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Map Project app user

Karoline Beronius, EIT Digital alumnus, is thrilled! Her startup Map Project has closed a first investment of 2.5 million SEK (250,000 €) and is now heading at full throttle towards launch of the application. 4 billion people, who currently suffer from inadequate addresses, will soon be able to create complete, precise and easy to use addresses through a new mobile application.

The Android app will be launched in early 2019, and the iOS version later the same year. Initial markets are Uganda and Rwanda, where partnerships have been built and most tests and developments have been done.

“Through this investment we are able to speed up our work to address the challenge currently negatively impacting 4 billion people” says Karoline Beronius, CEO at Map Project (and one of the speakers at the EIT Digital Innovation Day in Stockholm on 28 November).Map Project founders Karoline Beronius and Maria Cheadle

Addresses are a fundamental infrastructure and also a civil right. The lack of precise and complete address systems is a global challenge, and not only concentrated to developing countries. Without addresses individuals cannot fully exercise their civil rights, get access to services like banking and insurances, or even explain to emergency services how to reach them. What is more, governments and authorities cannot be inclusive and reach all of its citizens with information and essential services, and many business opportunities are missed.

Map Project’s address solution makes it easy to create and share an address, and it provides benefits to individuals, companies and authorities. Personal data is very sensitive data, and the privacy and security of the end-user is always at the centre of development. The application has therefore been developed with emphasis on integrity by default and design.

A business solution will be launched in 2019, making identification, delivery and transport more effective, and thereby improving access to public and private goods and services to people who have previously gone without.

“At Map Project we consider having an address a civil right! For individuals it will always be free to create and share an address! For businesses customers we offer Addressing as a Service”  Karoline continues.

Karoline Beronius explaining the apps functionalitiesThe business solution targets companies and organisations dependent on accurate addresses, and allows for integration with customer’s own CRM or logistics systems. Map Project is now actively building  partnerships within companies in e-commerce and logistics in Uganda and Rwanda.

Map Project believes that at least six (8,9,10,11,16 & 17) of the UN Sustainable Development Goals are difficult to achieve unless the addressing infrastructure is in place. Addresses are essential to identify people, register businesses, land ownership, effective taxation and efficient distribution of resources. Without an address individuals cannot get access to banking and insurance, or even explain to emergency services how to find them.

Karoline adds “Our goal is to ensure that by World Post Day (8th October) 2030 every individual has a precise, complete and easy to use address, no matter where they live! We want to strengthen the individuals as citizens and consumers and ensure that they get access to public and private goods and services."

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