coastx

What coastx does

CoastX is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 99-2674132) that operates ocean-based experiential STEAM and entrepreneurship programs for middle and high school students in Southern Maine and the Seacoast of New Hampshire. Its program portfolio comprises four core offerings: Ocean Discovery Week (a week-long marine science program using remotely operated underwater vehicles/ROVs, plankton tows, and water-quality data collection aboard the 38' Coast Guard-certified M/V Utopia research vessel); the two-week Ocean Engineering Program (in which students design, build, and deploy DIY marine sensor logging buoys using university prototyping facilities); the Blue Art Program (creative arts workshops using coastal locations as studio space, including Wood Island); and the Blue Innovation Program (a startup sprint plus six weekly after-school sessions with mentors, with optional national competition participation).

The technical backbone of the programs centers on marine robotics and student-built ocean instrumentation. Ocean Engineering participants prototype marine sensor buoys at Traip Academy's innovation workshop and test wave-tank prototypes at the University of New Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (UNH CCOM), which provides access to a 2,400 sq ft testing pool and professional ocean research facilities. Programs also leverage partnerships with Portsmouth Harbor Cruises and the historic Wood Island Life Saving Station as field studios and drop-off/pick-up locations. The organization is led by a co-founding team with relevant pedigree: Susan Johnson (Executive Director, 35-year educator) and Ian Grant (COO, three acquired startups, $8M raised for UNH's ECenter) oversee operations, while Matt Scheuer (Electrona Robotics founder) directs science and technology. Co-founder Jim Case (OCEANZUS / Case Ocean Services) is currently on leave.

CoastX's revenue model is a hybrid of programmatic fees, philanthropic donations, and merchandise. Direct revenue streams include: (i) one-time program tuition ranging from $400 (Ocean Discovery Week, half-day) to $1,100 (Ocean Engineering, two weeks) with scholarships that can reduce fees to $100-$950 depending on family qualification; (ii) tax-deductible donations from individuals plus corporate sponsorships ranging from $500-$25,000; and (iii) branded merchandise (custom hats at $45). Distribution is direct-to-consumer: families register via the CoastX website (LGL Forms) and programs are delivered at physical sites across the Piscataqua River estuary. The organization targets a regional addressable population of approximately 25,000 middle and high school students.

Name

coastx

Legal name

CoastX

Website

https://coastx.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CoastX is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing ocean-based experiential STEAM and entrepreneurship programs for middle and high school students in Southern Maine and the Seacoast of New Hampshire, funded through program fees, donations, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine and Ocean Youth Education Programs

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAKAGAM

Educational Cruises & Shipboard Learning Programs

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Group Travel & Educational Travel Operators

SECONDARYTHAAAIAH

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

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Marine & Coastal Ecotourism (Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching)

Keywords

• Marine science education
• Ocean engineering programs
• Youth STEAM programs
• Experiential ocean learning
• Summer education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kittery Point

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Revenue from summer program tuition fees including Ocean Discovery Week ($400/student/week), Ocean Engineering ($1,100/two-week program), and Blue Art ($550/student).
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporate sponsors support scholarships and general operations. EIN 99-2674132. Corporate sponsorships range $500-$25,000.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of CoastX branded merchandise including hats ($45) with proceeds supporting scholarships and student programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CoastX provides immersive on-ocean experiential education programs for middle and high school students in marine science, engineering, art, and entrepreneurship. The portfolio includes four core programs: Ocean Discovery Week (ROV piloting and marine science), Ocean Engineering Program (designing and deploying real-world ocean sensor buoys), Blue Art Program (coastal creative arts), and Blue Innovation Program (entrepreneurship and startup development). Programs are delivered aboard research vessels and at university and community partner facilities in Southern Maine and the Seacoast of New Hampshire.

Product overview

CoastX is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering immersive on-ocean experiential education programs for middle and high school students in marine science, engineering, art, and entrepreneurship. The core program portfolio includes four distinct offerings: Ocean Discovery Week (underwater drone exploration and marine science), Ocean Engineering Program (designing and deploying real-world ocean technology), Blue Art Program (creative arts inspired by the sea), and the Blue Innovation Program (entrepreneurship and startup development). The organization operates from the Gulf of Maine and Piscataqua River estuary regions, with partner facilities at University of New Hampshire's Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, Wood Island Life Saving Station, and Traip Academy. Programs are delivered aboard research vessels including the 38' M/V Utopia and 48' R/V Gulf Surveyor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ocean Discovery Program: Week-long marine science adventure exploring underwater worlds with ROVs, microscopes, water chemistry, and real ocean research tools
• Ocean Engineering Program
• Blue Art Program
• Blue Innovation Program

Products and services

• Ocean Discovery Week Week-long marine science adventure where middle and high school students explore the ocean using ROVs (underwater drones), plankton tows, water-quality data collection, and underwater exploration aboard the 38' Coast Guard-certified M/V Utopia research vessel.
• Ocean Engineering Program Two-week intensive engineering experience where students design, build, and deploy real-world ocean technology including marine sensor logging buoys, learning core principles of buoyancy, electronics, coding, and fabrication before deploying their systems in the ocean for data collection.
• Blue Art Program Creative arts program that uses the coast as a studio, exploring color, texture, and form through various media including cyanotype, acrylic and watercolor painting, journaling, cellphone photography, and art projects aboard M/V Utopia.
• Blue Innovation Program Entrepreneurship program for students interested in ocean innovation and business development, including a StartUp Sprint (Friday-Saturday intensive) plus six weekly after-school sessions with mentors, speakers, and ocean experts, culminating in pitch presentations and optional national competition participation.
• CoastX Store Merchandise store selling CoastX-branded items including custom-embroidered hats. All proceeds support scholarships and student programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students design and deploy working ocean data-collection platforms in real marine environments
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wood Island Life Saving StationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier partner of CoastX. Students visit the historic station during programs including Blue Art Adventures and Ocean Discovery Week. Serves as an inspirational field studio and premiere partner location for experiential learning.
• University of New Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (UNH CCOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents visit UNH CCOM to learn about underwater ROVs, test prototypes in the 2,400 sq ft wave testing pool, and tour professional research facilities. UNH provides access to state-of-the-art ocean research equipment and expertise.
• Traip AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation workshop location for Ocean Engineering program. Students build marine sensor projects in the workshop/classroom space at the Kittery, ME high school.
• Key Collective / #AreUin? ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing automatic scholarships to students with #AreUin? cards. New Hampshire residents can apply online through Key Collective to receive financial assistance for CoastX programs.
• Portsmouth Harbor CruisesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrop-off/pick-up location for Ocean Discovery and Blue Art programs in Portsmouth, NH.
• OCEANZUS / Case Ocean Services LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by CoastX co-founder Jim Case. Marine technology company dedicated to advancing ocean exploration and sustainability.
• Kittery Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrop-off/pick-up location for Blue Art program and Blue Innovation Program sessions.
• Catalyst CampaignminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting CoastX programs.
• Dogo CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting CoastX programs.
• Sprague EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting CoastX programs.
• High Water Group / Steward PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting CoastX programs.
• True Growth AIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting CoastX programs.
• UNH Entrepreneurship Center (ECenter)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides paid student internship funding through the Paul College Internship Opportunity Fund. Intern Ana Brunette joined CoastX through this program.
• UNE Sustainability Fellowship ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNE Sustainability Fellow Robyn Hamilton joined CoastX as Artist-in-Residence through this fellowship connecting students with community partners on sustainability projects.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Education Programs: Maine-based ocean research institution that runs K-12 and high school experiential programs, including summer offerings. Comparable as a Maine coastal marine science education provider for teens, with deeper research infrastructure but narrower STEAM scope.
• Sea Education Association (SEA): Woods Hole-based nonprofit offering ocean-focused high school summer programs aboard sailing research vessels. Comparable as a hands-on, shipboard ocean-education provider targeting high schoolers, though its programs are residential and longer in duration.
• Shoals Marine Laboratory: Joint UNH/Cornell marine science field station on the Isles of Shoals offering summer courses and teen programs. Highly comparable as a UNH-affiliated marine science experiential program targeting high-achieving high school students, and a direct competitor for the same NH/Maine families.
• Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership: Off-island Maine-based experiential science program offering summer and school-year courses for high school students focused on marine science, sustainability, and leadership. Closely mirrors CoastX's experiential ocean-education model with shipboard/field components and a teen audience.
• Coastal Studies for Girls: Residential marine science and leadership semester program for high school girls in Freeport, Maine. Highly comparable as a Maine-based, experiential, teen-focused ocean education offering, though it serves a single-gender, semester-long model versus CoastX's co-ed summer/after-school format.
• Maine Sea Coast Mission: Maine-based nonprofit providing marine education and youth programs along the Maine coast, including shipboard experiences on its own vessel. Comparable as a Maine-focused marine education nonprofit serving youth with ship-based learning components.
• Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park: Maine-based marine science education and research center offering K-12 and teen programs on the coast of Maine. Comparable as a regional marine-science experiential learning provider serving Maine youth with hands-on field and lab activities.
• Seacoast Science Center: NH-based nonprofit marine education center in Rye offering K-12 marine science programs and summer camps on the Seacoast. Most directly comparable as a Seacoast-region marine science education nonprofit competing for the same local families and schools.

Emerging players

• Ocean First Education: Marine science education nonprofit offering curriculum and programs for K-12 students, including hands-on ocean experiences. Comparable as an ocean-focused STEAM education provider but with a national/online orientation rather than a localized shipboard model.
• Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean: New England-based nonprofit combining marine debris cleanup with youth education aboard a sailing research vessel. Comparable as a small, shipboard-based marine education nonprofit operating in the same New England coastal geography as CoastX.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CoastXorg
• Instagraminstagram.com/coastxorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coastx

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 coastx