Voice of the Ocean
Voice of the Ocean is a Swedish non-profit foundation that operates autonomous ocean gliders and sail buoys in the Baltic Sea, publishing open data for researchers and producing films, books, and educational programs (including a UNESCO-backed Minecraft edition) to advance ocean literacy globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersÅkersberga, Sweden
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Voice of the Ocean does
Voice of the Ocean (VOTO) is a Swedish non-profit foundation established in 2019 and headquartered in Åkersberga near Stockholm, with a team of approximately 30 people across offices in Stockholm and Gothenburg. The foundation operates three interlocking programs: Ocean Science, which runs a 24/7 autonomous ocean monitoring system in the Baltic Sea using a fleet of 18 underwater gliders (SeaExplorer) and 4 sail buoys, deployed and piloted from Gothenburg; Ocean Literacy, which produces films (Ocean Dreams), books (Ocean Books), an Ocean Archive of historical underwater photography, and educational products including the UNESCO co-developed Minecraft: Ocean Heroes; and Ocean Support, which provides vessels, technical capacity, and in-kind support to marine research projects. The operational arm MidOcean, established in 2021, manages fleet and deployment infrastructure.
The foundation's data platform, built on an open-access ERDDAP server, has collected 548,519+ ocean profiles, over 1.1 billion data points, and 160,913 km of glider transit with 99.4% operational uptime since March 2021. Data is published under FAIR principles and serves researchers, weather forecasters (notably SMHI), and government agencies. Strategic partners include UNESCO-IOC, Alseamar (glider technology), University of Gothenburg, IOW, IOPAN, FMI, SLU, Stockholm University, and EMODnet, with financial backing from Investment AB Latour supporting the Ocean Dreams global release.
VOTO is structured as a Swedish foundation (stiftelse) and is funded through grants, project-specific sponsorships, and partner contributions rather than commercial pricing. Revenue mechanics span institutional grants, project funding (e.g., OLAMUR, SkaMix, Sea Change), philanthropic support, and ancillary income from consumer media (books, film distribution). End users are segmented across marine science researchers, educational institutions, the general public, and marine archaeologists, with the foundation's strategic intent centered on raising global ocean literacy alongside sustained Baltic Sea observation.
Voice of the Ocean firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Voice of the Ocean
- Legal name
- Voice of the Ocean Foundation
- Website
- https://voiceoftheocean.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Voice of the Ocean is a Swedish non-profit foundation that operates autonomous ocean gliders and sail buoys in the Baltic Sea, publishing open data for researchers and producing films, books, and educational programs (including a UNESCO-backed Minecraft edition) to advance ocean literacy globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Voice of the Ocean industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ocean Observation and Marine Research
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)
Keywords
Where Voice of the Ocean is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Åkersberga
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Voice of the Ocean business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Foundation/Non-profit Funding: Voice of the Ocean operates as a non-profit foundation funded through partnerships, grants, and supporter contributions. They receive support from organizations like Investment AB Latour for specific projects like Ocean Dreams.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Voice of the Ocean product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Voice of the Ocean (VOTO) is a Swedish nonprofit foundation that operates a 24/7 autonomous ocean monitoring network in the Baltic Sea using underwater gliders, sail buoys, and multi-platform observatories, publishing all data through an open-access portal. The foundation also delivers ocean literacy and education through films, books, interactive games, and a digitized Ocean Archive, while providing in-kind marine research support such as vessels and technical capacity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ocean Dreams: A giant-screen film about ocean recovery and conservation, officially endorsed as a Decade Action under the UN Ocean Decade.
- Ocean Science
- Ocean Literacy
- Ocean Support
- Ocean Archive
- MidOcean
Products and services
- Ocean Dreams A giant-screen documentary film about ocean recovery and conservation, endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade, produced in partnership with Deep Sea Productions and distributed internationally by SK Films to theaters and educational venues.
- Minecraft: Ocean Heroes Interactive educational game co-developed with UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission for Minecraft Education, bringing ocean science and literacy to school-aged learners worldwide.
- Ocean Books Published picture and story books on ocean topics such as Ghost Ships of the Baltic Sea and Shipwrecks, sold to consumers via retailers including Adlibris and Bokus for ocean education and public engagement.
- MidOcean Vessels and Operational Support Operational arm of VOTO providing purpose-built research vessels, expertise, and technical capacity to marine science and archaeology projects through Ocean Support partnerships.
- SAMBA Ocean Observatories Network of fixed observatory sites (Smart Autonomous Monitoring of the Baltic Sea) delivering continuous high-resolution measurements of temperature, salinity, and oxygen across the Baltic Sea for research and forecasting users.
- ERDDAP Ocean Data Portal Open-access data platform hosting all VOTO mission and live data for free download, following FAIR principles, used by researchers, forecasters, and the public to access ocean observation datasets.
- Ocean Archive Digitization and preservation service for underwater photography, film, and historical documentation related to ocean exploration and marine heritage, supporting research and public access.
Quantifiable outcome
- 548,519+ ocean profiles collected across 160,913 km
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Voice of the Ocean
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Voice of the Ocean technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature5 records
Voice of the Ocean partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered key, core, supporting and flagship.
- AlseamarkeyFrench technology company collaborating with VOTO on development of the SeaExplorer 200 shallow-water glider tailored for environments like the Baltic Sea. VOTO received first glider from Alseamar in November 2025.
- Deep Sea ProductionscoreFounded in 1997 by divers Carl Douglas and Johan Candert, Deep Sea Productions is the producer of Ocean Dreams giant-screen film in partnership with Voice of the Ocean. They are also the publisher of Deep Sea Reporter and have been key partners in ocean storytelling.
- SK FilmscoreSK Films handles the international distribution of Ocean Dreams, bringing the cinematic ocean documentary to audiences globally through theatrical and educational channels.
- Mission NeptunesupportingInternational initiative bringing together ocean exploration, science, culture, and governance to support stronger protection of the high seas. Ocean Dreams connects to this wider momentum of turning ocean knowledge into collective action.
- UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic CommissionflagshipVOTO collaborates with UNESCO-IOC on Ocean Heroes Minecraft Education initiative and is recognized as a UN Ocean Decade Action partner. Hosted the Ocean Decade Foundation Dialogue's sixth gathering in Stockholm in 2026.
- SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute)keyNational weather and marine forecasting authority supporting VOTO's ocean observations. SMHI provides data support, ERDDAP assistance, and scientific advisory for the SAMBA project.
- MidOceancoreOperational arm of VOTO established in 2021, commissioning purpose-built vessels to support ocean research and glider deployments. Manages fleet operations and technical infrastructure.
- IOW (Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research)supportingGerman research institute collaborating on Baltic Sea observation and the SkaMix project for studying the Skagerrak front from the North Sea.
- University of GothenburgkeyAcademic partner for multiple projects including Kelp Mapping, supporting Skagerrak operations, SeaCODE glider diagnostics, and hosting the International Underwater Glider Conference 2024.
- MARIS (Institute for Marine Archaeology)supportingInstitute for Marine Archaeology at Södertörn University leading the Sea Change research project on human relations to the littoral environment, supported by VOTO.
- SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)supportingCollaborating on SB in Hudson Bay projects for fish stock capture and deployment of sail buoys in collaboration with Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE).
- FMI (Finnish Meteorological Institute)supportingFinnish national meteorological institute partnering on Baltic Sea observations and marine science collaborations.
- EMODnetsupportingEuropean Marine Observation and Data Network providing data infrastructure support and assistance with ERDDAP setup and operations.
- IOPAN (Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences)supportingPolish research institute collaborating on Langmuir Cells detection using ADCP from gliders and TurboMix microstructure sensor integration.
- Stockholm UniversitysupportingDr Niklas Eriksson at Stockholm University conducting Maderö Wreck archaeological research supported by VOTO's Ocean Support.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Voice of the Ocean competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Saildrone: US-based company building wind- and solar-powered autonomous surface vehicles for ocean data collection. Comparable technology overlap with VOTO's sail buoys, but Saildrone is a commercial vendor rather than a research foundation.
- National Geographic Pristine Seas: Exploration and conservation initiative running large-scale marine expeditions paired with high-impact storytelling. Comparable for pairing ocean science with media-driven literacy and conservation impact.
Direct peers
- Ocean Networks Canada: Operates cabled ocean observatories and autonomous platforms producing continuous, openly available ocean data. Comparable in operating persistent autonomous ocean observation infrastructure and serving research/forecasting communities.
- OceanX: Marine research and media organization founded by Ray Dalio that combines deep-sea research with high-production storytelling. Directly comparable for combining ocean observation with film/media-driven public engagement.
- REV Ocean: Norwegian non-profit foundation operating one of the world's largest research vessels and running ocean research and literacy programs. Directly comparable in foundation structure, vessel-based marine science, and ocean literacy mission.
- Schmidt Ocean Institute: US-based philanthropic foundation operating a research vessel (R/V Falkor) and funding open-access ocean science. Directly comparable to VOTO as a privately funded foundation enabling open ocean observation and research.
- Nekton Mission: UK-based ocean exploration non-profit running deep-sea expeditions, science, and education programs. Directly comparable as a foundation-driven blend of ocean exploration, research support, and ocean literacy.
Broad incumbents
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory: UK-based independent marine research organization working on ocean observation, biogeochemistry, and climate science. Comparable as a marine research institution, but with a much larger permanent staff and broader research remit.
- MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute): Established private research institute running long-term autonomous ocean observation, including LRAUVs and seafloor observatories. Comparable as a leading institution in autonomous ocean monitoring, but operates at much larger scope and scale than VOTO.
Others
- EMODnet: European Marine Observation and Data Network providing open marine data infrastructure across Europe. Comparable as a partner/data-ecosystem node for VOTO's ERDDAP portal and Baltic observation outputs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Voice of the Ocean social profiles
Digital presenceVoice of the Ocean financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Voice of the Ocean leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Voice of the Ocean subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Voice of the Ocean funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Voice of the Ocean 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 Voice of the Ocean
What does Voice of the Ocean do?
Voice of the Ocean (VOTO) is a Swedish nonprofit foundation that operates a 24/7 autonomous ocean monitoring network in the Baltic Sea using underwater gliders, sail buoys, and multi-platform observatories, publishing all data through an open-access portal. The foundation also delivers ocean literacy and education through films, books, interactive games, and a digitized Ocean Archive, while providing in-kind marine research support such as vessels and technical capacity.
Is Voice of the Ocean a public or private company?
Voice of the Ocean is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Voice of the Ocean founded?
Voice of the Ocean was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Voice of the Ocean based?
Voice of the Ocean is headquartered in Åkersberga, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Voice of the Ocean make money?
One revenue line is on record: foundation/Non-profit Funding.
Who are Voice of the Ocean's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Saildrone and National Geographic Pristine Seas. Direct peers are Ocean Networks Canada, OceanX, REV Ocean, Schmidt Ocean Institute and Nekton Mission. Broad incumbents are Plymouth Marine Laboratory and MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute). EMODnet is listed as an others.
Does Voice of the Ocean have an API?
No public API is recorded for Voice of the Ocean.
What industry is Voice of the Ocean in?
Voice of the Ocean's product category is Ocean Observation and Marine Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of THAAAIAH, Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks). Its NAICS code is 4883 and its SIC code is 4400.