Foursquare

Data Sources & APIs

Foursquare, founded in 2009 by Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai, pivoted from a consumer check-in app into a location intelligence platform serving enterprises at scale.

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Foursquare provides point-of-interest data, location APIs, and spatial analytics for developers and enterprises making location-aware applications.

Foursquare, founded in 2009 by Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai, pivoted from a consumer check-in app into a location intelligence platform serving enterprises at scale. The New York-based company maintains a database of 100 million points of interest across 200+ countries, sourced from 500 million connected devices and third-party data feeds. Its platform consists of three core pillars: FSQ Graph (connected datasets for integration), FSQ Database (proprietary compute engine with location algorithms), and FSQ Studio (visualization and analytics tools).\n\nThe company has raised approximately $382 million across 11 funding rounds, with major investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, and Spark Capital.

In 2019, founder Dennis Crowley stepped aside as CEO, replaced first by Jeff Glueck, then David Shim, and finally Gary Little in January 2021. Little previously held board and investor roles at The Raine Group, which led Foursquare's largest round—$150 million in May 2019.\n\nFoursquare serves enterprise and developer markets, with notable customers spanning Uber, Apple Maps, Coca-Cola, Snapchat, Spotify, JetBlue, Airbnb, Twitter, Pinterest, and Samsung. The company monetizes through API access tiers, location data subscriptions, and managed services.\n\nHowever, Foursquare has faced structural headwinds.

In May 2024, CEO Gary Little announced a 25 percent workforce reduction of 105 employees, discontinuing three product divisions: Visits, OCF, and the consumer Foursquare City Guide app. Work paused on Mobile Developers Tools, Geode, and FSQ Insights. The company has cut staff before—during the 2020 Factual merger and again in 2022—raising questions about its ability to sustain revenue without continuous layoffs.\n\nRecent acquisitions signal a pivot toward B2B and commerce.

In April 2025, Foursquare acquired Superlocal, an AI-powered map app that logs user location history. In July 2025, the company acquired VSG Commerce, a digital transformation consulting firm. These moves suggest expansion into customer experience and digital commerce beyond core location data. Legacy API endpoints deprecate May 15, 2026, and new pricing takes effect June 1, 2026, forcing customer migrations.

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Products by Foursquare

Who buys this

  • Large retailers and quick-service restaurants using foot traffic analytics for site selection and store performance measurement
  • Enterprise SaaS platforms integrating location context into customer journeys (CRM, marketing automation, mapping products)
  • Advertising and marketing firms measuring campaign effectiveness via movement data and location-based attribution
  • Mapping and navigation apps requiring up-to-date, verified POI databases with rich venue metadata
  • Developer platforms and integrators building location features into mobile and web applications

Publicly disclosed clients

  • Uber
  • Apple Maps
  • Coca-Cola
  • Snapchat
  • Spotify
  • JetBlue
  • Airbnb

Strengths and what to watch

Strengths

  • 100M+ POI database with 500M data sources and 2.4M daily updates, providing proprietary depth that prevents customer dependency on single-vendor giants
  • Enterprise-scale API infrastructure serving 550+ integrations across AWS, Google Cloud, Snowflake, Adobe, and The Trade Desk, reducing lock-in risk
  • Ownership of the POI data supply chain from raw signals through API delivery, differentiated from pure-software platforms reliant on third-party data

Watch for

  • Recurring workforce cuts (2020, 2022, May 2024) suggest structural margin pressure and raise questions about revenue model sustainability without continuous layoffs
  • May 2024 discontinuation of consumer City Guide, Visits, and OCF divisions signals retreat from consumer markets and reduced product velocity
  • API deprecation (May 2026) and pricing changes (June 2026) create customer migration friction; Mapbox supply deal concentrates revenue risk if the platform decides to build or switch vendors

Recent moves

Key Information

Industry
Data Sources & APIs
Founded
2009
Employees
525
Headquarters
New York
Country
United States

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Foursquare?

Foursquare provides location intelligence for enterprises, delivering point-of-interest data, APIs, and spatial analytics. Founded in 2009 by Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai, it evolved from a consumer check-in app into a platform maintaining 100 million POIs across 200+ countries, sourced from 500 million connected devices and third-party data feeds.

What are the main products in Foursquare's platform?

Foursquare's platform consists of three core pillars: FSQ Graph, connected datasets for enterprise integration; FSQ Database, its proprietary compute engine with location algorithms; and FSQ Studio, visualization and analytics tools. Together, these enable developers and enterprises to build location-aware applications with rich spatial insights.

Which companies use Foursquare for location data?

Foursquare serves major technology and service companies including Uber, Apple Maps, Coca-Cola, Snapchat, Spotify, JetBlue, Airbnb, Twitter, Pinterest, and Samsung. Its customer base spans retailers, quick-service restaurants, SaaS platforms, advertising firms, and mapping services requiring verified POI data and location analytics.

How large is Foursquare's point-of-interest database?

Foursquare maintains a database of 100 million points of interest across 200+ countries, sourced from 500 million connected devices and third-party feeds, with 2.4 million daily updates. It owns the entire POI data supply chain from raw signals through API delivery, differentiating it from platforms reliant on third-party data.

When is Foursquare deprecating its legacy API?

Foursquare's legacy Places API V3 endpoints reach deprecation on May 15, 2026, requiring customers to migrate to the new Places API. New pricing for the Places API and V2 Pro endpoints takes effect June 1, 2026, creating customer migration friction as the platform evolves its service tiers.

Did Foursquare lay off employees in 2024?

In May 2024, CEO Gary Little announced a 25 percent workforce reduction, eliminating 105 positions and discontinuing three product divisions: Visits, OCF, and the consumer City Guide app. Work paused on Mobile Developer Tools, Geode, and FSQ Insights, signaling a retreat from consumer markets.

How Foursquare compares

Direct head-to-head against 3 competitors. Picked by 7wData.

This company

Foursquare

Positioning
Foursquare provides point-of-interest data, location APIs, and spatial analytics for developers and enterprises making location-aware applications.
Customer segments
Large retailers and quick-service restaurants using foot traffic analytics for site selection and store performance measurement
Strengths
100M+ POI database with 500M data sources and 2.4M daily updates, providing proprietary depth that prevents customer dependency on single-vendor giants
Watch for
Recurring workforce cuts (2020, 2022, May 2024) suggest structural margin pressure and raise questions about revenue model sustainability without continuous layoffs
Recent moves
Foursquare acquires VSG Commerce to expand digital commerce and customer experience capabilities

HERE Technologies

Positioning
Enterprise location platform covering 200-plus countries, known for automotive-grade map data and real-time spatial services.
Customer segments
Automotive OEMs, enterprise logistics operators, fleet managers, and developers requiring global map coverage and POI accuracy.
Strengths
Continuously refreshed HD maps deployed in 60-plus countries with direct OEM integrations at BMW, Mercedes, and Audi.
Watch for
Consortium ownership by BMW, Bosch, and Intel means automotive roadmap can crowd out priorities for pure enterprise data buyers.
Recent moves
Launched Location Reasoning for agentic AI spatial grounding in May 2026.

Placer.ai

Positioning
Foot traffic and visitor analytics platform built for US retail chains, QSR operators, and commercial real estate teams.
Customer segments
Retail site selection teams, QSR operations managers, commercial real estate analysts, and government agencies tracking visitor patterns.
Strengths
US visit panel covering 30M-plus locations with daily refresh, positioned as the default benchmark for retail foot traffic measurement.
Watch for
Panel-based visit estimates carry methodology uncertainty. Customers report sample size concerns for low-traffic or rural venue analysis.
Recent moves
April 2026: partnered with CRED iQ to add CMBS analytics reporting to the Placer platform.

Mapbox

Positioning
Developer-first mapping and location API platform serving automotive navigation, mobile apps, and enterprise spatial tooling.
Customer segments
Mobile and web developers, automotive OEMs including Toyota and BMW, logistics platforms, and enterprise SaaS teams building embedded maps.
Strengths
Open-source-core rendering SDK with deep visual customization, preferred by engineering teams who need full control over map appearance.
Watch for
Usage-based pricing escalates unpredictably at scale. Customer reviews consistently cite cost surprise as the leading concern at enterprise volumes.
Recent moves
February 2026: launched doorway-level entrance data for delivery, logistics, and ride-hailing accuracy improvement.

Sources

  1. foursquare.com — Company mission, products (FSQ Graph, Database, Studio), customer base (Uber, Coca-Cola, Snapchat, etc.), API integrations
  2. en.wikipedia.org — Founding history (2009, Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai), CEO timeline (Crowley, Glueck, Shim, Gary Little), funding milestones, acquisitions (Placed, Factual, Unfolded, Superlocal)
  3. techcrunch.com — May 2024 layoffs (105 employees, 25% of workforce), discontinued divisions (Visits, OCF, City Guide), paused initiatives (Mobile Developer Tools, Geode, FSQ Insights)
  4. www.cnbc.com — Customer names (Apple, Uber, Coca-Cola, Snapchat, Spotify, Airbnb), data scale (500M devices), market leadership position
  5. docs.foursquare.com — Places API V3 deprecation date (May 15, 2026), new pricing effective June 1, 2026, migration requirements
  6. foursquare.com — Places API award recognition (DeveloperWeek 2024), 1,400+ categories and 60+ data attributes