What Nature Inc. does

Inspired By Nature, Inc. is a privately-held natural pond management company founded in 1996 and headquartered in Weston, Ohio. The company serves pond and lake owners in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana through a holistic, chemical-free approach built on three pillars: bottom-diffused aeration systems, custom-blended beneficial microbial products, and physical removal of organic debris. Its product portfolio includes the IBN Microbe Blend (the core bacterial formulation), IBN Trace Minerals & Enzymes, IBN Microbe Booster Plus, IBN Beach Blaster, IBN Binder (a phosphorus-binding treatment), and Green Clean PRO algaecide, alongside fish stocking services (Tilapia, Largemouth Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, White Amur, Fathead Minnows, and others) and site planning/consulting.

The underlying technology is biological and mechanical rather than digital. Bottom-diffused aeration systems use compressors and diffusers placed on the pond floor to circulate and oxygenate the entire water column, with the company claiming this accelerates organic decomposition by 20–30x. The custom microbe blends and enzyme formulations are designed to consume organic muck and excess nutrients and redirect them into the pond food chain, a value proposition grounded in nutrient balance science rather than software. The company does not maintain an e-commerce platform and operates with no mobile app, no API, and no disclosed AI or machine learning components.

Revenue is generated through four streams: one-time product sales (consumables priced by unit), hardware sales and installation of aeration systems (quote-based), seasonal fish stocking (per-fish and per-pound pricing with pre-orders required), and professional services including cleanouts, raking, and consulting. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: founder Don is the primary point of contact via a published phone number, free educational seminars are hosted throughout the season, and the company uses Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and an email newsletter for top-of-funnel awareness. Customers include private homeowners (primary), lake associations (secondary), and commercial properties such as golf courses and retention ponds (secondary).

Name

Nature Inc.

Legal name

Inspired By Nature, Inc.

Website

https://ibnature.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Inspired By Nature, Inc. is a privately-held pond and lake management company serving homeowners, lake associations, and commercial properties in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana with chemical-free aeration systems, custom microbial treatments, and fish stocking services since 1996.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pond and Lake Management Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Features Design & Installation (Ponds, Fountains, Waterfalls) (HSAIABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation System Design & Planning (HSAIAEAA), Water Features (Ponds, Fountains & Waterfalls) (HSAPALAJ)

Keywords

• Pond management services
• Lake aeration systems
• Beneficial microbes blend
• Fish stocking services
• Natural algae control

Headquarters

HQ city

Weston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pond Management Products: Sale of beneficial microbes, enzyme blends, trace minerals, algaecides, and other pond treatment products. Products are sold per unit (pounds, gallons, buckets) at fixed prices.
2. Aeration System Installation: Design, sale, and installation of bottom-diffused aeration systems for ponds and lakes. Services provided across Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.
3. Fish Stocking Services: Sale of various fish species for pond stocking including largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, yellow perch, bluegill, redear sunfish, white amur, fathead minnows, and tilapia.
4. Pond Maintenance Services: Pond cleanouts, maintenance tools, raking services, and site planning/consulting for properties of all sizes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Inspired By Nature provides holistic natural pond and lake management through three core tools: bottom-diffused aeration systems, custom-blended beneficial microbial products, and fish stocking/physical debris services. The company designs and installs aeration systems, sells a proprietary line of microbial blends, minerals, enzymes, and algaecides, and stocks fish species (including Blue Tilapia) for biological algae and weed control. It also offers site planning, consulting, and pond cleanout services for residential, lake association, and commercial properties in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.

Product overview

Inspired By Nature (Nature Inc.) is a natural pond management company offering a holistic ecosystem-based approach through three core tools: bottom-diffused aeration systems, beneficial microbial products, and physical removal of organic debris. The product portfolio includes the IBN Microbe Blend (core bacterial product), IBN Trace Minerals & Enzymes, IBN Microbe Booster Plus, IBN Beach Blaster, IBN Binder, and Green Clean PRO algaecide. Services include custom-designed aeration systems installed across Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, fish stocking (Tilapia, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, and more), pond cleanouts, maintenance tools and raking services, and site planning and consulting. The company does not sell one-size-fits-all solutions but provides personalized management plans combining their biological products with expert advice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IBN Microbe Blend

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 85% of tilapia-stocking customers chose to restock in the next season due to excellent results
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Otterbine Barebo: Otterbine Barebo designs and manufactures aeration and fountain equipment for ponds and lakes, including bottom-diffuser and surface aerator product lines. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because both sell engineered aeration hardware as part of integrated pond/lake management solutions to similar end customers.
• SePRO Corporation: SePRO Corporation is a specialty aquatics company that manufactures and distributes products for pond, lake, and water-feature management including algaecides and biological treatments. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because both serve pond/lake owners with water-quality products, though SePRO is significantly larger and more national in scope.
• Aeration Industries International: Aeration Industries International (AII) designs and manufactures diffused aeration equipment used in wastewater and water-body applications. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because bottom-diffused aeration technology is a core product category for both, though AII focuses more on industrial/municipal and IBN on private pond/lake customers.
• Vertex Water Features: Vertex Water Features is a water-feature and pond construction/installation company serving residential, commercial, and golf-course clients. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because both deliver pond design, installation, and ongoing care services, although Vertex focuses more on construction and IBN on biological management.
• Kasco Marine: Kasco Marine manufactures aeration systems, decorative fountains, and circulators for ponds, lakes, and water features. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because bottom-diffused aeration systems are a core offering for both companies, targeting the same pond-owner customer with similar hardware.
• Lake & Wetland Management: Lake & Wetland Management is a regional pond and lake management service company offering aeration, biological treatments, fisheries, and aquatic weed control. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because both offer holistic, multi-tool pond/lake care services including aeration installation and biological products to homeowners and lake associations.
• SOLitude Lake Management: SOLitude Lake Management is one of the largest full-service lake and pond management companies in the U.S., offering aeration, biological treatments, fisheries management, and consulting. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because both provide holistic, science-based pond/lake management services to homeowners, associations, and commercial clients.
• Naturalake Bioscience: Naturalake Bioscience develops beneficial bacteria and enzyme-based pond and lake treatment products, including microbial blends marketed to homeowners and lake professionals. It is directly comparable to Inspired By Nature because both compete with proprietary biological/microbial product lines in the natural pond management category.

Broad incumbents

• Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems: Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems is a large-scale supplier of aquaculture and water-management equipment including aeration, filtration, and water-quality products. It is comparable as a BROAD_INCUMBENT because it supplies pond and lake operators with aeration and biological solutions, but as part of a much broader water-treatment portfolio across commercial aquaculture and aquaculture.
• AquaScape Supply Chain: AquaScape is a leading national manufacturer of ecosystem pond and water-feature products, including pumps, filters, and biological treatments for residential and commercial water gardens. It is comparable as a BROAD_INCUMBENT because it sells biological and mechanical pond solutions nationwide through a distributor network, dwarfing IBN's direct-to-consumer Midwest model.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/schoonerfarms
• Facebookfacebook.com/schoonerfarms
• Instagraminstagram.com/@schooner_farms_llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Nature Inc.