Location Innovation Hub helps organisations across the Europe understand the transformative power of location information and technology. Gispo is one of the partners of Location Innovation Hub providing free consultation and providing help in GIS related issues. The idea is to boost public sector, entrepreneurs and startups to gain new insight on geospatial information and tools.
Understanding accessibility with location data
During our work related to LIH, we have noticed that for organisations unfamiliar with GIS (geographic information system), seeing their data visualised on a map for the first time can be a revelation.
Here is a simple example of what location (and information about location) means to the world not used to GIS. We created a simple QGIS project with basic information like roads, aerial images, buildings, and services from OpenStreetMap data. The client almost cried with joy when they saw their area of operation on a map for the first time. It was a really simple task for us, but for them it was a way of viewing information geographically and finally enabled them to make decisions based on maps.
Another type of location-is-everything consultancy was carried out for a real estate company that was interested in comparing several locations based on their accessibility to public transport. With the help of the LIH consultancy, they were able to map travel times and distances from different points in Espoo, showing how recent transport developments had improved access to key areas.
This kind of insight was invaluable for their planning and gave them a clear understanding of how accessibility affected their operations.
Location intelligence for startups to grow their business
Geospatial data is now an integral part of many services and is often used in very innovative ways by start-ups. The startups may already have a solution and have solved many GIS-related problems along the way. But as “outsiders” to the geospatial industry, these companies are usually very interested in learning about the different standard tools and methods available to improve their solutions. Consulting can help them understand how to make things more efficient, scalable and future-proof their technology and architecture choices.
For example, UpCharge, a power bank sharing technology company, realised that visualising where and when their power banks were being used could greatly improve their planning. By using tools like Kepler.gl, they were able to see which areas were experiencing the highest demand and how their power banks were moving between locations.
This kind of location-based intelligence helped UpCharge make more strategic decisions about where to place their power bank stations, which directly contributed to their business development.
Training to leverage location-based tools
Some customers have turned to the Location Innovation Hub for training rather than data analysis or consultancy.
For example, the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) was interested in how to benefit from geospatial data, how to solve problems with it and how to use different GIS software like QGIS. With this goal in mind, two webinars were organized. The webinars covered the basics of spatial data, the data available through NLS Finland, and the benefits of using QGIS for nature conservation.
Nature conservation has a great potential to benefit from the understanding and use of spatial data and we were very pleased to be part of this process.
A new perspective on location
In every case, the key lesson has been the same: location matters. Whether it’s a small business trying to understand where its customers are, a start-up looking to grow, or a conservation organisation trying to protect natural resources, GIS offers a powerful way to view and interpret data. By using location as the basis for decision making, organisations can gain new insights and develop more effective strategies.
We are entering the golden era of a full-blown GIS usage: we have the data, we have the tools, we have the knowledge – now it is time to use it, create new innovations and start changing the world.
Gispo is one of the partners of the Location Innovation Hub, offering free services to start-ups, SMEs and public organisations. Do you think that more effective use of location data could help your business? Contact the Location Innovation Hub.
