Geomob

Ed Freyfogle interviews Jake Cracknell, co-founder and CTO of doorways.ai, a company focused on geocoding and routing for the delivery use case. They discuss the frustration of navigating the last 100 meters of a delivery and the need for efficient routing and parking solutions. Jake explains how doorways.ai provides navigable geocoding, doorway geocoding, and optimized paths that avoid barriers. He also highlights the challenges of geocoding and routing in complex areas and the potential for using AI and machine learning in the future. The recently-founded company now exposes a public demo so potential users can see the benefits of doorstep level geocoding. Finally, no discussion of geocoding or routing would be complete with out a horror story. Jake and team have done the analysis and found the worst routing example in the UK. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Max Lenormand returns to the podcast, this time to join Steven in discussing the emergence of generative AI and its applications in the geospatial field. Max explores the challenges and opportunities of using generative AI in geospatial data analysis and mapping. The conversation delves into the importance of trust and accuracy in geospatial data, as well as the potential impact of AI on historical mapping and indoor mapping. Max also shares his concerns and excitement about the future of AI in geospatial and envisions a future where explainability and trust are key factors in AI-generated data.  Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Ed and Steven announce the first ever Geomob Edinburgh (March 26th) and recap recent Geomob events in London, Barcelona, and Berlin. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Old friend Thierry Gregorius, an executive coach and founder of True Horizon Coaching - and occasional London geomobster - discusses his journey from the geospatial industry to coaching. He highlights the transferable skills developed within the geospatial industry and the challenges faced by professionals transitioning in and out of the industry. Thierry and Ed also explore the impact of AI on the geospatial industry and emphasizes the importance of human skills, such as emotional intelligence and creativity, in complementing AI capabilities. We conclude with advice for individuals contemplating their career paths. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Ed and Patrick Ribeiro discuss explorer.land, a map-based storytelling and transparency tool for nature-based projects related to climate change. The platform allows organizations to showcase their projects on a map, providing transparency and accountability to stakeholders. It offers features such as aerial imagery, thematic layers, and real-time data to help users understand the impact of these projects. The goal is to build trust and encourage financial support for organizations working on climate change initiatives. Patrick emphasizes the importance of addressing real challenges and needs on the ground rather than focusing solely on technology. He also highlights the role of storytelling in effectively communicating the impact of these projects. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Steven interviews Ana Lucia González Paz, a senior journalist in visual journalism with the BBC World Service. They discuss the role of visual journalism in a radio program, the importance of maps in storytelling, and the personal connection between maps and memories. Ana Lucia shares her inspiration for creating A Map Inside, a flip book that explores the geography of mountains and how they shape our identities. They also touch on the topic of disputed borders and the challenges of creating maps that are acceptable in different regions. Ana Lucia reveals her future project of researching her ancestor's involvement in cartography. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

In this episode Neelima Mohanty and Pragya Pant share their experiences as young women in the geospatial industry and the impact of mentorship on their careers. They discuss the challenges they face as women in a male-dominated field and the importance of equal opportunities. Nalima talks about her internships and the practical experience she gained, while Pragya highlights the transformative nature of mentorship. They offer advice to mentors and mentees, emphasizing the need for flexibility, guidance, and promotion of underrepresented individuals. The conversation also touches on the importance of gender representation at tech events and ways to encourage more women speakers. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.  

Ed and Steven catch up on their holiday experiences, their projects, and look forward to this week's Geomob London event. They discuss the growing financial challenges of running Geomob and explore potential sponsorship ideas to cover the rising costs. One idea is to offer a 'buy one, get one free' sponsorship package, where sponsors support both the podcast and an open-source project. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Joining Ed this week is data expert Auren Hoffman. Auren is the founder of SafeGraph, a geospatial company that aggregates geospatial data from multiple sources and sell it to a diverse list of clients. Listen in as Auren explains where the data comes from, how it is used, and the issues around accuracy. They also discuss the business of places data and the type of clients that need it the most. The key, according to Auren, is knowing your customer and building your product with them in mind. Tune in to learn about Safegraph’s Placekey initiative, an entity matching system for places that enables merging/syncing of places data. Learn how to access this highly accurate merging system on this week’s episode. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

In this episode, Steven and Ed discuss their favorite tools and workflows for daily tasks. They cover clipboard management tools like Clip Menu and Clipy, the differences between browser-based and local installations, the use of password managers like OnePassword and LastPass, the power of the Perl programming language, and the convenience of QGIS to Web for building interactive web maps. They emphasize the importance of mastering tools and investing time to understand their full functionality. The episode concludes with a New Year's resolution to make the most of the tools at hand. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.