Stone Living Lab
Stone Living Lab is a Boston-based non-profit research and education organization that tests nature-based approaches to coastal climate adaptation and resilience in Boston Harbor, operating a 26-instrument real-time monitoring network, Living Seawalls pilot installations, and free public dashboards and education programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Stone Living Lab does
Stone Living Lab is a Boston-based non-profit research and education organization founded in 2019 that conducts research, monitoring, and education on climate adaptation, coastal resilience, and ecological restoration in and around Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. It operates as a living laboratory that brings research out of traditional settings into real-world coastal environments, partnering with Boston Harbor Now, UMass Boston's School for the Environment, the City of Boston, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the National Park Service, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation. The Lab's core programs include the Real-time Monitoring Network (26 instruments including flood sensors, tide gauges, wave buoys, and weather stations across Boston Harbor and coastal Massachusetts), Living Seawalls installations (first North American sites of 3D-printed habitat panels developed in Sydney), Cobble Berms monitoring in partnership with MA Office of Coastal Zone Management, Terrestrial LiDAR coastal erosion tracking, and a portfolio of public-facing data dashboards including a Flood Dashboard and Current Coastal Conditions Dashboard.
The Lab's technology stack blends proprietary environmental monitoring hardware deployed with Woods Hole Group, data ingestion from Hohonu overland flood sensors and WQDataLive tidal feeds, and public-facing dashboards and ArcGIS StoryMaps for community engagement. Its product set is research-driven rather than commercial: nature-based coastal infrastructure pilots, policy modeling for nature-based solutions, and participatory science programs including Coastal Surge Investigators, Intertidal Monitoring, and Beach Profiling. Education deliverables include the Summer Teacher Institute, place-based lesson plans, Climate Cart activities, Wicked High Tides programming, and an annual Environmental Educator workshop.
Its business model is grant-funded philanthropy with no commercial revenue. Core funding comes from the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation and the Cabot Corporation Foundation, with additional project funding from 11th Hour Racing and others. The 2026 Pilot Research Program awards $20,000 per project for innovative research. All education programs, monitoring data, and dashboards are free to the public. The Lab serves Coastal Communities and Municipalities, Government Agencies and Policymakers, Educators and Students, Research Institutions, and Environmental Justice Communities, with a 1-10 employee staff and a leadership team led by Director Katherine Dafforn and Chief Resilience Officer Joe Christo.
Stone Living Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stone Living Lab
- Legal name
- Stone Living Lab
- Website
- https://stonelivinglab.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Stone Living Lab is a Boston-based non-profit research and education organization that tests nature-based approaches to coastal climate adaptation and resilience in Boston Harbor, operating a 26-instrument real-time monitoring network, Living Seawalls pilot installations, and free public dashboards and education programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stone Living Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Adaptation Research
- NAICS
- Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Assessment / Valuation (EUAHAHAI), Earth Science & Geoscience Programs (EDAMABAI)
Keywords
Where Stone Living Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Stone Living Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Foundation Funding: The Lab receives initial and ongoing funding from the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation and the Cabot Corporation Foundation. These provide philanthropic and organizational support for operations and research programs.
- Pilot Research Program: The Lab operates a Pilot Research Program providing seed funding ($20,000 per award) to support short-term innovative research. This generates revenue through grant-based research projects advancing the Lab's mission.
- Grants and External Funding: Funding from organizations including 11th Hour Racing for specific projects such as salt marsh health assessment. The Lab has secured over $15 million in total grant funding according to team member credentials.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free educational programs for Boston-area teachers |
| Freemium | Monthly | Free public access to research data and dashboards |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Stone Living Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stone Living Lab conducts research, monitoring, and education on climate adaptation, coastal resilience, and ecological restoration using nature-based approaches in and around Boston Harbor. The organization operates a comprehensive real-time monitoring network across Boston Harbor and coastal Massachusetts and runs education programs for teachers, students, and the public. All outputs, including research data, dashboards, and education resources, are provided free of charge and funded through philanthropic foundations and grants.
Product overview
Stone Living Lab is a research and education organization (not a software company) that operates as a living laboratory for testing and scaling nature-based approaches to climate adaptation, coastal resilience, and ecological restoration. The organization offers a portfolio of research projects, monitoring systems, education programs, and data dashboards. Core research products include Living Seawalls (3D-printed habitat panels), Real-time Monitoring Networks (sensors for flooding, waves, tides), Cobble Berms monitoring, Terrestrial LiDAR coastal erosion tracking, and Participatory Science programs. The organization provides data dashboards for public access to real-time coastal conditions. Education offerings include the Summer Teacher Institute, Climate Cart activities, place-based lesson plans, Wicked High Tides programs, and the biennial Nature-based Coastal Resilience Conference.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Living Seawalls Nature-based coastal infrastructure using 3D-printed modular habitat panels that mimic natural rocky shoreline features, creating microhabitats for native marine species on hardened urban shorelines. First North American pilot sites are in Boston Harbor at Fan Pier and Condor Street Urban Wild.
- Real-time Monitoring Network Network of flood sensors, tide gauges, wave buoys, and weather stations providing continuous real-time data on water levels, waves, and weather conditions across Boston Harbor and coastal Massachusetts, with public access via dashboards.
- Flood Dashboard Real-time dashboard displaying overland flood sensor data from sensors across coastal Massachusetts, showing current flood conditions at various locations.
- Current Coastal Conditions Dashboard Live data dashboard providing wind speed, wave height, water levels, and flooding data from monitoring equipment across Boston Harbor and coastal Massachusetts.
- Cobble Berms Monitoring Partnership research project with MA Office of Coastal Zone Management evaluating the performance, effectiveness, and ecological impacts of cobble berms as nature-based solutions for coastal resilience.
- Summer Teacher Institute Free five-day professional development program bringing Boston-area teachers together to explore Boston Harbor through climate change, place-based learning, and participatory science.
- Education Workshop All-day workshop with virtual lightning talks and in-person collaboration sessions for environmental educators in the greater Boston area.
- Biennial Conference on Nature-Based Coastal Resilience Biennial conference convening researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders for coastal research and climate resilience discussions. Next conference: April 28-30, 2027 at UMass Boston.
- Pilot Research Program Seed funding program providing $20,000 per award to support short-term innovative research advancing nature-based approaches for coastal resilience.
- Participatory Science Programs Community science initiatives including Coastal Surge Investigators (CSI), Intertidal Monitoring, and Beach Profiling engaging local students and residents in data collection on coastal conditions.
Quantifiable outcome
- The sea around Boston has risen about 8 inches since 1950
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Stone Living Lab
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Stone Living Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Stone Living Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Boston Harbor NowcoreAs the lead Boston Harbor nonprofit organization committed to access, resilience, and the harbor's health, Boston Harbor Now acts as the principal NGO advancing the Stone Living Lab in policy, communications, and public engagement.
- University of Massachusetts Boston - School for the EnvironmentcoreThe School for the Environment at UMass Boston leads the scientific research of the Stone Living Lab and some educational activities. UMass Boston carries out undergraduate and graduate education and transformational research in sustainability, marine science, and environmental management.
- City of BostoncoreThe City of Boston is committed to protecting Boston's air, water, and land resources and addressing climate change. As a partner, the City leads efforts to understand and protect cultural resources on Rainsford Island and links the Lab to Climate Ready Boston and Resilient Boston Harbor initiatives.
- Massachusetts Department of Conservation and RecreationcoreDCR protects, promotes, and enhances natural and cultural resources throughout Massachusetts, including management of 17 islands within the Boston Harbor National Park Area where the Lab conducts research.
- National Park ServicecoreThe National Park Service works in partnership to preserve the sites and landscapes that make up the National Parks of Boston, provides meaningful visitor experiences, and engages communities to encourage stewardship for the future of their parks.
- Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental AffairscoreEEA seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance the Commonwealth's environmental resources while ensuring a clean energy future for Massachusetts residents.
- Woods Hole GroupcorePartnered with the Lab on the Real-time Monitoring Network providing expertise in coastal monitoring technology. Manages real-time monitoring dashboards and supports instrument deployment and data collection.
- Living Seawalls (Sydney, Australia)coreInternational partner bringing 3D-printed habitat panel technology to North America for the first time. Living Seawalls started in Sydney, Australia and has developed modular habitat panels that mimic natural features to help marine life thrive on hardened shorelines.
- Urban Ocean LabmajorUrban Ocean Lab cultivates rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for coastal cities. Created Nature-Based Solutions in Boston's Harbor policy memo in partnership with Boston Harbor Now.
- Massachusett Tribe at PonkapoagcoreThe Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag are descendants of the original inhabitants of the Greater Boston area and are active partners in the Lab's work. Boston Harbor Islands are part of the traditional homelands of the Massachusett Tribe.
- Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone ManagementmajorCZM partners on the Cobble Berms project to evaluate the performance, effectiveness, and ecological impacts of cobble berms as nature-based solutions for coastal resilience.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Stone Living Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land conservation and nature-based climate solutions, including coastal access and resilience projects. Comparable nonprofit model pursuing nature-based climate adaptation, but with much larger geographic scope and budget.
- The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest global environmental nonprofits, with active coastal resilience and nature-based solutions programs across the US, including in Massachusetts. Comparable as a peer environmental nonprofit pursuing similar coastal/marine conservation outcomes at much greater scale and budget.
- Surfrider Foundation: US-wide coastal environmental nonprofit focused on beach preservation, water quality, and coastal adaptation. Comparable coastal environmental advocacy and education mission, but operates at much larger national scale and grassroots orientation.
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Premier US marine and coastal research institution based on Cape Cod, MA. Conducts comparable coastal monitoring, climate adaptation science, and graduate training; broader scientific portfolio but overlapping coastal/marine research domain.
Others
- Restore America's Estuaries: National network organization dedicated to estuarine and coastal habitat restoration. Comparable mission around coastal resilience and ecological restoration; functions as an umbrella rather than a direct operating peer.
- MIT Sea Grant College Program: Massachusetts-based coastal research, education, and extension program affiliated with MIT. Comparable coastal science research focus and workforce training mission; different host institution but operates in the same Massachusetts coastal ecosystem.
- Boston Harbor Now: Lead Boston Harbor nonprofit and named Stone Living Lab partner with overlapping resilience, public engagement, and policy missions for Boston Harbor. Strong mission overlap but a different operating scope (harbor-wide advocacy vs. nature-based research).
Regional players
- Massachusetts Audubon Society: Massachusetts-based conservation nonprofit combining habitat protection, climate education, and coastal stewardship. Comparable regional focus, education programs, and conservation mission; operates at much larger scale than Stone Living Lab.
- New England Aquarium: Boston-based marine science and education organization with research programs in coastal ecosystems, climate change, and marine policy. Comparable combination of marine research, public education, and policy advocacy in the same Boston ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Living Seawalls: Sydney-based developer of the 3D-printed modular habitat panel technology that Stone Living Lab pilots as its first North American partner. Same product category (nature-based coastal infrastructure), same target customer base (municipalities and harbor authorities), and active co-deployment relationship.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Stone Living Lab social profiles
Digital presenceStone Living Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stone Living Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Stone Living Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stone Living Lab 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 Stone Living Lab
What does Stone Living Lab do?
Stone Living Lab conducts research, monitoring, and education on climate adaptation, coastal resilience, and ecological restoration using nature-based approaches in and around Boston Harbor. The organization operates a comprehensive real-time monitoring network across Boston Harbor and coastal Massachusetts and runs education programs for teachers, students, and the public. All outputs, including research data, dashboards, and education resources, are provided free of charge and funded through philanthropic foundations and grants.
Is Stone Living Lab a public or private company?
Stone Living Lab is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Stone Living Lab founded?
Stone Living Lab was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Stone Living Lab based?
Stone Living Lab is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stone Living Lab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Foundation Funding is the primary driver. The others are pilot Research Program and grants and External Funding.
Who are Stone Living Lab's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, Surfrider Foundation and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Others are Restore America's Estuaries, MIT Sea Grant College Program and Boston Harbor Now. Regional players are Massachusetts Audubon Society and New England Aquarium. Living Seawalls is listed as a direct peer.
Does Stone Living Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stone Living Lab.
What industry is Stone Living Lab in?
Stone Living Lab's product category is Climate Adaptation Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAF, Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation, with a secondary code of EUAHAHAI, Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Assessment / Valuation. Its NAICS code is 54136 and its SIC code is 8731.