Citymaps Raises $6M As It Creates A New Way To Love Maps

Mapping startup Citymaps today announced a new $6 million funding round. The company’s app, which was previously available on iOS, also launched on Android, and it expanded its previously US-centric coverage to 80 million points of interest across the world.

So why would you need another mapping app? The most obvious difference is a focus on points of interest — sure, the bigger mapping platforms include them too, but they’re front-and-center in Citymaps, with big logos representing the restaurants, bars, and stores on a given block.

Citymaps founder and CEO Elliot Cohen describes the app as a “personalized map for places,” adding that “Citymaps focuses on places as much as roads and rivers.” Choen believes that there are enough map apps out there that focus on directions, but not enough that are made for local discovery, so “we focus on places and build a map with that as an entry point.”

And yes, once you find a restaurant or bar or theater, Citymaps will also give you driving, walking, or mass transit directions.

If you’ve already added a bunch of places to your map before, Citymaps will recommend places that you might like, based on your earlier searches and maps. Some locations even show you coupons, deals, and events that are happening. For example, if you zoom in on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, you’ll see what’s currently in the exhibition halls.

Because anyone you follow can see your Citymaps, it’s easy to collaborate with friends to plan trips, or a simple night out on the town. Additionally, you’ll see all the places your friends liked as recommendations, seeing as like-minded people are typically friends, Cohen explained.

The funding comes from Nokia Growth Partners, Coatue Management, Acadia Woods, and existing investors, with Nokia’s Paul Asel joining Citymaps’ board of directors. This brings the company’s total funding to $11 million.

Source: Digital Trends