What Arctic World Archive does

Arctic World Archive (AWA) is a Norwegian non-profit foundation that provides long-term digital-data preservation services to institutions, governments, cultural organizations, and enterprises. Its core offering is built on piqlFilm, a proprietary 35mm analog film storage medium developed by technology partner Piql AS, which encodes digital data visually (in QR-code or visual formats) onto photosensitive film rolls with documented tested longevity exceeding 1,000 years and a 2,000-year design target. The medium is offline, off-grid, immune to electromagnetic radiation and cyberattacks, migration-free, and readable without electricity or software dependencies. Films are stored in a deep-underground vault 300 meters inside and below a decommissioned coal mine (Mine no. 3 / Gruve 3) on Svalbard, operated by SNSK (a Norwegian Ministry-owned entity), where natural permafrost conditions yield a zero-carbon-footprint preservation environment.

AWA complements its physical archive with a free web-based software platform (app.arcticworldarchive.org) hosted on Microsoft Azure (Norway), through which depositors upload, organize with full metadata, and retrieve archived files via a secure portal (HTTPS/TLS 1.2 with 256-bit AES, FIPS 140-2 cloud encryption). Depositors can choose public, private, or online deposit ceremonies and opt for confidential secret-vault storage. Revenue is generated from one-time deposit fees per collection, while the software platform itself is free to use. The business motion is relationship-driven and high-touch, targeting cultural institutions, national archives, governments, research bodies, artists, and large enterprises.

The organization was founded in 2017 as an initiative by Norwegian technology company Piql AS and became an independent foundation in 2025 to ensure neutrality, transparency, and global stewardship. It maintains a small team (1–10 employees), is registered in Norway with its mail address in Drammen, and operates with a depositor base spanning at least 14 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa — including GitHub/Microsoft, the Vatican Library, Yale University, UNICEF, ESA, the National Archives of Brazil, Moderna Museet, and the Archaeological Survey of India, among others (116 collections in the repository).

Name

Arctic World Archive

Legal name

Arctic World Archive

Website

https://arcticworldarchive.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arctic World Archive is a Norwegian non-profit foundation offering ultra-long-term (1,000+ years) digital data preservation on proprietary analog film stored in a permafrost vault on Svalbard, serving governments, cultural institutions, research bodies, and enterprises globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Long-Term Digital Data Preservation

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (519210), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Magnetic & Optical Recording Media (3695), Computer Storage Devices (3572), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Cloud Media Archive & Cold Storage Services (MPAHAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Media Archiving & Long-Term Preservation Planning (HSAFAGAK)

Keywords

• Long-term data preservation
• Digital archive services
• Analog film storage
• Offline data backup
• Cold storage vault

Headquarters

HQ city

Drammen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Data Deposit Services: Institutions and organizations pay to deposit their data onto piqlFilm for long-term preservation in the Arctic World Archive. Depositors can choose deposit ceremonies (public, private, or online) and may opt for confidential storage in a secret vault. The AWA software platform is free to use for data preparation and management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Arctic World Archive provides ultra-long-term digital data preservation services by converting digital files into visual/QR-code data on ultra-durable 35mm piqlFilm and storing them inside a permafrost-protected vault located 300 meters below a mountain in a decommissioned coal mine on Svalbard. The service is supported by a free web-based software platform that allows depositors to prepare, upload, manage, and retrieve their data. The medium is designed to remain readable for over 1000 years (target 2000) without electricity, software dependencies, or migration, with the only zero-carbon-footprint data storage footprint in the world.

Product overview

The Arctic World Archive (AWA) is a data preservation service combining ultra-durable piqlFilm storage with a free software platform. piqlFilm, developed by Piql AS, is an analog 35mm film medium that encodes digital data visually and is designed to last centuries without power. The complementary AWA Platform enables institutions and individuals to upload, organize, manage, and retrieve their deposits, providing metadata support and secure online access. Together, these components offer a complete offline-plus-online archival solution for long-term digital preservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Data Deposit Preservation Service
• Deposit Ceremonies
• Confidential Vault Storage

Quantifiable outcome

• Data longevity exceeding 1000 years (tested), with a target of 2000 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Piql AScoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Piql AS is the Norwegian technology company that developed piqlFilm and founded the Arctic World Archive in 2017. Piql is the leading specialist provider of digital preservation and long-term data storage solutions, backed by the European Union. It provides the core piqlFilm technology and software platform for AWA. AWA became an independent foundation in 2025 but maintains a close relationship with Piql for technology and operations.
• Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani (SNSK)coreOthersSNSK owns and operates Mine no. 3 (Gruve 3), the decommissioned coal mine where AWA's vault is located. SNSK has over 100 years of experience developing and operating mines and infrastructure on Svalbard, and is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. SNSK is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the vault, including security and access control.
• Microsoft Azure (Norway)supportingTechnology or IntegrationThe AWA cloud is hosted at a Microsoft Azure data center in Norway. All files are securely encrypted on the AWA cloud using FIPS 140-2 compliant 256-bit AES encryption. Data is stored with locally redundant availability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/arcticworldarchive
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz-j3ppjjH4EAUJJw4oYyKA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArcticWorldArchive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arctic-world-archive
• Instagraminstagram.com/arcticworldarchive
• TikToktiktok.com/@arcticworldarchive
• Xx.com/aworldarchive

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 Arctic World Archive