Sub Sea Systems
Sub Sea Systems is a family-owned designer and manufacturer of proprietary underwater entertainment systems, including helmet diving, underwater driving rides, waterproof VR, and solar-electric watercraft, sold and licensed to water parks, aquariums, resorts, and theme park developers across 25+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersDiamond Springs, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sub Sea Systems does
Sub Sea Systems is a privately held, family-owned designer and manufacturer of immersive underwater entertainment systems, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Diamond Springs, California. The company builds and licenses a portfolio of proprietary attractions targeted at water parks, aquariums, resorts, and theme park developers: SeaTREK helmet diving systems (allowing non-swimmers to walk underwater), Aquaticar (the world's first underwater driving ride, using the patented Bubble Engine for air-powered propulsion), DIVR+ waterproof virtual reality experiences (in partnership with Ballast VR), SolarCat solar-electric catamarans, the Kaimana underwater gaming arena, Dive Bell attractions, and Sub Sea Creative design services. Its core technologies span mechanical engineering (polycarbonate helmet air supply systems, air-bubble propulsion tracks, underwater course infrastructure), TUV SUD-certified safety architecture with multiple emergency air supply and airbag systems, and solar-electric powertrains. The company monetizes through a mix of hardware sales (Aquaticar, SolarCat), licensing (SeaTREK with four product variants: EP Air Center, POD, Backpack, Adapted), revenue-share and flexible purchase models (DIVR+), and professional services (Sub Sea Creative consulting, 3D rendering, underwater rockwork design). Go-to-market combines a direct enterprise sales force with regional directors covering Mexico/Latin America, EMEA & Turkey, SE Asia, and China, supported by a licensed-operator network that has delivered over 3,000,000 guest experiences across 50+ SeaTREK locations in 25 countries and 45 DIVR+ locations in 16 countries.
A defining recent milestone is the Aquaticar installation at Saudi Arabia's Aquarabia Water Theme Park (opening April 23, 2026 at Qiddiya City), the company's flagship Middle East anchor and largest single-park deployment to date. Sub Sea Systems owns multiple registered trademarks (SeaTREK, Aquaticar, DIVR+, SolarCat, Kaimana, Sub Sea Creative) and holds patents on the Bubble Engine propulsion system and (via its Ballast VR partnership) the waterproof VR headset. The business is entirely self-funded with no external investors, operates with 11-50 employees, and is owned and operated across two generations of the Mayfield family.
Sub Sea Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sub Sea Systems
- Legal name
- Sub Sea Systems, Inc.
- Website
- https://subseasystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sub Sea Systems is a family-owned designer and manufacturer of proprietary underwater entertainment systems, including helmet diving, underwater driving rides, waterproof VR, and solar-electric watercraft, sold and licensed to water parks, aquariums, resorts, and theme park developers across 25+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sub Sea Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Underwater Entertainment Systems
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses) (THAJAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Submarine & Glass-Bottom Boat Experiences (THAJAJAL), Dive & Snorkel Equipment Rental, Retail & Boat Services (compressors, gear hire) (THAAAIAL), Underwater Photography & Videography Tours/Workshops (THAAAIAK)
Keywords
Where Sub Sea Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Diamond Springs
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sub Sea Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SeaTREK System Sales & Licensing: SeaTREK helmet diving systems sold or licensed to operators globally. Optional maintenance program available. Systems include EP Air Center (high-volume), POD (portable), Backpack (self-contained), and Adapted (underwater wheelchair).
- Aquaticar Underwater Ride: World's first underwater driving experience for water parks. In-fill attraction designed to boost revenue through exclusive, chargeable experience. Customizable course layouts for individual operator footprints.
- SolarCat Sales & Rentals: Solar-electric catamaran available for purchase or joint venture. Rental fleet opportunities for beach operators. Revenue potential of $61,800 recurring annually per unit.
- DIVR+ VR Systems: Underwater VR experience available through flexible purchase or revenue share options. Turnkey system with minimal staff requirements (1-2 staff per 5 devices). Revenue potential of $24,000 per month gross per 48 units.
- Sub Sea Creative Design Services: Concept design services for underwater attractions including consulting, 3D rendering, underwater rockwork design, storyboarding, and machinery space design.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SeaTREK System Options (4 variants) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Aquaticar Underwater Ride |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | DIVR+ VR System |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sub Sea Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sub Sea Systems designs, manufactures, and licenses immersive underwater entertainment attractions and watercraft for the marine tourism industry. Its core product lineup includes SeaTREK helmet diving systems, Aquaticar underwater driving rides, SolarCat solar-electric catamarans, and DIVR+ waterproof VR systems, sold or licensed to water parks, aquariums, and resorts globally. The company also offers Sub Sea Creative design and consulting services for custom underwater attractions.
Product overview
Sub Sea Systems is a leader in underwater entertainment, offering a portfolio of immersive aquatic experiences. The core product lineup includes SeaTREK (helmet diving for non-swimmers), Aquaticar (world's first underwater driving ride), SolarCat (solar-powered catamarans), and DIVR+ (underwater virtual reality). Additional offerings include Sub Sea Creative (design and consulting services), Kaimana (underwater gaming arena), and Dive Bell (underwater experience attractions). The company operates globally with over 3 million guest experiences since 1985, with products available for purchase or license.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SeaTREK: Underwater helmet diving system - allows guests to walk on the ocean floor while breathing naturally through innovative helmet diving
- Aquaticar
- SolarCat
- DIVR+
- Kaimana
Products and services
- SeaTREK Helmet Diving System An innovative helmet diving system that allows guests to walk on the ocean floor while breathing naturally. The helmet keeps the head and face dry, uses polycarbonate materials with marine-grade components and a panoramic acrylic lens, and creates an inverted glass air bubble effect. Available in EP Air Center, POD, Backpack, and Adapted (underwater wheelchair) configurations, sold or licensed to operators and aquariums.
- Aquaticar Underwater Ride The world's first underwater driving experience for water parks, where guests drive themed vehicles through underwater worlds using the patented Bubble Engine air-powered propulsion system. Standard installation includes 17 vehicles on a 450ft (137m) course with capacity for 300 guests per hour. TUV SUD Certified for safety.
- SolarCat Solar-Electric Catamaran
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,000,000+ guest experiences completed worldwide
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Sub Sea Systems
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sub Sea Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Sub Sea Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Aquarabia Water Theme Park (Qiddiya)flagshipWorld's first Aquaticar underwater ride installation at Saudi Arabia's Aquarabia Water Theme Park. Park spans 250,000 square metres with 22 rides. Opening April 23, 2026 at Qiddiya City. Major flagship installation demonstrating Aquaticar technology at scale.
- Ballast VRcoreCollaborative partnership with Ballast VR, the original creator of the patented waterproof VR headset. Ballast VR supplies DIVR+® and VRSlide® systems which currently operate in 45 locations across 16 countries. This partnership provides Sub Sea Systems with exclusive access to waterproof VR technology for underwater applications.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sub Sea Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atlantis Submarines: Operator of submarine and glass-bottom boat tours in Hawaii and the Caribbean offering underwater sightseeing experiences to tourists. Comparable as an operator of in-water tourist experiences using similar underwater-adventure mechanics.
- Aquatic Development Group: Design, engineering, and construction firm for aquariums, water parks, and resort aquatic attractions. Comparable as a peer providing design-build services and aquatic attractions to the same aquarium and resort enterprise customers.
- Vortex Aquatic Structures International: Designer and manufacturer of aquatic play features, splash pads, and water-based recreational structures for parks, resorts, and municipalities. Comparable as a peer providing engineered aquatic attractions to similar institutional buyers.
- WhiteWater West Industries: Leading designer and manufacturer of water park attractions and aquatic play equipment for theme parks worldwide. Directly comparable as a B2B supplier of installed attractions for water parks, matching SSS's core enterprise sales motion to parks and resorts.
- Polin Waterparks: Turkish manufacturer of water slides and themed aquatic attractions supplied to global water parks. Comparable as a peer offering engineered, themed ride installations to the same water-park enterprise buyer base.
- ProSlide Technology: Global manufacturer of water rides (water slides, hydromagnetic coasters) sold to water parks and theme parks. Comparable as a competing supplier of installed, high-capacity ride attractions in the same enterprise buyer segment.
Emerging players
- Ballast VR: Creator of the patented waterproof VR headset used in SSS's DIVR+ system, also operating its own VRSlide locations. Comparable as a partner/overlap in underwater VR experiences and as a niche entrant in waterproof VR attractions.
- WaterPlay Solutions: Boutique designer and installer of aquatic play features and splash pads for resorts, camps, and municipal parks. Comparable as a smaller peer in the engineered aquatic attraction category focused on resort and municipal buyers.
Regional players
- Halo Maritime: Provider of marine safety and water operations services including commercial diving, vessel operations, and underwater infrastructure. Comparable as an adjacent marine services provider in the underwater operations environment that supports SSS's deployments.
Broad incumbents
- SeaWorld Entertainment: Owner and operator of major marine-themed theme parks in the US, including aquarium and marine ride attractions. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating marine-themed attractions that overlap with the buyer ecosystem SSS sells into.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sub Sea Systems social profiles
Digital presenceSub Sea Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Sub Sea Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sub Sea Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Sub Sea Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sub Sea Systems 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 Sub Sea Systems
What does Sub Sea Systems do?
Sub Sea Systems designs, manufactures, and licenses immersive underwater entertainment attractions and watercraft for the marine tourism industry. Its core product lineup includes SeaTREK helmet diving systems, Aquaticar underwater driving rides, SolarCat solar-electric catamarans, and DIVR+ waterproof VR systems, sold or licensed to water parks, aquariums, and resorts globally. The company also offers Sub Sea Creative design and consulting services for custom underwater attractions.
Is Sub Sea Systems a public or private company?
Sub Sea Systems is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Sub Sea Systems founded?
Sub Sea Systems was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sub Sea Systems based?
Sub Sea Systems is headquartered in Diamond Springs, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sub Sea Systems make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. SeaTREK System Sales & Licensing is the primary driver. The others are aquaticar Underwater Ride, solarCat Sales & Rentals, DIVR+ VR Systems and sub Sea Creative Design Services.
Who are Sub Sea Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atlantis Submarines, Aquatic Development Group, Vortex Aquatic Structures International, WhiteWater West Industries, Polin Waterparks and ProSlide Technology. Emerging players are Ballast VR and WaterPlay Solutions. Halo Maritime is listed as a regional player. SeaWorld Entertainment is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Sub Sea Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sub Sea Systems.
What industry is Sub Sea Systems in?
Sub Sea Systems's product category is Underwater Entertainment Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAJAD, Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses), with a secondary code of THAJAJAL, Submarine & Glass-Bottom Boat Experiences. Its NAICS code is 487210 and its SIC code is 7900.