Underline Science

What Underline Science does

Underline Science, Inc. is a privately held New York-based software and services company that operates a dual-product platform for the global scientific research community. The company's core offering combines (1) the Underline Digital Video Library, a searchable repository of 80,000+ curated scientific and medical conference lectures with DOI-assigned, AI-indexed content integrated into academic infrastructure via DataCite, ORCID, MARC records, and COUNTER 5 reporting; and (2) Underline Events, a professional conference organizer and event platform that delivers in-person, virtual, and hybrid event production, livestreaming, recording, and post-event publishing for scientific societies. The technology stack is an AI-powered video platform with multimodal search, automated transcription, captioning, translation, and metadata enrichment.

The company serves three primary customer segments: scientific/medical/professional societies (e.g., AAAI, ACL, AMA, IEEE, AIP Publishing, SEB) that license event services and content publishing; university libraries and research institutions that subscribe to the Digital Video Library for institutional access; and individual researchers who can self-submit presentations at $19.95 each. Underline monetizes through recurring institutional subscriptions (quote-based), professional services for event management, transaction-based event monetization for societies, and unit-priced individual submissions. The company also operates under sub-brands including Underline Originals (Nobel Laureate master classes) and a dedicated Librarian Educational Portal.

Underline has raised approximately $4M in disclosed funding (a $1.5M round in 2020 led by ProQuest and a $2.5M round in 2022 led by South Central Ventures with Dutch Founders Fund), holds board representation from Wolters Kluwer, and operates with 11–50 employees from its New York headquarters. Its technology and content infrastructure differentiate it from general event platforms (Zoom Events, Hopin) and general video repositories (YouTube) through science-specific features including parallel tracks, poster sessions, proceedings linking, and academic citation integration.

Name

Underline Science

Legal name

Underline Science, Inc.

Website

https://underline.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Underline Science operates an AI-powered digital video library of 80,000+ scientific and medical conference lectures and a professional conference events platform, serving scientific societies, university libraries, and individual researchers with DOI-linked, searchable content and virtual/hybrid event production services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Video Platform

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Higher Education Lecture Capture & Course Media (EDAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Remote Recording & Online Session Services (MPAIAHAL), Scientific & Laboratory Reference (Chemistry, Biology, Physics; Methods & Protocols) (EDAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Scientific video platform
• Academic video library
• Conference streaming services
• Scholarly content platform
• AI video search

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional Library Subscriptions: University libraries and research institutions subscribe to access the full video library with unlimited simultaneous user access, Underline Originals, and exclusive conference content. Subscription includes MARC records, DOI-linked lectures, and COUNTER 5 reports.
2. Conference Event Services: Scientific societies and conference organizers pay for Underline Events services including virtual, hybrid, and in-person event management, AV production, livestreaming, recording, and White-Glove Service. Services can include full-service professional conference organization, platform access, and post-event video publishing.
3. Individual Presentation Submission: Individual researchers pay $19.95 per presentation to submit their conference presentation to the Digital Video Library, receiving a DOI, searchable transcripts, metadata, global discoverability, and analytics.
4. Event Monetization Services: Underline helps conference organizers monetize their content through secure paywalls for virtual access and on-demand content, turning conference content into revenue-generating assets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Underline Science operates an AI-powered live-streaming and digital video library platform purpose-built for scientific and medical conference content. It offers searchable video lectures enriched with transcripts, DOIs, MARC records, and downloadable materials, alongside professional virtual, hybrid, and in-person event production services for scientific societies. The platform serves scientific societies, university libraries, and individual researchers through institutional subscriptions, event services, and per-presentation submission.

Product overview

Underline Science operates as a dual-product platform combining Underline Events (a professional scientific conference organizer and event platform supporting in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats) with the Underline Digital Video Library (a searchable academic video repository of 80,000+ scientific lectures). The platform also offers modular add-on services including White-Glove Conference Management, Audio-Visual Production Services, Individual Presentation Submissions ($19.95/presentation with DOI), and Underline Originals (Nobel Laureate master classes). Additional offerings target specific user segments: librarians receive MARC records, COUNTER 5 reports, and accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA); researchers gain global reach, discoverability, and citation tools; conference organizers access planning, production, and monetization services; and publishers receive digital archiving and global distribution capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Underline Digital Video Library: A searchable academic video repository built for lectures, keynotes, research presentations, panels, posters, papers, slides, transcripts, and conference proceedings
• Underline Originals
• Underline Events
• Underline Library

Products and services

• Underline Digital Video Library A searchable academic video repository containing 80,000+ video lectures from scientific and medical conferences, with DOI support, transcripts, MARC records for library integration, and COUNTER 5 usage reports. Sold to university libraries and research institutions.
• Underline Events Professional conference organizer and event platform supporting in-person, virtual, and hybrid scientific conference formats with planning, AV production, livestreaming, recording, and post-event video publishing. Sold to scientific societies and conference organizers.
• Individual Presentation Submission Self-serve submission option allowing individual researchers to add their conference presentations to the Digital Video Library for $19.95 per presentation, receiving a DOI, searchable transcripts, metadata, and analytics.
• Underline Originals Exclusive master classes from Nobel Laureates and leading scientists, providing high-end educational content as part of the Underline library.
• White-Glove Service Premium end-to-end conference management service providing a dedicated event manager, expert operations team, weekly production meetings, and full on-site support including AV production and presenter training.

Quantifiable outcome

• More views after conference than during - 10x to 100x the conference attendance in library users who search and use the content
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability8 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core infrastructure, supporting, strategic, key content partner and content partner.

• Amazon (AWS)core infrastructureTechnology or IntegrationAmazon Web Services provides cloud hosting infrastructure for Underline's platform, enabling video storage, streaming, and global content delivery.
• DataCitecore infrastructureTechnology or IntegrationDataCite provides DOI (Digital Object Identifier) services enabling every piece of content in Underline's library to be citable and discoverable through academic databases.
• Google Cloudcore infrastructureTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Cloud provides infrastructure and services supporting Underline's video platform and content delivery capabilities.
• ORCiDsupportingTechnology or IntegrationORCiD integration allows researchers to link their presentations to their ORCiD profiles for academic credit and discoverability.
• InfinumsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology development partner providing software development services for the Underline platform.
• VonagesupportingTechnology or IntegrationVonage provides communication and messaging services supporting Underline's event platform features.
• Wolters KluwerstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerWolters Kluwer is a global information services company. Rafael Sidi serves on Underline's Board of Directors, suggesting strategic partnership in academic publishing and information services.
• Intech OpensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntech Open is an open access publisher of science books. Alex Lazinica serves on Underline's Advisory Board. Partnership suggests collaboration in scientific publishing.
• AAAIkey content partnerOthersAssociation for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence is a content partner, providing conference content with 10 events, 51,969 authors, and 17,254 lectures on the Underline platform.
• AIP Publishingcontent partnerOthersAIP Publishing provides conference content with 4 events, 164 authors, and 222 lectures on the platform, advancing physical sciences for the benefit of humanity.
• InsticcsupportingOthersInsticc is a content partner organization collaborating with Underline on scientific conference content.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• JoVE: JoVE is a peer-reviewed scientific video journal that produces and publishes high-quality scientific video content with DOI assignment and indexed metadata — the closest direct analog to Underline's digital video library for science, but focused on producing original content rather than archiving society conferences.
• ProQuest / Alexander Street: ProQuest, via Alexander Street, is the dominant academic video streaming provider for university libraries with COUNTER reporting, MARC records, and broad content coverage. ProQuest is also a prior Underline investor, confirming direct overlap on the library subscription business.
• Cadmore Media: Cadmore Media is a streaming and publishing platform purpose-built for scholarly societies, conferences, and academic publishers, offering DOI assignment, OA/closed-access workflows, and library integrations — a head-to-head competitor for society event hosting and video archiving.
• vFairs: vFairs provides virtual, hybrid, and in-person event platforms with registration, livestreaming, and exhibitor tools for associations and professional societies — a direct competitor in scientific conference event management, though with less deep academic content/citation integration.
• Pathable: Pathable builds event apps and online community platforms specifically for associations and member-based organizations, including scientific societies — directly comparable to Underline Events' society-focused event experience and engagement layer.
• Kanopy: Kanopy is a video streaming service licensed primarily through public and university libraries, with structured MARC records and accessibility support. It competes with the Underline Library for library shelf space, though Kanopy is broader (film, education) rather than science-specialized.
• EventMobi: EventMobi is an event technology platform offering registration, apps, live streaming, and engagement tools for conferences and associations — competing with Underline Events for the same association and society customers on the production and engagement side.

Broad incumbents

• Hopin: Hopin is a large general-purpose virtual and hybrid events platform serving enterprises and conferences worldwide. It overlaps with Underline Events on hybrid/virtual conference delivery but is not specialized for scientific societies and lacks academic citation infrastructure.
• Semantic Scholar (Allen Institute for AI): Semantic Scholar is an AI-powered academic search engine that indexes papers, authors, and increasingly video/lecture content. It overlaps with Underline's AI discovery layer and could become a substitute channel for researchers if it deepens video indexing.

Others

• Crossref: Crossref is the scholarly infrastructure provider for DOIs and metadata that Underline relies on (via DataCite). It is not a commercial competitor but defines the citation standards Underline must conform to, and its roadmap can shape Underline's metadata strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/underline-science-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

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 Underline Science