Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS)

What Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) does

Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) is a non-profit international scientific coordination initiative jointly established in August 2011 by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR). Its mission is to facilitate, coordinate, and enhance the collection, sharing, and use of Southern Ocean observations across the international scientific community, policymakers, and national Antarctic programs. SOOS serves researchers from dozens of countries, working through community mechanisms that include working groups, task teams, regional networks (such as SOOS-RCN), and biennial community reporting aligned with the UN Ocean Decade.

The organization's core products are coordination and data-discovery platforms rather than commercial software. SOOSmap (originally launched October 2017 and redesigned as v2 in 2023) is the flagship visualization and discovery interface for observation records; the Metadata Portal provides standardized metadata for heterogeneous national datasets; POLDER is a federated search tool across partner repositories; and DueSouth supports community reporting. The International Project Office (IPO), staffed by approximately 5-10 people, is hosted at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania, providing the operational anchor for the initiative.

SOOS operates as a non-profit with no commercial revenue. Funding flows through institutional hosting by IMAS, in-kind contributions from SCAR and SCOR, and competitive scientific grants, with no membership fees, licensing, or transactional pricing. The inaugural SOOS Symposium was held in Hobart in August 2023, and a second symposium is scheduled for 2027, formalizing a recurring international convening channel. The business model is therefore a publicly-funded coordination utility rather than a commercial enterprise, and its growth is bounded by the pace of grant renewals and partner engagement rather than market demand.

Name

Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS)

Legal name

Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS)

Website

https://soos.aq

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SOOS is a non-profit international scientific initiative, jointly run by SCAR and SCOR, that coordinates Southern Ocean observations through data-sharing platforms (SOOSmap, Metadata Portal, POLDER, DueSouth) for researchers, policymakers, and national Antarctic programs worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oceanographic Data Coordination

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI)

Keywords

• Ocean observation systems
• Oceanographic data coordination
• Polar data discovery
• Scientific metadata federation
• Marine research collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Hobart

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sponsors and Institutional Funding: SOOS operates as a non-profit international coordinating body primarily funded through sponsors, institutional hosting arrangements, and grants. The organization does not generate commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SOOS is an international scientific initiative that coordinates and enhances sustained Southern Ocean observations through web-based data platforms (SOOSmap, Metadata Portal, POLDER Federated Search, DueSouth) and community coordination mechanisms (regional working groups, capability working groups, task teams, and biennial symposia). It bridges the Antarctic research community (coordinated by SCAR) and the oceanographic community (coordinated by SCOR) to deliver integrated, multi-disciplinary observational data for climate and ecosystem research.

Product overview

SOOS is an international coordinating organization (not a software company) that facilitates and enhances global Southern Ocean observations through a portfolio of web-based platforms and community coordination mechanisms. The core products include SOOSmap (interactive data visualization portal), DueSouth (expedition database), Metadata Portal (NASA CMR-based search), and POLDER Federated Search (multi-catalogue discovery). These are complemented by community coordination tools including Regional Working Groups, Capability Working Groups, Task Teams, a Reporting Hub, and the SOOS Symposium. The organization focuses on data sharing, field coordination, and enhancing observational capabilities rather than traditional software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOOSmap: An interactive web portal for oceanographic data visualization and dissemination developed and hosted for SOOS by EMODnet Physics. SOOSmap serves up curated and standardised observation data from oceanographic and Antarctic research programs.
• POLDER
• SO-OA Hub
• DueSouth

Products and services

• SOOSmap Interactive web portal for oceanographic data visualization and dissemination, developed and hosted by EMODnet Physics. Serves curated and standardized observation data from oceanographic and Antarctic research programs, incorporating over 50 data layers with more than 50,000 observations.
• DueSouth A database of upcoming expeditions to the Southern Ocean, hosted in Polardex, enabling researchers to find and share upcoming field expeditions with international colleagues.
• SOOS Metadata Portal A metadata search portal pulling records from NASA's Common Metadata Directory (CMR), optimized for SOOS candidate Essential Ocean Variables and geographic area south of 40°S. Allows searching by spatial location, freetext, keywords, or dates.
• POLDER Federated Metadata Search A customizable federated search website developed by POLDER (Polar Data Discovery Enhancement Research) that simultaneously searches over 70 metadata catalogues holding data relevant to polar scientists, dramatically simplifying data discovery.
• SOOS Symposium

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50,000 observations accessible through SOOSmap
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2011SCAR is a co-sponsor of SOOS, providing governance oversight and integration with Antarctic research priorities. SOOS was officially launched as a joint initiative of SCAR and SCOR in August 2011.
• Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2011SCOR is a co-sponsor of SOOS, providing governance oversight and integration with global oceanographic research priorities. SOOS was officially launched as a joint initiative of SCAR and SCOR in August 2011.
• Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of TasmaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMAS hosts the SOOS International Project Office (IPO) in Hobart, Tasmania, providing institutional infrastructure and administrative support for SOOS operations.
• European Marine Observations and Data Network (EMODnet)coreTechnology or IntegrationEMODnet Physics developed and hosts SOOSmap, providing the technical infrastructure for the interactive data visualization and dissemination portal.
• SO-CHIC (Southern Ocean Carbon and Heat Impact on Climate)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SO-CHIC project supports SOOSmap, contributing to the development and enhancement of Southern Ocean data visualization capabilities.
• OCEAN ICE (Ocean-Cryosphere Exchanges in Antarctica: Impacts on Climate and the Earth System)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon Europe project supporting SOOSmap development and contributing to understanding ocean-cryosphere exchanges in Antarctica.
• MEASO (Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEASO is a collaborative initiative involving 200+ scientists from 19 countries to assess Southern Ocean ecosystems. SOOS supports MEASO as a key component of the observing system.
• Arctic Data Committee (ADC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADC collaborates with SOOS through the POLDER working group to develop federated metadata search tools that serve both polar regions.
• Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SCADM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCADM partners with SOOS through POLDER to improve discoverability of polar science data through federated search and metadata aggregation tools.
• Antarctica InSyncmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOOS is an official partner of Antarctica InSync, which proposes a joint multidisciplinary science program to create synergies between national Antarctic programs for synchronous observation.
• SORP (Southern Ocean Region Panel)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSORP aims to coordinate scientific advances in understanding climate variability and change in the Southern Ocean, advising CLIVAR, CliC, and SCAR.
• ADVANCE (Antarctic bioDiVersity dAta iNfrastruCture)majorTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration to create a Virtual Research Infrastructure for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region, integrating biodiversity data products with SOOS and SOOSmap.
• ICED (Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics in the Southern Ocean)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICED is a key program under IMBeR that MEASO falls under, supporting integrated assessment of Southern Ocean ecosystems and climate interactions.
• UN Ocean DecademajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UN declared 2021-2030 as the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. SOOS engaged in developing a Southern Ocean Action Plan as part of this initiative.
• Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOOS contributes to GOOS by aligning Southern Ocean observations with global ocean observing priorities and Essential Ocean Variables framework.
• Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSO-OA Hub operates as a joint SOOS Capability Working Group and GOA-ON Regional Hub, coordinating ocean acidification research across the Southern Ocean.
• National Antarctic Data Centres NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of national data centres (Australia, Russia, Germany, UK, China, Korea, USA, Canada, Japan, and others) that host and share Southern Ocean data through SOOS platforms.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR): Co-sponsor and governance parent of SOOS, coordinating global oceanographic research across all disciplines and basins. Comparable international-coordination model; wider scope and longer history than SOOS.
• IOC-UNESCO (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission): UN body coordinating global ocean science and the parent of GOOS. Comparable international coordination mandate with intergovernmental authority that SOOS lacks; broader portfolio includes capacity development, tsunami warning, and ocean policy.
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO): UN agency coordinating global atmospheric and ocean observations, parent of related observing networks and partner of SOOS. Comparable international-coordination role with formal treaty-based authority and far larger operating budget.
• Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR): Co-sponsor and governance parent of SOOS, coordinating all Antarctic scientific research internationally. Far broader mandate (atmospheric, cryospheric, biological, geological) but operates a comparable international coordination model and provides institutional backing to SOOS.

Direct peers

• MEASO (Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean): Collaborative initiative engaging 200+ scientists from 19 countries to assess Southern Ocean ecosystems. Operates as a direct scientific complement to SOOS and is explicitly supported through SOOS working groups, making it the most overlapping peer in the same geography.
• Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS): Joint IOC-UNESCO/WMO programme coordinating sustained global ocean observations. Closest functional peer: SOOS explicitly contributes to GOOS and applies the same Essential Ocean Variables framework, differing mainly in geographic scope (global vs. Southern Ocean).

Others

• EMODnet (European Marine Observation and Data Network): Develops and hosts SOOSmap and provides broader European marine data infrastructure across multiple thematic portals. Functions as a technology partner and adjacent data provider rather than a direct competitor, since EMODnet covers European seas comprehensively.
• Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR): International research programme hosting ICED, which is closely linked to SOOS through MEASO. Adjacent ecosystem-and-climate research coordination; overlapping community but broader ocean scope rather than Southern-Ocean-only.

Regional players

• Polar Geospatial Center: US-funded centre at the University of Minnesota providing geospatial support for polar science, primarily Arctic. Operates a comparable data-and-tooling function for polar researchers but with a different geographic emphasis (Arctic vs. Southern Ocean) and a US institutional base.

Emerging players

• SO-CHIC (Southern Ocean Carbon and Heat Impact on Climate): EU Horizon-funded project explicitly supporting SOOSmap and studying Southern Ocean carbon and heat impacts on climate. Narrower scientific scope but directly funds SOOS infrastructure and shares the same Southern Ocean focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/soosocean
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEqLDIztnACNpzY7607LVQQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SOOSnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-ocean-observing-system
• Instagraminstagram.com/soosocean

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS)