Ordnance Survey talks about the importance of Location

Ordnance Survey is holding a networking event in ‘Tech City’ to showcase entrepreneurs and new start-up businesses that are making the best use of location technology.

Geographic information is becoming ever more important for small and medium-size enterprises, as well as major businesses, in the development of apps based on location data. Recently, the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Google have been competing on a mass scale in the mapping arena with their own mapping apps, using location-based data.

New businesses that have been successful in using location data from across Great Britain will speak at the ‘Location, Location, Location’ event held at the Google Campus in London on 28 August, 2012. The networking event is aimed at the digital entrepreneur/start-up community who work in the area of location-based app development; whether they are mobile, desktop, server, or platform-based applications.

The exciting range of speakers will be talking at Ordnance Survey’s ‘Location’ event about how they have used location-based information to develop successful products and applications. The sessions are sure to inspire and generate further interest in the many ways in which location data can be used in app development.

Peter ter Haar, Director of Products at Ordnance Survey, said: “There are so many developments happening with location-based data that are exciting a new generation of entrepreneurs.

“Ordnance Survey is world-renowned for collecting some of the most accurate geospatial data and we want to make sure that businesses of all sizes are making the best use of it.

“The potential benefits of using location based data are massive.

“This networking evening will focus on helping start-up businesses to take advantage of the technology and information that is available to them, with much of it being free to use.”

Ordnance Survey maintains some of the highest-quality national mapping in the world and has done for more than 200 years. More than 5000 updates are made to Ordnance Survey’s digital mapping database every day, with 250 surveyors and two planes constantly capturing geographic changes.

Developers can access a range of Ordnance Survey’s data for free. Entrepreneurs and developers alike can see exactly what’s available from the OS OpenData pages on our website.

Ordnance Survey also offers free access to our mapping through our web mapping application programming interface, OS OpenSpace. It’s an easy way to embed Ordnance Survey mapping into a website or online application, with the ability to plot routes, pan and zoom through mapping scales and search via place names or postcodes.

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

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Ordnance Survey provides expertise internationally

Ordnance Survey is launching a new international service to help other countries around the world un-tap the multi-million pound potential of accurate geographic information (GI).

The national mapping agency of Great Britain stands at the forefront globally of advances in geospatial management. And now, supporting the Government’s drive to share and promote the nation’s knowledge and expertise overseas, Ordnance Survey is set to help other countries to enjoy similar benefits.

From September 2012, Ordnance Survey will be launching a new international organisation, Ordnance Survey International. It will harness the vast range of skills and expertise within Ordnance Survey to primarily support other national mapping agencies and countries. The aim is to provide expert advice and services across the full spectrum of Ordnance Survey’s expertise, including data collection and maintenance, product development and geospatial data management. The expert advice  will enable international customers to develop and enhance their own business requirements and ultimately reap the benefits, which can be delivered through the efficient management of accurate, maintained GI. 

Over the past decade there has been a global realisation of the significance of geospatial information by both governments and businesses. However, the quality, accuracy and use of the mapping data varies from country to country. The global recognition of the importance of reliable and trusted GI has in turn resulted in greater customer demand on national mapping agencies to collect and maintain accurate location data.

Ordnance Survey has built up a reputation for being at the forefront of the geospatial industry through its world-renowned data collection processes and range of mapping products and services. Today Ordnance Survey data is being used extensively across the private and public sector to drive efficiencies, underpin decision making and support valuable products and services.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Ordnance Survey has a reputation as a world leader of geographical information, developed from their strong performance as the national mapping agency for Great Britain. I was particularly impressed with the organisation when I visited them recently and their contribution to supporting economic growth.

“Ordnance Survey has a well defined strategy in providing their customers with accurate and efficient services, and a strong track record of working collaboratively with partners. This has continued with the development of the Public Data Group, and an international service was the obvious next step. The move to provide specialist services internationally supports the wider government drive to promote the expertise of the UK overseas. I look forward to seeing their knowledge being put to good use around the world and furthering the reputation of British business abroad.”

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Wales Coast Path set for a boost as entrepreneurs get to work

Five groups of entrepreneurs from across Wales and the wider UK have been given the funding to turn their visions for the Wales Coast Path into a reality.

New phones apps, tourism ideas and business tools were among the five winning entries of Ordnance Survey’s GeoVation challenge, held in Cardiff’s SWALEC Stadium on Wednesday, July 18.

Budding entrepreneurs across Great Britain were tasked with coming up with new innovations and ideas to help Wales make the most of its new coast path – with a slice of £125,000 available for the winners. 

And they did not disappoint. Five winners were awarded funding following successful pitches to a judging panel. They were:

Perfect Visitor Companion is an idea by Jamie Hanna and Julie McNiece of MyTourTalk. This multi media video experience will guide visitors to the Wales Coast path through a smartphone app that would be 100% accessible as the data would be stored offline. This group was awarded £40,000.

Food Finder is an idea by sisters Helen and Nicola Steer.  This online app and offline map would highlight local, sustainable and delicious food (and beer), farms, wild food hotspots, food activities and places to eat along the path. Awarded £30,000, Food Finder also won the Community Award of £1, 000 after a vote from the invited audience.

Igam Ogam is an idea from Cardigan team Steve Knight, Sean Vicary and Rowan O’Neill. This bi-lingual smartphone app will tell people’s local stories of the places and features along the path for visitors to the areas. It was awarded £30,000.

Living Paths is an idea by Roger Bamkin and Robin Owain of Monmouthpedia. It will allow communities along the path to create a Wikipedia page and post stories about their communities allowing diverse local information to become accessible. It was awarded: £17,500.

Growing Routes is an idea by Richard Fairhurst. This web-based app which will combine data from a variety of sources to  provide gap analysis and help build economies along the path by showing where the businesses opportunities are. It was awarded £7,500

Chris Parker, one of the GeoVation organisers at Ordnance Survey, said: “This GeoVation challenge has been a big success. We were very impressed with some of the new ideas and innovations that entrepreneurs came up with. I am sure that communities, businesses and visitors along the path will benefit significantly.

“We asked people to come up with ideas that will solve real problems through the use of geography and innovation. These five winning entries will prove a boost to business and communities and will enrich the experience of tourists visiting the path.”  

GeoVation is an innovation network from Ordnance Survey supporting new geography and mapping based business ventures that have an economic, social or environmental benefit for the country. GeoVation does this by running themed challenges, which address real world problems and opportunities.

With the path now officially open, the GeoVation Challenge, Wales’ first Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), funded in partnership with Ramblers Cymru; the Welsh Government and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), looked at how people who live and work near the path can benefit from this ‘world first’ opportunity.

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

The publication of AGI member press releases is a member service. The AGI neither approves or endorses the contents of member's press releases, nor makes any assurance of their factual accuracy.

Entrepreneurs bid to boost communities, visitors and sustainable economy on the new Wales Coast Path

Budding entrepreneurs across Great Britain are bidding for a share of £125,000 funding to turn their ideas on how Wales could make the most of its new coast path, into a reality.

The recently opened Wales Coast Path is the first coastal network in the world to cover an entire country. The 870 mile-long path stretches from the Dee estuary in north-east Wales to Chepstow in the south-east with breath taking scenery.

As part of its GeoVation Challenge, Ordnance Survey has challenged entrepreneurs across Great Britain to use innovation and geography to come up with ideas for ventures, products and applications, which will help connect communities and visitors along the path, benefiting those who live and work along the route, and beyond. Ideas have been developed in response to community based workshops, which identified problems associated with the path that need to be solved.

Following a GeoVation camp, where entrepreneurs’ ideas were developed and pitched to judges, the entries were whittled down to just seven finalists. Those seven will now need to pitch before a panel at SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff on Wednesday 18 July, in an attempt to win funding to get their ideas off the ground.

GeoVation is an innovation network from Ordnance Survey supporting new geography and mapping based business ventures that have an economic, social or environmental benefit for the country. GeoVation does this by running themed challenges, which address real world problems and opportunities.

With the path now officially open, the GeoVation Challenge, Wales’ first Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), funded in partnership with Ramblers Cymru; the Welsh Government and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), aims to look at how people who live and work near the path can benefit from this ‘world first’ opportunity.

Chris Parker, one of the GeoVation organisers at Ordnance Survey, said: “GeoVation is pleased to be part of this world first for Wales. We are genuinely excited about the potential of the ideas to solve real problems for the benefit of communities and visitors along the path, through the use of geography and innovation."

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Ordnance Survey Picks New Southampton Charity

A Southampton life-saving charity is to benefit from the fundraising power of Great Britain’s national mapping agency.

Ordnance Survey has picked Southampton Hospital Charity’s Red & White Appeal as its official charity to support during the next 12 months.

Any money raised for the charity will go a long way to helping blood cancer patients, by supporting the charity’s objective to raise funds towards a new unit for haematology patients in Southampton. There is currently no dedicated facility for haematology patients who need day care treatments such as chemotherapy, blood transfusions, platelet transfusions and stem cell collections.

This year’s charity choice follows last year’s success when Ordnance Survey staff raised £20,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care in Southampton, which paid for new nurses in the city.

Julie Sellers, a fundraising coordinator at Ordnance Survey, said: “Ordnance Survey is delighted to be supporting such a worthwhile Southampton charity. Our staff have always risen to the challenge in supporting local charities, and this is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of people suffering from blood disorders. We hope that the money we raise will help the charity’s aim to build a new unit for patients.

Southampton Hospital Charity’s Director Veryan Grant said, “We are thrilled that Ordnance Survey has picked the Red & White Appeal as its chosen charity for the next 12 months. We cannot raise the funds that we need without the fantastic support of local businesses and the community. With the help of employees at

Ordnance Survey and their friends and families, we can make a huge difference to the facilities provided for patients who regularly visit the hospital for life saving treatments.”

Fundraising began recently with a staff quiz raising £500. This will be match funded by Ordnance Survey, which is match-funding the first £2,000 raised by staff.

One in 25 of the population develop a blood disorder in their lifetime. A new state-of-the-art outpatient treatment centre will help people with leukaemia and other life threatening blood disorders from Southampton and those across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Wiltshire, Dorset, West Sussex and the Channel Islands.

Due to a significant increase in the number of patients now receiving treatment, the clinics have become very overcrowded. Not only is this stressful for patients and nursing staff, but it would also be far better to keep haematology patients, who have low immune systems and can be prone to infection, away from other patient groups.

Further information can be found at the Red & White Appeal website.

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

The publication of AGI member press releases is a member service. The AGI neither approves or endorses the contents of member's press releases, nor makes any assurance of their factual accuracy.