What Planet Underground does

Planet Underground is a privately held, U.S.-based media and training organization specializing in underground utility damage prevention. Founded in 2001 as a video production entity and tracing its roots to the Underground Focus magazine launched in 1986, the company merged with its affiliate Staking University in 2016 and rebranded the publication as American Locator Magazine. Headquartered in Manteno, Illinois, it is led by President/Video Production Manager Connor Gavin and Managing Editor Tracy DeMarco, operating without disclosed external investment.

The company's core products combine editorial video, a quarterly digital magazine, online training courses, peer-to-peer event programming, and a certification program. American Locator Magazine is published quarterly with video-integrated training on Basic Utility Knowledge, Locating Instruments, and damage prevention topics. Digging Dangers Videos is an excavation safety series featuring real accident case studies, distributed to an estimated 100,000+ excavators annually through state-level one-call organizations and contractor safety meetings. Staking University provides video-based locator training courses, and The Roundtable events host unscripted peer discussions at industry summits including CGA's Global Damage Prevention Summit. The U.S. Certified Locator Program, launched in 2023, offers standardized independent certification for underground utility locators.

Planet Underground monetizes through a mix of low-price digital subscriptions ($25/year for the magazine), individual single-issue and video rentals ($10–$15), monthly training video streaming subscriptions, and event/video sponsorships priced between $500 and $2,750. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce via planetunderground.tv with community-led event marketing (Roundtable series) and distribution partnerships with the Common Ground Alliance, NULCA, ACTS, Missouri 811, and equipment sponsors such as SeeScan and HBK Engineering. Customer segments span professional utility locators, excavation contractors, utility engineers, facility owners, and equipment manufacturers, with primary emphasis on locators and excavators.

Name

Planet Underground

Legal name

Planet Underground

Website

https://planetunderground.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Planet Underground is a privately held U.S. media and training company producing video content, a quarterly digital magazine, online courses, and certification programs for underground utility locators, excavation contractors, and damage prevention professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Manteno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Magazine Subscriptions: Annual digital subscriptions for American Locator Magazine providing access to training content, industry articles, and video materials. Includes 6 issues per year with full online access.
2. Single Issues: Individual digital magazine issues sold for one-time purchase, typically priced at $10-15 per issue.
3. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorship packages for roundtable events and industry summits, ranging from $500 to $2,750 depending on event and package level. Includes logo placement, social media mentions, and panel participation.
4. Digging Dangers Video Sponsorships: Sponsorship of excavation safety awareness video series, with early-bird pricing of $2,500 and regular pricing of $2,750. Sponsors receive customized videos with their logo for use in their own safety efforts.
5. Training Video Subscriptions and Rentals: Monthly subscription to Damage Prevention for the Planet Vimeo channel for full access to all training video categories, or individual course rentals for three-month periods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Planet Underground is an independent knowledge-sharing company that produces and distributes educational content, training programs, and industry events focused on underground utility damage prevention. Its offerings include a quarterly digital magazine (American Locator), a video-based excavation safety series (Digging Dangers Videos), online locator training through Staking University, peer-to-peer networking events (The Roundtable), and the U.S. Certified Locator Program.

Product overview

Planet Underground is a knowledge-sharing organization and media company focused on underground utility damage prevention. The company operates a platform-plus-products model consisting of: American Locator Magazine (a quarterly digital publication with video-based training supplements), Digging Dangers Videos (an excavation safety video series), Staking University Online Locator Training, The Roundtable Events (peer-to-peer networking discussions), and the U.S. Certified Locator Program. These offerings are sold through digital subscriptions, single issues, and sponsorship packages. The company also provides training video rentals through its Damage Prevention for the Planet Vimeo channel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Staking University: Affiliate program offering training courses for professionals to get hands-on experience in underground utility locating.
• Digging Dangers
• American Certified Locator
• Damage Prevention for the Planet

Products and services

• American Locator Magazine Quarterly digital publication covering underground utility locating, excavation safety, and damage prevention news, case studies, and industry analysis for utility locators, contractors, engineers, and 811 center professionals.
• Digging Dangers Videos

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 excavators view Digging Dangers safety videos annually through contractor safety meetings, training seminars, and one-call outreach efforts

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SeeScancoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026SeeScan is a major sponsor of Planet Underground TV and Digging Dangers Videos. They sponsor training content and website advertising, recognizing the need for an independent voice in the buried utility damage prevention industry. SeeScan provides locator equipment and technology expertise.
• Staking UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanet Underground's affiliate organization offering training courses for professionals to get hands-on experience in utility staking and locating. Combined with the magazine (formerly Underground Focus, now American Locator) to form the current Planet Underground entity. Provides online locator training curriculum.
• Common Ground Alliance (CGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGA is a member-driven association of nearly 4,000 damage prevention professionals. Planet Underground hosts The Roundtable event in conjunction with CGA summits, including the Global Damage Prevention Summit. CGA's 50 in 5 initiative and DIRT Report are frequently discussed topics.
• National Utility Locating Contractors Association (NULCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNULCA represents utility locating professionals across the US. They collaborated on a white paper titled 'The System is Designed to Fail. We're Done Pretending Otherwise' addressing 811 system reform. NULCA is advocating for change in damage prevention policies.
• HBK EngineeringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHBK Engineering, a Quanta Services Company, hosted The Roundtable for Contractors event at their Chicago headquarters in March 2026. They are recognized as a sponsor of the damage prevention event.
• ACTS (Global Damage Prevention Summit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACTS (Advanced Construction Technology Summit) organizes the Global Damage Prevention Summit. Planet Underground hosts a special 'All-Star' Roundtable panel at this annual event, focusing on the risk of excavation damage to underground utilities.
• Missouri 811minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMissouri 811 hosted a Damage Prevention and Excavation Safety Summit where Planet Underground conducted The Roundtable discussions. Highlights from this event appeared in American Locator Magazine Winter 2025/26 issue.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Better Roads Magazine: Better Roads covers road and bridge construction infrastructure. Comparable to Planet Underground as a trade publication in the construction/infrastructure vertical with similar content, audience overlap (contractors), and B2B media model.
• Utility Contractor magazine (NUCA): NUCA's Utility Contractor is the flagship publication of the National Utility Contractors Association. Comparable to Planet Underground as trade media serving utility/excavation contractors, though NUCA also operates as an industry association and lobbying body with a broader scope than Planet Underground's damage-prevention focus.
• Common Ground Alliance (CGA): CGA is the leading damage prevention industry association with ~4,000 professional members. While a current partner, CGA is a comparable entity in the same ecosystem and could become a competitor if it expands into certification, training, or media programming — it has the member base and credibility to do so.

Direct peers

• Trenchless Technology Magazine: Trenchless Technology is a trade media brand covering underground infrastructure construction, including pipeline rehabilitation and trenchless installation. Directly comparable to Planet Underground as a niche B2B media outlet serving the underground infrastructure market with magazine, digital, and event content.
• Pipeline & Gas Journal: Pipeline & Gas Journal is a B2B trade publication covering oil, gas, and pipeline operations. Comparable to Planet Underground as a long-tenured trade media outlet serving the underground energy/utilities sector with technical and operational content.
• Underground Construction Magazine (Oildom Publishing): Underground Construction is a long-running trade publication covering pipeline construction and underground infrastructure. Closely comparable to Planet Underground in serving underground utility contractors with print/digital content, news, and event programming.

Others

• Radiodetection (SPX Technologies): Radiodetection is a major manufacturer of cable and pipe locators used in the underground utility industry. Comparable as a stakeholder in the same damage prevention ecosystem — equipment vendors in this space frequently sponsor and advertise on Planet Underground's platforms, making them both suppliers to and competitors for the same marketing budgets.
• SeeScan: SeeScan is a manufacturer of utility locating equipment and the named major sponsor of Planet Underground TV and Digging Dangers Videos. While a sponsor rather than competitor, SeeScan is deeply embedded in the damage prevention ecosystem and represents the type of equipment manufacturer whose own training and content efforts could overlap with Planet Underground's.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PlanetU_TV
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCb4x2ZDElQEW30PIrDOKEXw
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanLocator
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planet-underground

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Planet Underground