What Live Ocean does

Live Ocean Foundation, legally the Live Ocean Charitable Trust (NZ Charity ID CC57006, US 501(c)(3)), is a New Zealand-registered ocean conservation foundation founded in 2019 by Olympic sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, who also serve as Co-CEOs of the Black Foils New Zealand SailGP Team. The foundation partners with scientists (notably University of Auckland researchers Dr Nick Shears, Dr Caitlin Blain, and Dr Emma Carroll), Māori knowledge holders including Te Toki Voyaging Trust, citizen science initiatives such as Marine Metre² and Seascape photogrammetry, and advocacy campaigns like Postcards for the Gulf, to scale up marine science, innovation, and outreach focused primarily on the Hauraki Gulf and broader New Zealand maritime territory (4 million km², of which only 0.4% is currently protected).

The foundation does not develop proprietary technology products but funds and integrates partner-developed tools including 3D photogrammetry citizen science platforms (Marine Metre², integrated with the BioCollect biodiversity database), rapid underwater seafloor mapping (Seascape, mapping 200m² in 6 minutes), and low-cost ROV surveillance for invasive caulerpa detection. Operational integrations are limited to Stripe for payment processing, Twilio for supporter communications, and BioCollect for citizen science data sharing.

Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropy: one-off and regular donations via the website, print-on-demand merchandise (100% of proceeds to conservation), community events (Foil4TheGulf, Winter Dip, Swim4TheGulf), and grants routed through the SailGP Impact League via the Black Foils partnership, plus institutional support from trusts such as the Hugo Charitable Trust and Joyce Fisher Trust. The organization serves individual ocean supporters, schools (via Marine Metre²), recreational fishers, and policy makers, with no commercial pricing tiers or B2B product offerings; its primary measurable outputs are research grants funded, citizen science data generated, and advocacy outcomes including the successful second reading of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill in 2024.

Name

Live Ocean

Legal name

Live Ocean Charitable Trust

Website

https://liveocean.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Live Ocean Foundation is a New Zealand charitable foundation founded in 2019 by Olympic sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke that funds marine science research, citizen science initiatives, and policy advocacy to expand marine protection across New Zealand's 4 million km² maritime territory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ocean Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Ocean conservation
• Marine protection
• Marine science research
• Citizen science platforms
• Charitable foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Live Ocean generates revenue primarily through donations from supporters, including one-off and regular donation options on their website. The foundation receives funding through various channels including direct supporter donations and funds directed through partner successes.
2. Merchandise Sales: The foundation sells branded merchandise ('Gear Up' section) with 100% of proceeds going directly to marine conservation projects supported by Live Ocean. Products are printed on demand with processing times of up to 10 working days.
3. Event Proceeds: Events such as Foil4TheGulf generate entry fees and donations with 100% of proceeds directed to Live Ocean for Hauraki Gulf restoration work.
4. SailGP Impact League Funding: As charity partner of the Black Foils New Zealand SailGP Team, Live Ocean receives funding through Impact League winnings which are directed to supported projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Live Ocean Foundation is a New Zealand charitable trust that raises and deploys funds to support marine conservation through science partnerships, innovation grants, advocacy campaigns, and community outreach. Its core activities include funding marine science research (kelp restoration, cetacean and seabird tracking), supporting citizen science initiatives, advocating for marine protection legislation such as the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill, and operating community engagement events and merchandise sales to fund the work.

Product overview

Live Ocean Foundation is a charitable organization (Live Ocean Charitable Trust, NZ Charity ID CC57006/CC57007) that operates as a nonprofit ocean conservation foundation rather than a traditional product company. The organization's primary activities center on raising funds to support marine science, innovation, and outreach projects. Revenue generation comes through donations (one-off and regular), merchandise/gear sales (100% of proceeds to conservation), and event participation fees. The core offering is a fundraising and grant-making platform that directs supporter contributions toward various marine conservation initiatives. Key programs include the Live Ocean Barometer (annual public opinion research), Project Kahurangi (visual media library), event campaigns (Foil4TheGulf, Winter Dip, Swim4TheGulf, Postcards for the Gulf), and direct support for scientific research projects. Operational tools include Stripe for payments, Twilio for supporter communication, and BioCollect for citizen science data. The organization does not offer a traditional SaaS product, API, or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Donations and Fundraising Platform Enables supporters to make one-off or regular donations to support marine conservation projects including kelp restoration, seabird tracking, and manta ray research.
• Gear Up (Print-on-Demand Merchandise) Branded apparel and merchandise sold through liveocean.org, with 100% of proceeds directed to marine conservation projects supported by Live Ocean.
• Foil4TheGulf Community foiling event with event proceeds (100%) supporting Live Ocean's Hauraki Gulf restoration work, sponsored by Heineken and Appliances Online.
• Winter Dip Annual community event encouraging people to take a midwinter ocean dip to raise awareness and support for ocean health, often in partnership with the Black Foils SailGP team.
• Swim4TheGulf Long-distance ocean swimming campaign supporting Live Ocean to raise awareness about ocean health and bottom trawling issues in the Hauraki Gulf.
• Live Ocean Barometer Annual independent research report conducted by Horizon Research measuring how New Zealanders value and perceive the ocean, providing insights into public attitudes toward ocean health and marine protection.
• Project Kahurangi Royalty-free high-quality images and videos of New Zealand's marine environment, available to non-profit groups, educational institutions, and Iwi/Hapū for ocean conservation communications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of adult New Zealanders believe it is important to protect ocean health (Live Ocean Barometer 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Black Foils / New Zealand SailGP TeamflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Black Foils New Zealand SailGP Team has Live Ocean as its official charity partner. This partnership provides Live Ocean with unprecedented global platform exposure through world-class sailing competitions. Impact League winnings from SailGP competitions are directed to Live Ocean projects including Blue Carbon Research, Marine Metre2, and Kelp Restoration. The partnership enables leveraging sport's platform for ocean advocacy and generates significant brand awareness for the foundation.
• Project KahurangicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Kahurangi is New Zealand's first marine conservation visual library providing royalty-free high-quality images and videos of New Zealand's unique marine environment. Live Ocean supported the creation of this resource which supplies conservation groups with local imagery for their communications campaigns, addressing the barrier of cost and accessibility in ocean conservation messaging.
• Manta Watch Aotearoa New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean Foundation partnered with Manta Watch NZ in January 2023 to support research into oceanic manta rays (te whai rahi) and educate New Zealanders about these ocean giants. Live Ocean funded deployment of 11 satellite trackers to monitor manta movements during 2023-2024 season. Research has revealed New Zealand manta are world record holders, travelling further, diving deeper, and venturing into colder waters than any other known manta population.
• Te Toki Voyaging TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean has partnered with Te Toki Voyaging Trust to provide capacity support enabling the organisation to deliver youth development programmes that carry respect for the marine environment at its core. The partnership highlights traditional voyaging as a vehicle through which mātauranga Māori can join with western science to create a culture of caring for the environment.
• R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean facilitated the collaboration between Te Toki Voyaging Trust and R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust for the Rere Tahi voyage initiative. This partnership brings together two distinctive sailing vessels (a tall ship and waka hourua) to offer unique experiences for rangatahi from Te Tai Tokerau.
• University of Auckland - Dr Nick ShearscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean Foundation supports Dr Nick Shears' multi-year project to understand the scale of kelp forest loss in the Hauraki Gulf and what happens when kina are removed from barrens. Research has shown 'resetting' the system can accelerate kelp regeneration by up to 20-30 years, with kelp returning in just two years. Work continues at the Noises Islands.
• University of Auckland - Dr Caitlin BlaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean supports Dr Caitlin Blain's research investigating how kelp forests contribute to coastal carbon cycles. Her work examines the fate of carbon released by kelp, which could reveal the full potential of kelp forests for climate change mitigation. Research demonstrates reforestation of Hauraki Gulf reefs could be worth nearly $8 million NZD in carbon storage.
• University of Auckland - Dr Emma CarrollcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean Foundation has provided pivotal funding for three research voyages (2020-2022) deploying satellite trackers on tohorā southern right whales. Dr Emma Carroll's research revealed unexpected feeding grounds and has helped inform policy and decision-making aimed at enhancing whale protection. The foundation also funded Richard Robinson's participation in voyages to capture 3D VR footage for schools.
• Marine Metre² / NZ Marine Studies CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean Foundation brought together collaborators and supports Marine Metre², a citizen science project enabling communities to survey seashore ecosystems. The foundation supported the integration of 'Seascape' photogrammetry technology, giving Marine Metre² digital superpowers and connecting data to the BioCollect database for global scientific access.
• Seascape / New Zealand GeographiccoreTechnology or IntegrationSeascape is a photogrammetry innovation pioneered by New Zealand Geographic's James Frankham and Dr Arie Spyksma. Live Ocean supports Dr Spyksma's postdoctoral fellowship at University of Auckland exploring applications of photogrammetry for understanding the seafloor. The tool enables mapping 200m² areas in 6 minutes versus hours with traditional methods.
• Mussel Reef Restoration Trust / Revive Our GulfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean partnered with the Mussel Reef Restoration Trust to support Peter Miles' development of low-cost ROV tools for detecting exotic caulerpa and other invasive species. The ROV surveys are 3x faster and cost one-third of SCUBA dive surveys. The project aims to give iwi and local communities accessible tools for marine biosecurity.
• Free Range OceanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree Range Ocean hosted Manta Watch Aotearoa NZ's biggest expedition yet - a 1,100 nautical mile voyage from Aotearoa to Tonga to investigate mysterious deaths of endangered oceanic manta rays.
• Deep Sea Conservation CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Deep Sea Conservation Coalition hosted a mural painting event at UNOC3 in Nice where Live Ocean founders Peter Burling and Blair Tuke participated alongside other ocean athletes to showcase the importance and ecological significance of seamounts.
• Southern Seabirds TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Ocean supports the Southern Seabirds Trust's development of a Seabird-Safe Fishing Toolkit to mitigate against loss of seabirds including albatrosses through drowning on fishing longlines. The foundation has actively advocated for seabird protection since its 2019 launch.
• Royal Akarana Yacht ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Royal Akarana Yacht Club hosted the Foil4TheGulf 2025 event, providing the venue for New Zealand's largest foiling event to raise awareness for Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection.
• HeinekenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHeineken is a sponsor of the Foil4TheGulf event, enabling 100% of event proceeds to go directly to Live Ocean for Hauraki Gulf restoration work.
• Appliances OnlineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAppliances Online is a sponsor of the Foil4TheGulf event, enabling 100% of event proceeds to go directly to Live Ocean for Hauraki Gulf restoration work.
• EmiratesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmirates partnered with SailGP and Live Ocean for the Ocean Impact Project supporting kelp restoration at the Noises Islands in the Hauraki Gulf.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oceana: Large international ocean advocacy organisation that campaigns for science-based marine protection policies. Closely comparable to Live Ocean in mission (ocean policy outcomes) and donor-funded advocacy model, but with a global remit rather than NZ focus.
• Marine Conservation Institute: US-based marine conservation NGO focused on establishing marine protected areas and ocean policy. Comparable to Live Ocean's marine protection focus and science-to-policy approach, though at a much larger established scale.
• Sea Shepherd: Global marine conservation nonprofit focused on protecting ocean wildlife and habitats. Directly comparable to Live Ocean as a marine-focused advocacy and direct-action NGO, though Sea Shepherd operates at a much larger global scale.
• Blue Marine Foundation: UK-based ocean conservation charity focused on marine protected areas and ocean restoration. Comparable to Live Ocean's marine protection advocacy and small-grant research funding model, with a similar sport-of-sailing heritage.
• WWF-New Zealand: New Zealand arm of the global environmental NGO with significant marine portfolio. Comparable to Live Ocean as a NZ-based marine conservation organisation driving public campaigns and policy work, though with a much broader terrestrial and international scope.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Large global environmental NGO with marine and climate programmes. Comparable to Live Ocean in mission (science-based conservation and policy advocacy) and donor-funded grantmaking model, but with global scope and institutional funding.
• Greenpeace: Global environmental advocacy organisation with a major ocean campaign portfolio. Comparable to Live Ocean as a high-profile advocacy NGO with celebrity support and direct-action credibility, but Greenpeace operates across many environmental issues beyond oceans.

Emerging players

• Sustainable Coastlines: New Zealand coastal environmental charity focused on beach clean-ups, education, and citizen science. Comparable to Live Ocean on community-led ocean engagement and education, though smaller and more focused on coastal litter than marine biodiversity policy.

Regional players

• Forest & Bird (Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand): New Zealand's largest independent conservation organisation with a strong marine portfolio. Comparable as a domestic conservation advocacy peer, though Forest & Bird is broader than Live Ocean's ocean-only focus.
• LegaSea: New Zealand non-profit coalition advocating for healthy fisheries and marine protection. Comparable to Live Ocean as a NZ-focused marine advocacy peer, particularly on Hauraki Gulf fisheries policy, but with a recreational-fishing base rather than athlete-led platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCijFShncvPZb1g3IhOME9cQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/itsliveocean
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/itsliveocean
• Instagraminstagram.com/itsliveocean

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 Live Ocean