Glassmap
The coolest way to show your friends where you are and what you are up to in real-time! Share your location, take pictures, message friends for free and more!.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Glassmap operated as a location-based social networking platform, founded in 2011 by Geoffrey Woo, Jonathan Chang, and Jon Zhang. The company was a participant in Y Combinator's Summer 2011 batch, securing backing from the accelerator and other investors. Glassmap's mobile application, available for both iOS and Android, enabled users to share their real-time location with a select group of friends and family. A key technical focus for the company was developing a proprietary relay technology to ensure high-resolution location accuracy without the significant battery drain typically associated with GPS-dependent apps.
The platform's primary function was to facilitate real-world meetups and enhance social coordination by showing users where their connections were on a map. Beyond simple location sharing, the application integrated features like in-app messaging and VoIP calling. The business model evolved to include a white-label platform for businesses. This service allowed brands and local stores to create their own consumer-facing apps using Glassmap's technology to target customers with relevant, location-based information and offers. This B2B offering was powered by a proprietary relevancy engine dubbed "Cereberus," which analyzed a user's location and interests to deliver pertinent content such as events and local media.
In January 2013, Groupon acquired Glassmap for an undisclosed amount in a deal that was primarily focused on acquiring the team's talent and technology. The strategic rationale for Groupon was to leverage Glassmap's expertise in location-based services to enhance its own ability to deliver personalized, real-time deals to its users. Following the acquisition, the Glassmap team was integrated into Groupon, and the standalone Glassmap application was shut down on February 15, 2013.
Keywords: Glassmap, location sharing, social networking, Y Combinator, Groupon acquisition, Geoffrey Woo, real-time location, mobile application, location-based services, Cereberus engine, white-label platform, social discovery, GPS technology, battery efficiency, startup, acqui-hire, social mapping, friend finder, location app, local discovery, Groupon Now, mobile deals, geo-targeting, user location data, social coordination