Mapillary, a company we reviewed last year,  announced today a new iOS app that makes it even easier for consumers to build a photo representation of the world. The company also announced that it has raised $1.5 million in seed funding led by Sequoia. Other backers include the international funds Playfair, Wellington, and LDV Capital, and a number of prominent angel investors, including James Currier, Taavet Hinrikus, and Naval Ravikant.

The Mapillary community uses their smartphones and other devices like GoPro, Garmin Virb and low flying drones to collect photos that are combined into a street level view. In less than a year Mapillary users have already mapped everything from streets and sidewalks to beaches and mountaintops in more than 60 countries.

“We’re on a mission to empower our community to visually map the world with the most advanced computer vision platform out there,” said Jan Erik Solem, CEO of Mapillary. “We’re honored that so many impressive investors believe in our team and vision.”

Mappilary screenshot
Mappilary app screenshot

The new iOS app makes it easy to manage photos with more advanced photo reviewing, improved uploading, and a brand new photo viewer. Users can also connect with others with similar interests through the new activity feed and profile page. More information is available on the Mapillary blog.

“The Mapillary community generates fresher, more compelling imagery and can cover many more areas than conventional mapping solutions,” said Roelof Botha, partner, Sequoia. “It’s a deft crowdsourcing approach that encourages everyone to participate in the largest expedition in history.”

The funds will be used to grow the Mapillary team and further empower the community with robust and easy­to­use tools to explore and map the world. For example, Mapillary was recently integrated into OpenStreetMap’s editing tools so that any photo contributed to Mapillary is also immediately available for improving open mapping initiatives around the world.

Mapillary also enables commercial applications of crowdsourced mapping in verticals such as transportation, construction, cities and municipalities and more. Interested businesses can find out more on the business section of the website.

The Mapillary app is available on Android, iOS, Windows Phone, as well as action cameras like GoPro and Garmin Virb.

Photo by Brian Lane Winfield Moore

Author: Paul Melcher

Paul Melcher is a highly influential and visionary leader in visual tech, with 20+ years of experience in licensing, tech innovation, and entrepreneurship. He is the Managing Director of MelcherSystem and has held executive roles at Corbis, Stipple, and more. Melcher received a Digital Media Licensing Association Award and is a board member of Plus Coalition, Clippn, and Anthology, and has been named among the “100 most influential individuals in American photography”

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