How everything began
The story behind 123map GmbH & Co. KG begins in 2000 with the advertising agency Mann + Maus oHG. As is so often the case, it was chance that set things rolling, in this case a tender won from the NORD/LB regional bank.
The task: to highlight the attractiveness of the state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) as a business location with the help of a CD-ROM.
Our solution involved the concept of a geographic database.
Over 5,000 items of location information were displayed as icons on theme-related, full-screen maps.
The next step was to satisfy the request to realise this application in the Internet. In looking for suitable map systems, however, we were unable to find anything that met our expectations. The systems were too static, too slow, and allowed for hardly any interaction.
In short: we had discovered a gap in what was available on the market and we started our own development of a solution that would meet the requirements. With the aid of a prototype, we demonstrated the feasibility of what we wanted, took out a patent for the process, and invested in the development of a market-ready technology.
Since then, numerous clients are profiting from the possibilities opened up by our products, which are also being constantly further developed.
The task: to highlight the attractiveness of the state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) as a business location with the help of a CD-ROM.
Our solution involved the concept of a geographic database.
Over 5,000 items of location information were displayed as icons on theme-related, full-screen maps.
The next step was to satisfy the request to realise this application in the Internet. In looking for suitable map systems, however, we were unable to find anything that met our expectations. The systems were too static, too slow, and allowed for hardly any interaction.
In short: we had discovered a gap in what was available on the market and we started our own development of a solution that would meet the requirements. With the aid of a prototype, we demonstrated the feasibility of what we wanted, took out a patent for the process, and invested in the development of a market-ready technology.
Since then, numerous clients are profiting from the possibilities opened up by our products, which are also being constantly further developed.
Stations
- 2000
- Winning of a tender issued by the NORD/LB for a geographic information system on CD-ROM
- 2001
- The idea is born for an alternative technology for depicting maps in the Internet
- 2002
- Development of the first prototype for an advanced server technology and the registration of the process as a patent
- 2003
- We were commissioned to realise a geographic Internet portal implementing the newly developed technology
- 2004
- Foundation of 123map GmbH & Co. KG as a spin-off from Mann + Maus oHG, with an ordering system for vector-based maps via the Internet as the first product
- 2005
- Launch of the online service for the localisation of real estate and properties in the Internet
- 2005
- Online visualisation of the current location of the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck every 5 seconds
- 2006
- Presentation of a system to represent commercial locations and industrial sites on a map at the CeBIT (developed in cooperation with the Schlütersche Publishing Company)
- 2006
- Online visualisation of the CeBIT shuttle bus positions on a map
- 2007
- Development of a tool to enable the interactive colouring of maps by the clients
- 2007
- The business journal Capital receives a tool for the interactive generation of map sections for journalists, editors and graphic artists
- 2008
- Provision of a JavaScript API for the rapid and simple integration of the 123map services
- 2009
- Licensing of Microsoft technology to enhance performance and comfort