Oslo-based Atlas.co, an all-in-one platform for creating, collaborating on, and sharing custom maps and performing geospatial analysis, has landed $2 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by European climate-focused VC fund Pale Blue Dot, which invested in Swedish electric bus network Ember and London climate risk intelligence startup Climate X. Other high-profile investors in the round include Ben Lang (early employee and ex-community lead at Notion), and Andreas Klinger (ex-CTO and founding team at Product Hunt).
With this funding, Atlas.co plans to accelerate product development, grow its engineering team, and build new features that make maps a powerful medium for communication and insight. Also, the company is poised to empower a broader audience to use maps not just as tools but also as storytelling canvases that drive insight and change across sectors.
How was the idea born?
Atlas.co was founded by Harald Tryti Rieber, Marius Hofgaard, Vegard J. Løwe, and Fredrik Moger in 2021 while they were still at university. They bootstrapped during the early phase of the startup, opting to drop out of jobs they had lined up for after university to focus full-time on the startup. They launched the platform in June on Product Hunt and have close to 20,000 sign-ups across 140+ countries.
All-in-one platform to create and share maps
Atlas.co aims to redefine how maps are used in today’s digital-first world. Unlike legacy platforms such as Esri that are complex and limit collaboration, Atlas enables users to embed interactive, data-rich maps that can update and evolve in real-time.
Inspired by collaborative tools like Figma and Notion, it offers users a browser-based platform where data-rich maps can be created, edited, and shared in real-time, facilitating a dynamic approach to spatial data that legacy GIS (Geographic Information System) have not achieved. This is possible by offering a more flexible, user-friendly cloud-based collaboration platform and a software-as-a-service business model that starts at free and scales with usage. With this, the company ensures that everyone on a team has the most up-to-date map version, enabling seamless workflows for remote teams and asynchronous work.
Creating apps made easy
Another aspect that makes Atlas.co interesting is that it does not require powerful computer hardware or software. It is a freemium browser-based, real-time mapping tool. A tile rendering component by the team streams mapping data from its infrastructure to the user’s browser. Its major features include builder tool to build spatial maps and interactive dashboards. It supports data layering for users to upload information to display on maps and tools to style the data.
It supports spatial analysis tools for automating functionality and there is real-time collaboration for aspects such as real-time cursor display or visual location data.
The company finds use in applications such as renewable energy development, urban planning and real-estate. It will also be used by journalists as maps can quickly convey information.
“Atlas.co empowers creators with tools to visualise and communicate complex data clearly,” said Ben Lang, ex-community and creator lead at Notion. “They’re leading a fundamental shift in making maps and spatial data relevant to a new generation of digital creators and data-driven storytellers.”
“I see Atlas as a spatial database with superpowers layered on top”, said Andreas Klinger, entrepreneur-turned-investor. “Atlas.co is empowering industries across the board to harness spatial data and navigate an evolving world.”
“Atlas.co is a significant step toward making spatial data accessible for essential causes like climate action,” said Joel Larsson, partner at Pale Blue Dot. “We’re excited to support a team that views maps not only as data tools but also as catalysts for environmental and social change.”
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