MapAI Secures $1.3 Million in Funding to Advance Generative AI Data Analytics
MapAI, an innovative leader in Generative AI for geospatial data analytics, today announced the closure of a $1.3 million funding round, supported by FrontierSI and UNSW Sydney. This investment underscores the growing importance of generative AI technologies in transforming how we understand and interact with data, and demonstrates the world leading nature of Australian research and innovation. The funding will accelerate the commercial rollout of MapAI’s platform, enhancing offerings for businesses and public access alike.
Phil Delaney, CEO of MapAI, said, “With this new funding, we are thrilled to advance our platform to production, fully harnessing the power of generative AI and making geospatial analytics more intuitive and accessible than ever before. Our technology is set to redefine user interactions with data platforms, turning complex interfaces into simple conversations.”
As MapAI advances, it remains dedicated to its vision of making geospatial data and technology accessible and transparent for everyone. This will include a publicly available site allowing users to explore Australian data in early 2025.
Professor Stephen Rodda, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Innovation) at UNSW Sydney, says of their involvement so far: “UNSW’s investment in MapAI reflects our focus on investing in technology that bridges the gap between research and impactful real-world applications. It is well known that generative AI is transformative, and MapAI’s approach to geospatial analytics leverages the technology to tackle complex challenges and create accessible solutions. Supporting ventures like MapAI is crucial to our approach to delivering societal impact through research translation.”
Dr Graeme Kernich, CEO of FrontierSI where MapAI was incubated, says of their latest investment: “Our continued support for MapAI aligns with FrontierSI’s purpose to solve problems using our geospatial expertise. MapAI builds solutions that not only allow users to interact with their data and make better decisions, but is also building tools that provide a broader set of users with information that they simply haven’t had access to in the past.”
Founders Professor Chris Pettit and Dr Balamurugan Soundararaj demonstrate MapAI in the interactive City Analytics Lab
The newly secured funds will accelerate the development of MapAI’s production-ready platforms and will also support integration into the ambitious Urban Copilot initiative. Working alongside Archistar, PEXA and UNSW, the $6.5 million, three-year Urban Copilot initiative aims to redefine urban planning through advanced AI solutions with MapAI funded as a core technology provider.
Professor Chris Pettit, Director of UNSW City Futures Research Centre where the foundational technology behind MapAI was developed, highlighted the ongoing collaboration: “UNSW is proud to continue our role as the research engine behind MapAI. This funding not only fuels the next stage of development but also cements our commitment to translating our cutting-edge research into real-world products.”
As MapAI continues to expand its reach and capabilities, it remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what generative AI can achieve in the geospatial realm. By ensuring that businesses and the public can leverage the most advanced tools for data analysis and engagement, MapAI paves the way for smarter, more sustainable decisions for all. Demonstrations of MapAI technology working with real customer data can be found on their YouTube channel.
Media Contact: Phil Delaney, CEO Email: phil@mapai.net Phone: +61 405 034 442 Website: https://mapai.net/
About MapAI
MapAI is an Australian grown, innovative business focused on making geospatial data accessible and actionable through conversational AI. Our platform, developed in collaboration with UNSW and FrontierSI, allows users to interact with maps using natural language, greatly simplifying the user experience. MapAI is committed to transparency, demonstrating AI processes clearly, and is designed to deliver tailored insights, enhancing user understanding.
About City Futures Research Centre, UNSW
UNSW Sydney is a public research university ranked 2nd in Australia and 27th in the world for Graduate Employability. Since its establishment in 2005, the UNSW City Futures Research Centre has provided a training ground for the next generation of urban thinkers, city shapers, and urban scientists. The Centre provides ethical, evidence-based inputs to contemporary urban policy debates and the planning of 21st Century cities, with a vision to create a better and more sustainable future.
https://cityfutures.ada.unsw.edu.au/about-us/
About FrontierSI
FrontierSI has a strong record of delivering spatial information services throughout Australia, New Zealand and around the world. We harness the transformative power of collaboration and robust networks to curate top-tier teams dedicated to effective problem-solving. As a trailblazing social enterprise, we focus our deep spatial expertise on developing and implementing solutions using positioning and geodesy, spatial data management and data analytics.
