Hivemapper Asia Expansion Initiative

We’re expanding!

Hivemapper has partnered with DMM Crypto, a Web3-focused subsidiary of the multibillion-dollar Japanese conglomerate DMM.com Group, an electronic commerce and Internet company, and Coins.ph, the leading cryptocurrency exchange in the Philippines. These partnerships will enable Hivemapper to produce and syndicate relevant educational materials, in native languages, to targeted regions and key opinion leaders across Asia. Likewise, both DMM Crypto and Coins.ph will operate as local distributors, helping to supply dashcams to fleets in the surrounding geography.

On the heels of its latest case study with HERE Technologies, and having now mapped 25% of the global road network, Hivemapper is seeing unprecedented demand for international street-level imagery. Consequently, DMM Crypto and Coins.ph will help facilitate additional network growth for Hivemapper, and broker introductions to commercial fleets, car manufacturers, automotive suppliers and map data customers. Hivemapper’s current network of map contributors capture more than 28 million KMs of street-level imagery every month, detecting and plotting thousands of map features. Hivemapper is progressing at a pace five times the speed of Google Maps, and is officially the fastest-growing mapping project on the planet. With its next-gen dashcam Bee in tow, Hivemapper expects to scale coverage to meet growing demands for fresh and accurate street-imagery.

“Step one was proof-of-concept,” said Ariel Seidman, Hivemapper founder and CEO. “Now, we get to work closely with mapping companies, logistic companies, and auto manufacturers to refine our product, further reduce network costs and stimulate coverage in targeted geographies.”

Across Asia, mapping companies have faced unique challenges creating accurate and fresh maps. Street naming conventions, complex traffic laws, urban development and non-standard roads pose obstacles for cartographers. Now, with rising demand for real-time street intelligence, fueled by the promise of autonomous vehicles, many companies are searching for alternative map data sources.

"We're excited to partner with Hivemapper. This collaboration showcases blockchain's real-world impact, addressing digital mapping challenges in Southeast Asia and adding value to the local economy," said Wei Zhou, Coins.ph CEO. "Together, we aim to stimulate the ride-sharing economy in the Philippines and augment the daily income drivers can make."

Japan, known for housing many of the world’s top automotive companies, offers significant opportunities for Hivemapper. As one of the leading auto manufacturers globally, Japan produced 8 million vehicles in 2023 alone. Central to Hivemapper’s strategy is forming partnerships within the automotive industry, with a particular focus on the self-driving vehicle sector. The most advanced autonomous driving systems rely heavily on precise maps to accurately interpret their environment. While an outdated navigation map might lead a conventional vehicle astray, outdated maps for automated driving systems pose far greater risks, potentially endangering lives. By collaborating directly with leading automotive manufacturers, Hivemapper aims to create a comprehensive mapmaking pipeline powered by its high-fidelity, AI-driven network.

”We are pleased to form a partner alliance with Hivemapper, one of the world's leading DePIN projects,” said Nagato Kasaki, DMM Crypto CEO. “Our goal is to strongly promote the mass adoption of web3 in Japan through the promotion of Hivemapper in Japan and the support of its regulatory compliance. Therefore, with the support of the Japanese government agency "JETRO" (Japan External Trade Organization), we plan to launch a large-scale demonstration experiment using the Hivemapper Fleet.

In the coming weeks, Hivemapper plans to roll out a series of updates to streamline map data purchases and improve commercial fleet management capabilities.

If you’d like to learn more about Hivemapper’s innovative approach to map data collection, drop us a note at [email protected].