How can you accurately aggregate and compare point-based data from different parts of the world? When analyzing crime rates, population, or environmental factors, how do you divide the entire globe into equal, comparable units for analysis? For data scientists and geospatial analysts, these are fundamental challenges. The solution lies in a powerful class of tools…

The Open-Source Conundrum Many successful open-source projects begin with passion, but the path from a community-driven tool to a sustainable business is often a trap. The most common route—relying on high-value consulting contracts—can paradoxically lead to operational chaos. Instead of a “feast or famine” cycle, many companies find themselves with more than enough work, but this success…

Open-source software is often described as “free,” a cornerstone of the modern digital world available for anyone to download, use, and modify. But this perception of “free” masks a growing and invisible cost—not one paid in dollars, but in the finite attention, time, and mounting pressure placed on the volunteer and community maintainers. This hidden tax…

What if communities could map their own worlds using low-cost drones and open AI models instead of waiting for expensive satellite imagery? In this episode with Leen from HOT (Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team), we explore how they’re putting open mapping tools directly into communities’ hands—from $500 drones that fly in parallel to create high-resolution imagery across…

This conversation with Jed Sundwall, Executive Director of Radiant Earth, starts with a simple but crucial distinction: the difference between data and data products. And that distinction matters more than you might think. We dig into why so many open data portals feel like someone just threw up a bunch of files and called it…

Reflections from the FOSS4G 2025 conference Processing, Analysis, and Infrastructure (FOSS4G is Critical Infrastructure) The high volume of talks on extracting meaning from geospatial data—including Python workflows, data pipelines, and automation at scale—reinforced the idea that FOSS4G represents critical infrastructure. AI Dominance: AI took up a lot of space at the conference. I was particularly…

Karl returns to the Mapscaping podcast to discuss his latest venture, Tyche Insights – a platform aimed at building a global community of geospatial storytellers working with open data. In this conversation, we explore the evolution from his previous company, Building Footprint USA (acquired by Lightbox), to this new mission of democratizing public data storytelling….

AI Slop: An Experiment in Discovery Solo Episode Reflection: I’m back behind the mic after about a year-long break. Producing this podcast takes more time than you might imagine, and I was pretty burnt out. The last year brought some major life events, including moving my family back to New Zealand from Denmark, dealing with…

Scribble: An AI Agent for Web Mapping – Beyond the Chatbot Wrapper Jonathan Wagner, CEO of Scribble Maps, is back on the podcast, and this time we’re talking about Scribble—an AI agent he’s built into his platform. AI agents are appearing in web mapping platforms, but not all AI implementations are created equal. The difference…

Mapping the Future: An Expert Update on Mapillary, Open Data, and Meta’s Strategy What is Mapillary? Building the World’s Database with Street-Level Imagery The core idea of Mapillary, which started in 2013, remains highly relevant today. Mapillary is a platform designed for people to easily contribute to building a database of the world using street-level…