Voice of the Ocean

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.

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

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

• Ocean observation data
• Autonomous ocean monitoring
• Marine science research
• Ocean literacy programs
• Underwater glider operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Åkersberga

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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

Named customers6 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

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered key, core, supporting and flagship.

• AlseamarkeyTechnology or Integration · 20 November 2025French 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 ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded 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 FilmscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSK Films handles the international distribution of Ocean Dreams, bringing the cinematic ocean documentary to audiences globally through theatrical and educational channels.
• Mission NeptunesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational 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 CommissionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOTO 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)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational weather and marine forecasting authority supporting VOTO's ocean observations. SMHI provides data support, ERDDAP assistance, and scientific advisory for the SAMBA project.
• MidOceancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational 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)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman research institute collaborating on Baltic Sea observation and the SkaMix project for studying the Skagerrak front from the North Sea.
• University of GothenburgkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic 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)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitute 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)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating 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)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish national meteorological institute partnering on Baltic Sea observations and marine science collaborations.
• EMODnetsupportingTechnology or IntegrationEuropean Marine Observation and Data Network providing data infrastructure support and assistance with ERDDAP setup and operations.
• IOPAN (Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish research institute collaborating on Langmuir Cells detection using ADCP from gliders and TurboMix microstructure sensor integration.
• Stockholm UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr 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

Emerging 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

• Xx.com/voto_knowledge
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@voiceoftheoceanfoundation4207
• Facebookfacebook.com/voiceoftheocean
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/voiceoftheocean
• Instagraminstagram.com/voiceoftheoceanfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Voice of the Ocean