellyfish, and plants. Minimum four-week holding period with comprehensive prophylactic treatments.
6. Tank and Platform Fabrication: Custom fabrication of tanks (FRP, concrete, glass, acrylic), stands, and platforms. Can be provided as complete installations or packaged kits with detailed operations and maintenance manuals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tenji is a full-service aquarium design and build firm that engineers, fabricates, and installs custom aquariums, aquatic exhibits, and life support systems (LSS) for public aquariums, zoos, museums, universities, commercial venues, and luxury residences. The company delivers turnkey projects from planning and CAD/BIM design through in-house fabrication (FRP, concrete, glass, acrylic) and on-site installation, with ongoing animal care and maintenance services. It also sells specialty products such as Hyperbaric Chambers, Wave Crash Tanks, and conditioned aquatic animals.

Product overview

Tenji is a premier custom aquarium design and build company offering a comprehensive suite of services including planning, design, engineering, construction, and animal care. The core offering is their full-service aquarium design and build capabilities spanning Studio services (planning, design with proprietary Rapid Design Process, engineering for LSS and tanks, and estimating) and Construction services (construction administration, LSS build, FRP platforms, and tank fabrication). Additional services include repair/renovation, animal care/maintenance, and conditioned animal sourcing. Key specialized products include Hyperbaric Chambers for fish treatment, Wave Crash Tanks with customizable wave patterns, and Quarantine Systems for research facilities. The company operates showrooms in Carmel, CA (West Coast) and Newcastle, ME (East Coast), and maintains over 100 years of combined experience in aquatic design and animal husbandry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aquarium Design and Build Services End-to-end custom aquarium design, engineering, fabrication, and installation for public aquariums, zoos, museums, universities, commercial spaces, and luxury residences. Includes integrated life support systems (LSS), tank fabrication, and exhibit design.
• Planning Services Project planning including financial, logistical, and engineering expertise with accurate estimates, site evaluation, and strategic scheduling for aquarium projects.
• Aquarium Design Studio Architectural drawing and CAD/BIM design services for exhibits, residential, commercial, education/government, and graphics. Features Tenji's proprietary Rapid Design Process (RDP) for rapid 2D and 3D modeling.
• Aquatic Engineering Services Aquatic engineering including custom Life Support System (LSS) design and tank, stand, and platform fabrication in FRP, concrete, glass, and acrylic.
• Cost Estimating Services Cost estimating and value engineering services to identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality on aquarium projects.
• Construction Administration Project management and construction oversight ensuring quality, cost control, and timeline adherence for aquarium build projects.
• Life Support System (LSS) Build Construction of reliable, energy-efficient life support systems including pumps, filters, UV sterilizers, protein skimmers, and heat exchangers for aquarium facilities.
• FRP Platforms (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) Custom FRP stands and platforms built with 316-SS fasteners for durability and all-weather construction at aquarium installations.
• Tank Fabrication Custom tank fabrication in concrete, fiberglass (FRP), glass, and acrylic materials performed in Tenji's in-house fabrication facility, including a Monterey airplane hangar.
• Animal Care and Maintenance Daily aquarium care, animal maintenance, and field team dispatch for inspection and repairs, primarily for customers in Northern California (Monterey area through Silicon Valley).
• Repair and Renovation Aquarium repair, renovation, and retrofit services including LSS improvements and restoration of worn displays.
• Conditioned Animals Sustainable animal sourcing, quarantine (minimum four weeks), and conditioning services for aquatic species including fish, corals, jellyfish, and plants.
• Hyperbaric Chamber Flow-through hyperbaric chamber for treating gas bubble disease in fish and acclimating fish collected at depth. Maintains up to 30 PSI with an Iwaki high head pump and includes remote monitoring with text/email alerts.
• Wave Crash Tanks Specialized tanks with quiet pumps and controllable wave intensity using caisson vacuum systems instead of traditional dump tanks, enabling fully customizable wave size and frequency.
• Modular Quarantine Systems with Biofarm Modular quarantine facilities with interchangeable fluidized sand filters and biofilters, enabling rapid creation of hospitable environments for newly arrived animals.
• Touch Tanks Accessible touch tank exhibits designed for interactive visitor engagement, built for all ages and physical abilities, including installations at Georgia Aquarium and Padilla Bay.

Quantifiable outcome

• Visitor engagement increased by nearly 200% at Nicandri Nature Center after exhibit installation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Living Color Aquariums: Custom aquarium design, fabrication, and installation firm serving public aquariums, zoos, restaurants, hotels, and commercial clients across the US. Direct competitor to Tenji in the custom aquarium design and build market with a similar institutional and commercial client mix.
• Acrylic Tank Manufacturing: Manufacturer of custom acrylic aquariums and tanks for commercial, residential, and institutional applications. Comparable to Tenji's tank fabrication capabilities across acrylic, glass, and FRP, though more focused on manufacturing vs. full turnkey design-build services.
• International Display Aquariums: Designer and installer of custom commercial aquariums serving restaurants, hotels, casinos, and businesses in the US. Comparable to Tenji's commercial/retail segment work (L.L. Bean, Cabela's, Amazon Spheres), though more focused on commercial installations vs. public-aquarium institutional builds.
• Aqua Logic: Aquarium and aquaculture life support systems designer and manufacturer serving public aquariums, universities, and research facilities. Comparable to Tenji's LSS engineering and installation capabilities for institutional research and aquarium clients, often competing on the same bid lists.

Broad incumbents

• SeaQuest: Interactive aquarium experience operator with locations in malls and family entertainment centers across the US. While operating retail-facing aquariums rather than designing/building for institutions, SeaQuest is comparable in aquatic exhibit focus and serves a broader consumer audience.
• Pentair: Large industrial manufacturer supplying aquarium and aquaculture life support systems, filtration equipment, pumps, and water treatment solutions. Comparable to Tenji's LSS engineering work, though Pentair is a diversified incumbent serving broader water management markets beyond aquariums and aquatics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TenjiInc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/tenjilivingsystems
• Facebookfacebook.com/tenjiinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tenji
• Instagraminstagram.com/tenjiinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Tenji: Aquarium Design + Build