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Startup inspiration can light upon anywhere . But forAtlas.co * , a freemium web internet browser - base , real - time chromosome mapping tool that ’s being built by an Oslo , Norway - based team of ( initially student ) engineers , the realization that there might be a business opportunity in competing with expensive bequest mapping software murder the founders during course .
“ When we get introduction family to GIS [ geographical entropy system ] , one-half of the course was n’t able to download it because their computer did n’t meet the requirement of the software , ” Fredrik Moger , CEO and co - beginner , told TechCrunch . “ That ’s a barrier in world-wide , right ? And I intend if you look … peradventure 10 geezerhood back , Adobe kind of faced the same issue . And thenFigmacame on the field . ”
Atlas need to unlock the power of GIS data in a similar fashion , sidestepping the pull and cost of legacy software package by offering a more flexible , exploiter - favorable swarm - based collaboration platform and a software - as - a - service business organisation example that go at gratis and scales with custom .
Moger repoint to other cloud platform — such as Airtable , Canva , and Notion — as also ply the type of collaborative templet it require to bring to doing coolheaded thing with GIS data point . While , on the legacy mapping side , he name - checksEsrias the master GIS political program competition .
Google Maps also offers a custom maps feature and an API for developers wanting to embed ample synergistic maps elsewhere . Though it ’s not a full GIS political platform . So it is improbable to be fully feature enough for the B2B users Atlas is going after .
Typical users so far include multitude working in renewable muscularity developing , urban preparation , and genuine - demesne , fit in to Moger . journalist have also , perhaps unsurprisingly , been among its other users — as maps can be a powerful way to speedily convey info .
Making maps really easy
run Atlas does n’t ask particularly herculean computer computer hardware , per Moger . Nor does software need to be download and establish , as everything run in the internet browser .
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A roofing tile show constituent the squad built allows it to teem chromosome mapping data from its base to the user ’s browser app “ very expeditiously , ” he suggest — and that in act mean no fancy hardware necessary .
On the exploiter port side , the goal is to maximise accessibility , too , by designing a clean and innovative software experience that ’s easy to blame up . “ [ What ] we are doing with GIS is make it available for everyone , ” he order . “ I opine everyone should be able-bodied to build synergistic maps and spatial apps really , really easy . ”
Atlas was found in 2021 when the founding father were still at university . They bootstrapped during the early phase of the inauguration , opt to drop out of chore they had line up for after university to focus full - prison term on the startup . They launched the platform in June on Product Hunt . They ’ve had close to 20,000 polarity - ups across 140 + countries , so far — mostly barren substance abuser at this other stage , Moger confirms .
The chief feature currently include a builder tool that lets users build spatial maps and interactional dashboards . It supports datum layering , too — where users can upload data to expose on mapping and practice tools to visualize and style the data .
The software also provides spacial depth psychology prick for automating functionality such as proximity search , datum aggregation , and density analysis . Real - time collaboration is baked in as well , with support for things like literal - metre pointer display to help teams work together on compiling optical positioning data .
The startup has just close a $ 2 million pre - seed circle to keep developing the intersection . So hiring more engineers is top of the squad ’s to - do list as they focus on carry on to expand Atlas ’ feature set .
Moger suggests there ’s a originate want for geospatial data analysis optical and storytelling — including as a result of the climate crisis . ( One topical example is planet maps of Valencia , Spain , that have been doing the rounds in the wake of the DANA storm flooding disaster sooner this calendar month , showingbefore and after shots . )
“ With all the clime alteration that is bump , and all the natural process we require to do to fight mood change , a lot of new industries actually require to turn more and more with geospatial data , ” he suggested . “ They currently do n’t deem the competency and the skills to puzzle out with survive tool . And [ those are the ] fresh users or industries that we want to target . That ’s who we need to enable to apply and bring with spatial data . ”
Moger explained that , whereas previously only one person on a target squad might have serve as the in - family GIS expert skilled in using legacy software , the goal with Atlas is to enable multiple team members to get together on geospatial information .
The funding is run by European climate - concentrate VC fundPale Blue Dot . Other “ in high spirits profile ” investor in the round admit Ben Lang ( other employee and ex-husband - community track at Notion ) and Andreas Klinger ( ex - CTO and plant teamat Product Hunt ) .
Commenting in a statement , Joel Larsson , better half at Pale Blue Dot , said : “ Atlas.co is a significant step toward make spacial data point approachable for essential causes like climate action . We ’re excited to support a team that see maps not only as data tools but also as catalysts for environmental and social change . ”
- Not to be disjointed with3D generative AI tool Atlas;Atlas the employment gain tool for worldwide companies;Atlassian ’s teams software Atlas ; Boston Dynamics’Atlas the humanoid automaton ; or VCSequoia ’s interactive map of European tech talent , to name a few of the myriad uses of “ Atlas ” the terminus in tech . So it might be time to retreat this name , tbh .
