This past week brought some interesting developments in the GIS world. We saw new approaches to mapping, big moves to cloud platforms, and exciting updates for 3D visualization. These changes show how GIS continues to evolve, integrating with cutting-edge tech and opening up new possibilities.
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Hivemapper’s Decentralized Mapping Gains Strategic Backing
Ajna Capital, a prominent early-stage Web3 venture fund, has announced its strategic investment in HONEY, the native token of Hivemapper, the world’s first decentralized mapping network. This backing is set to accelerate Hivemapper’s mission to democratize map-building by incentivizing global contributors to capture 4K street-level imagery using dashcams. This model is transforming how maps are created and maintained, moving away from traditional centralized mapping monopolies toward a community-first approach that promises fresher coverage, greater cost efficiency, and open data utility for various industries.
Published: June 23, 2025
Ajna Capital Backs Hivemapper, the World's First Decentralized Mapping Network -
Map Dynamics Upgrades to AWS, Targets New Event Verticals
Nextech3D.ai has unveiled a major upgrade to its Map Dynamics event platform, completing a full migration to Amazon Web Services (AWS). This strategic move is designed to deliver enterprise-grade performance, faster load times, and seamless scalability for events of all sizes. Operating with impressive gross profit margins exceeding 95% due to its automated delivery and recurring revenue model, Map Dynamics is also aggressively expanding its reach into new lucrative markets such as music festivals and food expos.
Published: June 23, 2025
Map Dynamics Achieves 95% Margins, Launches Major AWS Platform Upgrade | NEXCF Stock News -
Cesium Outlines Ambitious Roadmap for Bridging Built and Natural Environments
Cesium has published its comprehensive roadmap for bridging the built and natural environments, outlining significant advancements for its open-source 3D geospatial visualization platform. Key themes include advancing the 3D Tiles open standard with new capabilities like time-dynamic data and volumetric voxels, integrating reality modeling and AI-powered analysis services with Cesium ion, and exposing iTwin Platform APIs. This ambitious vision aims to create a unified, modular, and highly performant pipeline for optimizing and visualizing massive geospatial datasets, ultimately driving the development of sophisticated digital twin experiences across various sectors.
Published: June 23, 2025
Cesium Roadmap for Bridging the Built and Natural Environment – Cesium
Tools & Tips
- Exploring Collaborative & Browser-Based GIS Platforms
The geospatial landscape is constantly evolving, and 2025 is seeing a surge in user-friendly, collaborative platforms. If a browser-based GIS solution that simplifies map creation and sharing without needing code is desired, Atlas is definitely one to check out. It is designed for real-time teamwork, offering interactive map-building and robust data visualization tools right in the browser.
https://atlas.co/blog/top-10-gis-tools-to-watch-in-2025/
Fun Fact
Ever heard of a “paper town”? Believe it or not, cartographers sometimes intentionally include fake towns, non-existent streets, or even phantom features on maps! These “phantom settlements” act as a kind of copyright trap. If another mapmaker copies their work and includes the exact same fake detail, it’s clear evidence of plagiarism. So, the next time a map is examined, remember there might be a little “bunny” hidden in plain sight!
We’d love to hear from you!
Have you participated in any GIS events or utilized new GIS tools recently? Share your experiences or insights with us—we’re featuring selected community voices in next week’s edition.