IDEAMAPS Network

What IDEAMAPS Network does

IDEAMAPS Network (Integrated Deprived Area Mapping System) is a UK-based research network launched in 2020 with seed funding from UK Research and Innovation, emerging from 2019 workshops in Nairobi convened by the African Population and Health Research Center, Slum Dwellers International-Kenya, and UN-Habitat. The network produces digital mapping tools, spatial datasets, and participatory analytics for mapping deprived urban areas — informal settlements and slums — in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Its core technical stack combines AI/computer vision applied to satellite imagery (including Copernicus and very high-resolution sources) with community-collected field data, structured around a proprietary eight-domain "Domains of Deprivation" framework that classifies areas at 100x100m grid resolution on a Low/Medium/High scale.

The organisation operates six concurrent funded projects: the IDEAMAPS Data Ecosystem (Gates Foundation, 2022-2025, Lagos/Kano/Nairobi), IDEAtlas (European Space Agency, 2022-2025, eight cities), DEPRIMAP (FORMAS, 2024-2028, Buenos Aires/Lagos/Nairobi/Dhaka), SLUMAP (BELSPO, 2019-2021), IDEAMAP Sudan (Dutch MoFA-Nuffic, 2020-2021), and Data4HumanRights (Dutch MoFA-Nuffic, 2022-2025). Deliverables include the IDEAMAPS Data Ecosystem web platform for public dataset exploration and validation, the Modeller Platform hosted on University of Twente's Big Geodata Service providing GPU-enabled computing for researchers, surface map outputs, and a 28-unit community training programme. The network is anchored at the University of Glasgow's Urban Big Data Centre with João Porto de Albuquerque as project lead, and operates via a consortium model spanning academic, government, NGO, and community-mapper partners.

IDEAMAPS has no commercial revenue model. It is funded exclusively through research grants from foundations and government agencies (Gates Foundation, UKRI, FORMAS, ESA, BELSPO, Dutch MoFA-Nuffic), and distributes all outputs as open-access data and open-source platforms free of charge. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: participatory action research in pilot cities, co-design workshops, conference participation (WUF12, AGILE, GIScience), academic publications, and public platform launches. Customers in the traditional sense are institutional partners and funders rather than revenue-generating buyers; named engagements include Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning, INEGI (Mexico), and UN-Habitat for SDG 11.1.1 monitoring. Headcount is stated at 1-10, reflecting the lean coordinating entity within a broader distributed consortium.

Name

IDEAMAPS Network

Legal name

IDEAMAPS Network

Website

https://ideamapsnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IDEAMAPS Network is a UK-based research consortium that builds AI-powered spatial mapping tools and participatory data ecosystems to map deprived urban areas and informal settlements in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, serving governments, researchers, and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geospatial Analytics & Urban Mapping Software

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Information (51), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Data Management Platforms (EHS/EMS, LIMS, ELN, Compliance Data Hubs) (EUAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mapping & Basemap Platforms (Tiles/SDKs) (BPAMANAB)

Keywords

• Urban mapping
• Geospatial analytics
• Satellite imagery analysis
• Deprivation mapping
• Community mapping

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Grant Funding: Primary funding from research grants including UK Research and Innovation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, European Space Agency, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FORMAS (Swedish Research Council), and Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO). No commercial revenue model.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IDEAMAPS Network is a research network that produces citywide surface maps of urban deprivation and assets in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. It combines AI/ML analysis of satellite imagery with community-based participatory mapping methods to produce grid-cell-based (100x100m) deprivation maps. The network provides open-access digital platforms, pre-processed spatial datasets, and a conceptual framework (Domains of Deprivation) for stakeholders including governments, NGOs, researchers, and community organizations.

Product overview

IDEAMAPS Network is a research network offering a suite of products and tools for mapping deprived urban areas in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. The core offering is the IDEAMAPS Data Ecosystem Platform — a web-based participatory platform for exploring and validating urban deprivation datasets — supplemented by the IDEAMAPS Modeller Platform (a computing environment for data scientists to develop slum mapping models), IDEAMAPS Surface Maps (the mapped outputs themselves at 100x100m grid resolution), and the Domains of Deprivation Framework (a conceptual guide to deprivation indicators). The Living Data Ecosystem and Data4HumanRights training programme are additional components that support data exchange, community engagement, and capacity building. Together, these products integrate AI/earth observation analysis with community participatory methods to produce and validate citywide maps of urban deprivation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IDEAMAPS Data Ecosystem Platform A web-based digital platform that enables users to explore and validate datasets about urban deprivation and assets across pilot cities (Lagos, Kano, Nairobi). It combines a basemap built on OpenStreetMap with grid data layers showing morphological informality classifications (Low/Medium/High) at 100x100m resolution. Users can validate data by clicking on grid cells, and community-collected data is used to improve urban analytics models. Targets communities, policymakers, and researchers.
• IDEAMAPS Modeller Platform A collaborative computing environment hosted by University of Twente's ITC Big Geodata Service Portal, providing pre-processed spatial training datasets and covariate datasets for slum modelling experiments. Includes replicated storage, shared workspaces, GPU computing, ready-to-use scientific and geospatial packages, code and data repositories, and PostgreSQL and Geoserver map servers. Targets data scientists and researchers.
• IDEAMAPS Domains of Deprivation Framework A conceptual framework outlining eight domains of urban deprivation used to guide data collection and modelling: socio-economic status, housing, social hazards & assets, physical hazards & assets, unplanned urbanisation, contamination, and infrastructure/facilities & services. The framework informs indicator selection and data modelling across IDEAMAPS projects.
• IDEAMAPS Surface Maps (Mapped Outputs) Citywide surface maps of area deprivations and assets covering administrative boundaries and metropolitan areas, formatted as ~100x100m grid cells. Maps serve multiple purposes: protecting vulnerable populations by avoiding exact "slum" boundary delineation; representing cities as interconnected continuums; and enabling aggregation into larger areal units such as wards or health service areas. Output maps are validated by city stakeholders, comparable across cities, and updated routinely.
• Data4HumanRights Training Programme A modular training programme (28 short training units of half to one day each) developed with JEI and Community Mappers to professionalize community data collectors. Covers tools and methods such as slum profiling, documentation of evictions, and rapid food needs assessments during crises such as COVID-19. Modules use free and common tools for research and practice.
• IDEAMAPS Living Data Ecosystem A continuously updated data ecosystem that facilitates fair data exchanges between communities, local governments, NGOs, academia, and the private sector. Components include a data lake, web application, and mobile application with privacy-by-design principles, supporting iterative open modelling.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ platform visitors from Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt within initial launch period
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University of Glasgow - Urban Big Data CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution hosting project coordination. Professor João Porto de Albuquerque serves as project lead. Provides infrastructure, research staff, and project management expertise.
• African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner in Nairobi, Kenya leading community engagement, co-design processes, and participatory action research activities in informal settlements.
• University of LagoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Lagos pilot city operations, providing institutional infrastructure and academic expertise for stakeholder engagement and research activities.
• ITC - University of TwentecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides technical expertise in geospatial analysis and hosts the Modeller Platform infrastructure on their Big Geodata Service Portal with computing capabilities.
• The George Washington UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing research expertise to the multidisciplinary consortium working on urban analytics and deprived area mapping.
• University of YorksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the multidisciplinary consortium providing research expertise in urban studies and data analysis.
• Karlstad UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the DEPRIMAP project working on AI and earth observation approaches for deprived urban area mapping.
• GeoVillesupportingTechnology or IntegrationIndustry partner in the IDEAtlas project contributing expertise in geospatial data processing and earth observation analysis.
• JEI (Justice and Empowerment Initiatives)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Data4HumanRights project developing training materials for community data collectors in partnership with community mappers.
• Community MapperssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization contributing expertise in community-based mapping approaches and training material development.
• Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in IDEAMAP Sudan and SLUMAP projects contributing research expertise in geospatial analysis and urban studies.
• Sudan Urban Development Think TanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization in Sudan supporting community-led geospatial database development and government capacity building.
• IGEAT Anageo - Université Libre de BruxellessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch unit partner in SLUMAP project working on open-source framework for remote sensing image processing for slum mapping.
• Slum Dwellers International - KenyasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity NGO partner for field-based mapping activities, contributing to advocacy for slum dwellers' recognition and rights.
• UN-HabitatsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN agency partner contributing to workshops and aligning with global SDG monitoring frameworks for urban deprivation indicators.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IDEAMAPSNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ideamaps-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IDEAMAPS Network