UNL
UNL is a Singapore-based micro-location platform that provides APIs, SDKs, and a 3D Smart Grid mapping infrastructure for developers, enterprises, governments, and smart cities to build location-enabled applications with centimeter-level precision and full data ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What UNL does
UNL is a Singapore-headquartered micro-location and mapping technology company building what it calls the Internet of Places. Its core technology pixelizes the world into a 3D Smart Grid of micro-cells, each assigned a unique UNL geoID with horizontal and vertical precision down to 1x1cm² and 1x1cm³. The platform is offered as a location operating system combining four API suites (Maps, Discovery for geocoding and search, Routing, and Geofencing), mobile and web SDKs, and Virtual Private Maps (VPMs) that allow customers to manage proprietary location data with full ownership. Compliance claims include ISO-27001, OGC standards adherence, and GDPR alignment.
The company serves four primary customer segments: startups and scale-ups using low-/no-code DIY APIs; enterprises procuring the full UNL Enterprise Location OS via direct sales; governments and smart cities (e.g., India's NHEV E-highway project) deploying location infrastructure for urban mobility; and developers integrating location services through SDKs. The go-to-market combines self-service PLG (API/SDK access, DIY toolkit) with enterprise field sales (quote-based annual contracts). Revenue streams are predominantly recurring subscriptions for API/SDK and VPM access, supplemented by professional services for advanced implementations and co-creation engagements.
UNL has raised approximately US$6.5M to date across a 2019 pre-seed (US$120K), a March 2020 seed (US$2M), and a January 2022 pre-Series A (US$4.5M), with HERE Technologies and Elev8.vc as co-leads across the larger rounds. Strategic backers include HERE Technologies, SGInnovate, SOSV/MOX, and Venturerock. The company holds high-signal commercial partnerships with GrabMaps (Southeast Asia, 2025), Genesys International (India, 2022), and Studio Galilei (smart mobility, 2025), and has assembled an advisory bench including Allen Shim (former Slack CFO, Board), Brad Bao (Lime Co-Founder/Chairman), and Craig Barnes (former HERE Technologies Senior Research Manager). Operations span Singapore (HQ), Amsterdam (engineering), New Delhi, and Dubai.
UNL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UNL
- Legal name
- UNL Global
- Website
- https://unl.global
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- UNL is a Singapore-based micro-location platform that provides APIs, SDKs, and a 3D Smart Grid mapping infrastructure for developers, enterprises, governments, and smart cities to build location-enabled applications with centimeter-level precision and full data ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where UNL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
UNL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- API/SDK Platform Access: Revenue from licensing UNL's micro-location platform APIs and SDKs including Maps, Discovery, Routing, and Geofencing services. Offered as self-service DIY toolkit for developers and enterprises.
- Enterprise Location OS: Comprehensive Location OS solution for enterprise customers requiring scalable location infrastructure with enterprise-grade security, dedicated support, and professional services.
- Professional Services: Co-creation and implementation support services for advanced solutions, including dedicated support during implementation and custom development engagements.
- Virtual Private Maps: Revenue from VPM workspaces that allow businesses to manage and organize their own location data with full ownership and control.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Startup & Scale-up Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise Location OS |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
UNL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNL provides a next-generation micro-location and mapping platform that pixelizes the world into a 3D Smart Grid of micro-cells, each assigned a unique UNL geoID. The platform exposes this infrastructure through Maps, Discovery (geocoding/search), Routing, and Geofencing APIs, Web/Android/iOS SDKs, Virtual Private Maps (VPMs), and an enterprise Location OS, enabling developers, businesses, enterprises, and governments to build location-enabled applications with centimeter-level precision and full data ownership.
Product overview
UNL is a next-gen micro-location and mapping technology platform offering a comprehensive suite of location-based solutions. The platform architecture consists of core products including Virtual Private Maps (VPMs) for private workspace management, UNL geoID for unique location identification at micro-precision (up to 1x1cm), and the UNL Enterprise Location OS for scalable enterprise solutions. These core offerings are complemented by API products covering Maps (Map Tiles API, Web/Android/iOS SDKs), Discovery (Search, Geocoding, Reverse Geocoding, Autocomplete), Routing (Standard, Route Matching, Isoline, Distance Matrix, Waypoint Sequencing, Route Planning), and Geofencing (Create, Get, Delete, Real-Time Events, Historical Events, Traces). The platform enables businesses to build location-enabled applications with hyperlocal intelligence, supporting use cases from e-commerce and delivery to smart city and autonomous solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Maps API
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% of delivery costs attributed to last-mile inefficiencies that can be reduced through precise addressing
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use UNL
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
UNL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature7 records
UNL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Studio GalileicoreMOU signed to jointly develop next-generation smart mobility infrastructure. Strategic collaboration to advance smart mobility solutions using UNL's location technology.
- GrabMapscorePartnership to deliver next-generation location solutions for Southeast Asia. Combines UNL's micro-location technology with GrabMaps' regional expertise for enhanced location services.
- GREd FoundationminorPartnership to equip students with advanced geospatial skills. Educational initiative to develop location technology talent and promote geospatial education.
- Genesys InternationalcoreStrategic alliance to build a hyperlocal location technology platform powered by a precise 3D digital map of India. Combines Genesys' mapping capabilities with UNL's micro-location infrastructure.
- NHEV (National Highways for EV)coreTechnology provider for geofencing Jaipur-Delhi-Agra E-highway. UNL provides micro-location infrastructure for EV charging station navigation, theft-proof relay systems, and smart mobility on India's E-highways.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
UNL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mapbox: Mapbox provides developer-focused mapping, geocoding, routing and navigation APIs/SDKs — the closest direct competitor to UNL's Maps, Discovery and Routing API suites, targeting the same developer and enterprise location-stack buyer.
- Radar: Radar provides geofencing, location tracking and maps-as-a-service APIs for app developers — directly overlapping with UNL's Geofencing, Traces and Maps API suites and serving a similar enterprise developer buyer.
- Foursquare: Foursquare operates a location data and places API platform (Places, Movement, Visits) overlapping with UNL's Discovery/Geocoding APIs and serving enterprise customers in retail, advertising and on-demand services.
Broad incumbents
- HERE Technologies: Global mapping and location platform offering enterprise-grade map data, geocoding, routing and SDKs across automotive, logistics and telco. Overlaps directly with UNL's APIs but at vastly greater scale; also an investor and ecosystem partner of UNL.
- Google Maps Platform: Dominant cloud mapping and location services platform (Maps, Places, Routes APIs). Sets pricing benchmarks and developer expectations against which any alternative location API platform, including UNL, must compete.
- TomTom: TomTom supplies map data, geocoding, routing and traffic APIs to enterprises and automotive OEMs — a broader incumbent with comparable developer APIs that competes with UNL for the same enterprise location stack.
- Precisely: Precisely provides data integrity, geospatial and address verification software to enterprises — adjacent to UNL's addressing proposition and competing for the same data-quality and master-data budgets.
Peers
- what3words: what3words assigns a unique 3-word address to every 3m² square on earth — a direct conceptual analogue to UNL's geoID for the 'unaddressed' problem, with comparable use cases in e-commerce, logistics, travel and emergency services.
Regional players
- GrabMaps: Grab's mapping arm provides location data and services across Southeast Asia — both a strategic partner and a regional competitor for UNL's SEA enterprise and delivery workloads.
- Genesys International: India-based mapping, GIS and 3D digital twin company — strategic alliance partner of UNL in India, with overlapping capabilities in 3D mapping that make it both a collaborator and a regional peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
UNL social profiles
Digital presenceUNL compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
UNL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UNL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
UNL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UNL M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UNL
What does UNL do?
UNL provides a next-generation micro-location and mapping platform that pixelizes the world into a 3D Smart Grid of micro-cells, each assigned a unique UNL geoID. The platform exposes this infrastructure through Maps, Discovery (geocoding/search), Routing, and Geofencing APIs, Web/Android/iOS SDKs, Virtual Private Maps (VPMs), and an enterprise Location OS, enabling developers, businesses, enterprises, and governments to build location-enabled applications with centimeter-level precision and full data ownership.
Is UNL a public or private company?
UNL is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was UNL founded?
UNL was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is UNL based?
UNL is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does UNL make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. API/SDK Platform Access are the primary driver. The others are enterprise Location OS, professional Services and virtual Private Maps.
Who are UNL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mapbox, Radar and Foursquare. Broad incumbents are HERE Technologies, Google Maps Platform, TomTom and Precisely. what3words is listed as a peer. Regional players are GrabMaps and Genesys International.
Does UNL have an API?
Yes. UNL offers a comprehensive suite of location-based APIs including Maps API (Map Tiles API, Map SDK for Web/Android/iOS), Discovery API (Search API, Geocoding API, Reverse Geocoding API, Autocomplete API), Routing API (Standard Routing API, Route Matching API, Isoline Routing API, Distance Matrix API, Waypoint Sequencing API, Route Planning API), and Geofencing API (Create Geofence API, Get Geofence API, Delete Geofence API, Get Real-Time Events API, Get Historical Events API, Traces API). The APIs support various transport modes and enable location search, geocoding, routing optimization, and asset tracking. Developer documentation is at unl.global/developers.