Chris Sheldrick, founder of what3words, discusses the need for a new addressing system (4:25), challenges of convincing people to switch (7:15), competing with GPS (11:10), 'killer app' he's looking for (12:45), how suitcases are like addresses (14:05), his journey from musician to entrepreneur (17:10), choosing three words (20:20), securing funding and business model (26:35), taking on 'Big Address' (28:45)
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Quick takeaways
What Three Words aims to replace traditional address systems with a unique three-word combination for every 10 foot by 10 foot square on the planet, offering a more accurate and convenient way to navigate and deliver services.
What Three Words disrupts the address data industry by providing a simplified and more accurate alternative to traditional address systems, tapping into the multi-billion dollar address data market and reshaping how people interact with location-based information.
Deep dives
What Three Words: Revolutionizing Address Systems
What Three Words is a company that aims to replace traditional address systems with a unique three-word combination for every 10 foot by 10 foot square on the planet. The founder, Chris Sheldrick, explains the need for a simpler and more accurate way to navigate and deliver services in areas with no or inefficient address systems. The company has raised over $50 million and has gained traction with various organizations, including the UN and government agencies, who use the system for disaster relief and postal services. They have also partnered with brands like Mercedes to integrate three-word addresses into their systems, offering a more convenient and error-free way to navigate. The company monetizes its service by licensing the conversion of three-word addresses to longitude and latitude coordinates, disrupting the existing address data industry. While adoption and changing consumer behavior remain a challenge, the company continues to push for wider acceptance and integration in everyday navigation systems.
Language-Centric Approach and Global Expansion
What Three Words' language-centric approach involves curating word dictionaries for each language they support, with a focus on providing familiar and easily memorable words to ensure global usability. The company prioritizes its expansion based on language prevalence, targeting areas where a specific language is widely spoken. They aim to create ecosystems within countries, where multiple services and platforms support and integrate the use of three-word addresses. These ecosystems foster familiarity and trust among users, encouraging widespread adoption. The company is actively working to build partnerships with major consumer brands, such as Mercedes and Amazon, to further drive adoption and normalize the use of three-word addresses in everyday life. While challenges exist in raising awareness and establishing these ecosystems, the company remains focused on the path to global acceptance.
Disrupting the Address Data Industry
What Three Words disrupts the address data industry by providing a simplified and more accurate alternative to traditional address systems. They offer a global addressing standard that eliminates the need for complex latitude and longitude coordinates, making it easier for people to navigate and for businesses to deliver services. By licensing the conversion of three-word addresses to coordinates, the company taps into the multi-billion dollar address data market, which involves transactions between various entities, including aggregators, address service providers, and governments. As the company gains more partnerships and integrations with major brands and organizations, they solidify their position as a disruptor and reshape the way people think about and interact with location-based information.
Navigating Challenges and Envisioning the Future
What Three Words faces the challenge of prioritizing countries and regions for expansion, focusing on areas where the need for an accurate address system is high. The company also needs to overcome the hurdle of changing consumer behavior and mindset around addressing locations. The founder acknowledges the need for businesses and governments worldwide to embrace the system and build ecosystems that support its use. Looking ahead, the company plans to explore opportunities beyond traditional navigation, such as drone delivery and autonomous driving, and seeks to integrate three-word addresses into popular apps and services people use every day. Despite the challenges, What Three Words envisions a future where traditional address systems are replaced by a global, simple, and highly accurate standard that improves navigation and enables new services and innovations.
The Sunday Times’ Danny Fortson brings on Chris Sheldrick, founder of what3words, to talk about the problem with addresses (4:25), why we need a new system (5:10), the challenge of convincing people to leave old way behind (7:15), who is using what3words today (8:55), competing with GPS (11:10), the “killer app” he is looking for (12:45), how wheeled suitcases are like addresses (14:05), starting out as a musician (17:10), how a sleep-walking accident changed his life (19:00), how he settled on three words (20:20), pitching the idea to investors (22:15), how he plans to not be another good idea that dies on the vine (24:20), raising $50m and creating a business model (26:35), taking on “Big Address” (28:45), starting the company with a dictionary (32:25), and choosing languages (34:25).