Soma Water
AcquiredSan Francisco, US · Founded 2012 · Delaware corporation · 1 employees on LinkedIn · 4 known investors
Soma designs sustainable water filtration and hydration products sold direct to consumers with a filter subscription service.
Also known as drinksoma · Soma · Soma Water
Founders & leadership
Soma Water was founded in 2012 by Michael Del Ponte.
Board
Investors · 4
Also in the syndicate · 3
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$6.2M disclosed across 2 of 3 rounds · 2013–2015
▶$3.9MraisedSep 2016 · 38 investors · OtherRule 506(b)
- Ido LefflerDirector
- Steve AndersonDirector
- Michael Del PonteExecutive Officer, Director
- Brett BrewerDirector
- Offering amount
- $3.9M
- Amount sold
- $3.9M
- Finders' fees
- $5.7K
- Placement agents
- Fundme Securities LLC d/b/a CircleUp
- First sale
- Oct 2015
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2012
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$2.2MraisedOct 2014 · 31 investors · OtherRule 506(b)
- Michael Del PonteExecutive Officer, Director
- Rohan OzaDirector
- Brett BrewerDirector
- Steve AndersonDirector
- Ido LefflerDirector
- Offering amount
- $2.2M
- Amount sold
- $2.2M
- Finders' fees
- $16K
- Placement agents
- Fundme Securities, LLC d/b/a CircleUp
- First sale
- Sep 2014
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2012
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Soma is a San Francisco-based consumer products company that designs water filtration systems built around a glass carafe and a biodegradable filter. The filter uses coconut shell-based media rather than loose charcoal and was developed with David Beeman, who created water formulas for Starbucks and Peet's Coffee. Replacement filters are shipped to customers on a recurring basis, typically every two months.
Over time the product line expanded beyond the original carafe to include pitchers and reusable water bottles, with patent-pending filters made from renewable materials, alongside the filter subscription service. The company is a certified B Corporation and supports charity: water, contributing 1% of sales and funding clean drinking water projects.
Founding story
Mike Del Ponte conceived of Soma while hosting a dinner party in San Francisco: embarrassed by his plastic water filter, he tried to decant filtered water into a glass vessel and the pitcher lid fell off, spilling water across the kitchen floor. A guest, Ido Leffler, founder of Yes To, Inc., helped clean up, and the two discussed creating a better-designed, sustainable water filter. Del Ponte left his prior role and recruited collaborators from his network to build the product.
Business model
Direct-to-consumer sales of hydration hardware (carafes, pitchers, bottles) combined with a recurring subscription for replacement filters delivered to the customer's door.
One-time sales of filtration vessels plus recurring revenue from a filter replacement subscription billed on an approximately two-month cycle.
Traction
The 2012 Kickstarter campaign drew thousands of prospective buyers and raised $147,444 over 38 days, exceeding its $100,000 goal. The company subsequently funded clean drinking water projects for thousands of people through charity: water.
Latest developments
In November 2017, Full Circle Home acquired Soma, adding hydration to Full Circle's home product categories; Full Circle stated it would apply its manufacturing resources to enhance production of Soma products, and the two brands introduced joint holiday bundles priced between $45 and $90.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Positioned as a design-led alternative to mass-market plastic pitcher filters such as Brita and PUR, competing on aesthetics, sustainable materials and subscription convenience. The New York Times described the product as a "welcome change to the status quo," and Inc. Magazine named Soma one of the "most audacious companies of 2013."
Emphasis on industrial design, biodegradable and renewable filter materials, a B Corporation certification, and a social component through charity: water, contrasted with conventional plastic filtration pitchers.
Technology
A water filtration system pairing a glass carafe or pitcher with a biodegradable filter made from renewable materials, including coconut shell filtration media in place of loose charcoal; later filters were described as patent-pending. The filter design was created by water expert David Beeman.
Go-to-market
Crowdfunding launch on Kickstarter to validate demand and build an early customer community, followed by e-commerce sales through the company's own website and a subscription filter program; advisors and ambassadors such as Tim Ferriss supported early promotion.
Design- and sustainability-conscious household consumers buying filtered drinking water products online.
Geography
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, selling online to consumers and supporting charity: water clean-water projects internationally.
History
Founded in 2012 by Mike Del Ponte, Ido Leffler, Rohan Oza and Zach Allia, Soma launched a Kickstarter campaign in December 2012 that passed $100,000 in nine days and closed at roughly $147,000 against a $100,000 goal. In July 2013 the company announced a $3.7 million seed round, and it opened ordering to the public on September 16, 2013. In November 2017 Soma was acquired by Full Circle Home.
Risks & controversies
Reported challenges during the startup phase centered on building an e-commerce platform and developing the physical product on a constrained budget, and on team management and prioritization.
Compiled by commissioned research from 4 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsFull Circle Home, a design-focused cleaning and lifestyle brand and certified B Corporation, acquired Soma's line of hydration products; Full Circle applied its manufacturing resources to Soma production.
Soma opened ordering of its glass carafe and biodegradable filter to the general public.
Soma announced a $3.7 million seed round with participation from Baseline Ventures, Forerunner Ventures, Lerer Ventures, Collaborative Fund, Cowboy Ventures, Vast Ventures, Mindful Investors and Tim Ferriss.
$3.7M source ↗
Soma partnered with the nonprofit charity: water, donating a share of proceeds (reported as 1% of sales) to clean water projects.
Soma launched a Kickstarter campaign in December 2012, passing $100,000 within the first nine days and finishing at roughly $147,000 (reported as $147,444 over 38 days against a $100,000 goal).
$147.4K source ↗
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities · 1
corporate structureIn the news
▸Research sources · 4
primary sources listed
- Soma (company) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · web
4 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Soma Water do?
- Soma designs sustainable water filtration and hydration products sold direct to consumers with a filter subscription service.
- Who founded Soma Water?
- Soma Water was founded by Michael Del Ponte in 2012.
- Who are Soma Water's investors?
- Soma Water's investors include JAZZ Venture Partners.
- How much funding has Soma Water raised?
- Soma Water has disclosed $6.2M raised across 2 of its 3 known rounds.
- Where is Soma Water headquartered?
- Soma Water is headquartered in San Francisco, US.