Soda
Soda is a privately held Australian holding company operating Infrastructure (SUBCO subsea cables, HyperOne 20,000km national fiber), Sustainability (Biopixel marine cinematography and reef research), and Ventures (Australian tech investing), serving telecom carriers, hyperscalers, streamers, and government.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersFassifern Valley, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Soda does
Soda (legal entity Capital B Pty Ltd) is a privately held Australian holding and incubation company founded in 2016 by Bevan and Jodie Slattery, headquartered in Brisbane with offices in Melbourne and Cairns. It operates three pillars—Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Ventures—through wholly owned subsidiaries. Under Infrastructure, SUBCO develops submarine cable systems including the $300m Oman Australia Cable (OAC) and the upcoming SMAP hypercable (~5,000km), while HyperOne is building Australia's first hyperscale national fiber network spanning 20,000km with 10,000+ Tbp/s capacity, targeting telecommunications carriers, hyperscalers (including Google), and enterprises. The Sustainability pillar comprises Biopixel (an Emmy-winning natural-history cinematography house with the world's largest marine footage library serving Netflix, BBC, Disney+, and others), Biopixel Oceans Foundation (non-profit research), Argo Expeditions (27m research-and-filming charter yacht), and PACER (AI- and robotics-driven reef restoration research at James Cook University). Soda Ventures invests in and incubates Australian technology startups, leveraging Slattery's track record of founding and listing PIPE Networks, NEXTDC, Megaport, Superloop, and SubPartners on the ASX.
Soda generates revenue across multiple streams: wholesale bandwidth and capacity sales on multi-year contracts for SUBCO and HyperOne; production fees and content licensing via Biopixel to streaming platforms; charter bookings for Argo Expeditions; non-dilutive research grants for the Oceans Foundation; and longer-horizon equity appreciation through Soda Ventures. Pricing is enterprise and contract-based rather than publicly disclosed, and go-to-market is direct B2B sales with select channel partnerships (Ciena, FiberSense, Google). Across infrastructure, Soda employs AI for subsea predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, and network optimization, and applies computer vision and digital-twin simulation to reef restoration; it also uses generative AI (Midjourney, ChatGPT) for internal design and content. The company holds ISO 27001 certification and maintains an active presence via LinkedIn, Instagram, and earned media around infrastructure milestones.
Soda firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Soda
- Legal name
- Capital B Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://soda.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Soda is a privately held Australian holding company operating Infrastructure (SUBCO subsea cables, HyperOne 20,000km national fiber), Sustainability (Biopixel marine cinematography and reef research), and Ventures (Australian tech investing), serving telecom carriers, hyperscalers, streamers, and government.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Soda industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Infrastructure and Telecommunications
- NAICS
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)
- SIC
- Pipe Lines (No Natural Gas) (4610), Water Supply (4941)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hydro BOP Civil & Water Conveyance (Dams, Spillways, Penstocks, Canals) (EUAMAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Intake/Outfall & Raw Water Abstraction Works (River/Sea Intakes, Outfalls) (IMAFAGAI), Supplier Engagement & Value-Chain Decarbonization Programs (EUABAKAE)
Keywords
Where Soda is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fassifern Valley
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Soda business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Infrastructure Investment Returns: Soda generates returns through its portfolio companies SUBCO and HyperOne in the digital infrastructure sector. Revenue likely comes from wholesale bandwidth sales to telecommunications carriers, cloud providers, and enterprises requiring low-latency connectivity.
- Sustainability Portfolio: Soda's sustainability pillar includes Biopixel (production services for documentary content), Biopixel Oceans Foundation (non-profit research), and Argo Expeditions (charter services). Revenue includes content licensing, production fees, and charter bookings.
- Venture Investments: Soda Ventures invests in Australian technology startups with potential for disruption. Returns generated through equity appreciation, exits via IPO (e.g., NEXTDC, Megaport, Superloop) or acquisition.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Infrastructure Services - Custom Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Soda product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Soda is a privately owned Australian holding company and incubation platform that designs, builds, and invests in next-generation businesses across three pillars. Its Infrastructure pillar delivers subsea cable systems and hyperscale terrestrial fiber networks through wholly-owned subsidiaries SUBCO and HyperOne. Its Sustainability pillar delivers marine conservation research, Emmy-winning underwater cinematography, and expedition services through Biopixel, Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Argo Expeditions, and PACER. Its Ventures pillar invests capital, expertise, and networks into Australian technology startups.
Product overview
Soda is a privately owned Australian holding company serving as a launchpad for innovation, incubation, investment and inspiration. The company operates through three main pillars: Soda Infrastructure (digital connectivity assets including SUBCO and HyperOne), Soda Sustainability (marine conservation and filmmaking including Biopixel, Biopixel Oceans Foundation, and Argo Expeditions), and Soda Ventures (investing in Australian technology startups). Under the Soda Group umbrella, the company actively incubates portfolio companies focused on subsea and terrestrial connectivity (SUBCO, HyperOne), natural history production (Biopixel), marine research conservation (Biopixel Oceans Foundation), research expeditions (Argo Expeditions), and network services marketplace (Cloudscene). The company also founded PACER for AI-driven reef restoration research. Soda has a track record of transforming ideas into ASX-listed companies including Megaport, Superloop, NEXTDC, and Pipe Networks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SUBCO Undersea cable specialist enhancing global telecommunications through subsea cable systems including the Oman Australia Cable (OAC) and SMAP (Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth) hypercable, sold on a wholesale capacity basis to telecommunications carriers and cloud providers.
- HyperOne
Quantifiable outcome
- $3bn+ in direct economic benefits estimated for HyperOne network
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Soda
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Soda technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability12 records
Feature7 records
Soda partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FiberSensecoreSUBCO extends strategic partnership with FiberSense to include FiberSense technology on the upcoming SMAP subsea cable connecting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, enhancing cable security monitoring.
- GooglecoreSUBCO partners with Google to develop new subsea cable landing infrastructure in Australia which will provide new secure and diverse cable landing options on Australia's east coast.
- James Cook UniversitycorePACER (Pacific Centre for Advanced Ecosystem Research) established at James Cook University's Cairns campus, uniting scientists from Biopixel and JCU for reef restoration research using AI and underwater robotics.
- CienacoreSUBCO leverages Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) technologies to provide a resilient and reliable undersea corridor between Australia and Europe, following successful upgrade on Indigo Submarine Cable.
- French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD)minorBiopixel Oceans Foundation and JCU working with IRD (New Caledonia Centre) to expand scientific knowledge in the Coral Sea and promote transboundary marine management/conservation.
- Tech Council of AustraliaminorSoda is a proud foundation member of the Tech Council of Australia whose mission is to shape Australia's digital future, together.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Soda competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Optus (Singtel): Australian incumbent mobile and fixed operator (and Singtel subsidiary) with subsea cable ownership and nationwide fiber — broad incumbent that overlaps with SUBCO and HyperOne across capacity and enterprise connectivity.
- Telstra InfraCo: Wholesale infrastructure arm of Australia's incumbent telecom, owning subsea cables and national fiber — broader portfolio operator competing with SUBCO/HyperOne on enterprise and carrier wholesale, but a multi-product incumbent rather than specialist.
Direct peers
- NEXTDC: ASX-listed Australian data center operator (NXT) previously founded by Bevan Slattery — directly comparable Australian digital infrastructure build-and-exit case study and former Bevan Slattery venture.
- Vocus Group: Australian telecommunications operator owning subsea cables (Australia-Singapore Cable, Coral Sea) and national fiber infrastructure — directly comparable to SUBCO and HyperOne in portfolio composition and target customer base of Australian carriers and enterprises.
- Southern Cross Cable Network: Trans-Pacific submarine cable system connecting Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and the US — primary competitor to SUBCO's Australia-US routes and similar wholesale hyperscale carrier positioning.
- Hawaiki Cable: Trans-Pacific submarine cable operator connecting Australia, New Zealand, and the US — operates in the same APAC subsea capacity market as SUBCO with comparable hyperscale cable economics.
- Aqua Comms: Trans-Atlantic dedicated subsea fiber operator serving carriers, hyperscalers, and content providers — directly analogous business model to SUBCO in the global wholesale capacity market.
- SEACOM: Africa-Asia subsea cable operator with terrestrial extension across the continent — analogous subsea-build-and-operate model serving wholesale carriers and enterprises in emerging markets, similar to SUBCO's Australia-Middle East route.
- Megaport: ASX-listed (MP1) Network-as-a-Service marketplace operator for cloud connectivity — operates Cloudscene's competitive space and was previously founded by Bevan Slattery; direct comparable in Australian network services.
Emerging players
- Bailador Technology Investments: ASX-listed (BTI) Australian tech growth investor focused on unlisted growth-stage software and tech ventures — comparable to Soda Ventures' mandate of backing Australian technology scale-ups toward exits.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Soda social profiles
Digital presenceSoda compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Soda financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Soda leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Soda subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Soda funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Soda 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 Soda
What does Soda do?
Soda is a privately owned Australian holding company and incubation platform that designs, builds, and invests in next-generation businesses across three pillars. Its Infrastructure pillar delivers subsea cable systems and hyperscale terrestrial fiber networks through wholly-owned subsidiaries SUBCO and HyperOne. Its Sustainability pillar delivers marine conservation research, Emmy-winning underwater cinematography, and expedition services through Biopixel, Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Argo Expeditions, and PACER. Its Ventures pillar invests capital, expertise, and networks into Australian technology startups.
Is Soda a public or private company?
Soda is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Soda founded?
Soda was founded in 2016. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Soda based?
Soda is headquartered in Fassifern Valley, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Soda make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Infrastructure Investment Returns are the primary driver. The others are sustainability Portfolio and venture Investments.
Who are Soda's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Optus (Singtel) and Telstra InfraCo. Direct peers are NEXTDC, Vocus Group, Southern Cross Cable Network, Hawaiki Cable, Aqua Comms, SEACOM and Megaport. Bailador Technology Investments is listed as an emerging player.
Does Soda have an API?
No public API is recorded for Soda.
What industry is Soda in?
Soda's product category is Digital Infrastructure and Telecommunications. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAFAG, Hydro BOP Civil & Water Conveyance (Dams, Spillways, Penstocks, Canals), with a secondary code of IMAFAGAI, Intake/Outfall & Raw Water Abstraction Works (River/Sea Intakes, Outfalls). Its NAICS code is 2211 and its SIC code is 4610.