mapbox
Mapbox is a location intelligence platform founded in 2010 by Eric Gundersen and Alex Barth in response to a global shortage of reliable mapping tools.
Profile
Mapbox provides APIs, SDKs, and cloud services for building location-aware applications—from in-vehicle navigation systems to delivery logistics platforms.
Mapbox is a location intelligence platform founded in 2010 by Eric Gundersen and Alex Barth in response to a global shortage of reliable mapping tools. From its origins as a developer-friendly mapping library, Mapbox has grown into a comprehensive platform serving automakers, logistics companies, and thousands of developers worldwide. The company operates across three main business lines: maps and navigation SDKs, location search and geocoding services, and real-time geospatial data streams covering traffic, movement patterns, and administrative boundaries.
Mapbox serves more than 600 million monthly active users through integrations in automotive systems (BMW, Toyota, General Motors, Hyundai, Zeekr, and others), logistics applications (DoorDash, Instacart), and consumer applications. Founder Eric Gundersen served as CEO until March 2021, when Peter Sirota—who joined from AWS—took over the role, with Gundersen transitioning to Chair and Chief Strategy Officer. The company has raised $639.4 million to date, including a $280 million Series E led by SoftBank in September 2023, valuing the company at approximately $1.3 billion post-money.
As of 2025, Mapbox employs approximately 900 people and reports annual revenue in the range of $93 million to $172 million (estimates vary by source). The company's strategic focus has shifted heavily toward automotive and AI, with substantial recent investments in MapGPT, an AI voice assistant for vehicles, and integrations with OpenAI's ChatGPT search. Mapbox opened new offices in Berlin and London in 2025 and continues to expand its geographic data coverage, now serving 157 countries through its search and geocoding services.
Who buys this
- Automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers building navigation, infotainment, and advanced driver assistance systems
- On-demand logistics and delivery platforms requiring real-time routing and fleet visibility
- Enterprise applications in real estate, retail, and travel requiring custom mapping and location intelligence
- AI assistants and LLMs (e.g., ChatGPT) integrating spatial context into conversational experiences
- Mid-market and developer-driven companies using Mapbox GL JS and mobile SDKs for web and app mapping
Publicly disclosed clients
- BMW
- Toyota
- General Motors
- Hyundai AutoEver
- DoorDash
- Instacart
- Zeekr
- Tripadvisor
- The Weather Company
Strengths and what to watch
Strengths
- Owns both mapping software and underlying geospatial data; avoids dependency on third-party tile providers
- Deeply embedded in automotive sector with ADAS and AI-voice integrations; signed OEMs command multi-year contracts with high switching costs
- Strong developer traction: serves 1+ million live location developers globally with pay-as-you-go pricing; ChatGPT integration in late 2024 unlocked new distribution channel
Watch for
- January 2023 layoff of 64+ employees sparked union organizing; failed unionization vote in August 2022 followed by employee allegations of retaliation; Glassdoor reviews cite recurring layoffs and 'constantly changing priorities'
- CEO Peter Sirota rated 61/100 on Comparably (bottom 30% for similar-sized companies), suggesting potential talent and retention friction at leadership level
- Automotive concentration: largest customers (OEMs) command negotiating power and can build competing solutions; profitability dependent on cloud egress optimization amid margin pressure
Key Information
- Industry
- Location Intelligence
- Founded
- 2010
- Employees
- 650
- Country
- United States
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mapbox?
Mapbox is a location intelligence platform founded in 2010 that provides APIs, SDKs, and cloud services for building location-aware applications. It powers navigation systems in vehicles, delivery logistics platforms, and thousands of developer applications, serving over 600 million monthly active users worldwide.
What products does Mapbox offer?
Mapbox offers maps and navigation SDKs, location search and geocoding services, real-time geospatial data streams covering traffic and movement patterns, and Location AI products. Its newest offering is MapGPT, an AI voice assistant designed specifically for in-vehicle navigation and infotainment systems.
Which companies use Mapbox?
Mapbox's major enterprise customers include automakers BMW, Toyota, General Motors, and Hyundai; on-demand logistics platforms DoorDash and Instacart; and consumer applications like Tripadvisor. It also powers ChatGPT's location features and serves over 1 million live-location developers globally with pay-as-you-go pricing.
How does Mapbox work in vehicles?
Mapbox embeds navigation, infotainment, and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features directly into vehicle software. Major automakers including BMW, Toyota, General Motors, and Hyundai use Mapbox SDKs for real-time navigation, traffic awareness, and AI-powered voice assistance within their vehicles. These integrations command multi-year contracts.
What is MapGPT?
MapGPT is Mapbox's AI voice assistant specifically designed for in-vehicle use, enabling drivers to interact with navigation and infotainment systems using natural conversation. Introduced as a key 2024 initiative, it integrates with ChatGPT and represents Mapbox's strategic pivot toward voice-first, AI-powered automotive experiences globally.
How much does Mapbox cost?
Mapbox uses pay-as-you-go pricing for developers, scaling with API usage and application features. Specific pricing rates aren't detailed in public materials. As of 2025, Mapbox serves 1+ million location developers globally and reports annual revenue between $93 million and $172 million across all segments.
How mapbox compares
Direct head-to-head against 3 competitors. Picked by 7wData.
mapbox
- Positioning
- Mapbox provides APIs, SDKs, and cloud services for building location-aware applications—from in-vehicle navigation systems to delivery logistics platforms.
- Customer segments
- Automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers building navigation, infotainment, and advanced driver assistance systems
- Strengths
- Owns both mapping software and underlying geospatial data; avoids dependency on third-party tile providers
- Watch for
- January 2023 layoff of 64+ employees sparked union organizing; failed unionization vote in August 2022 followed by employee allegations of retaliation; Glassdoor reviews cite recurring layoffs and 'constantly changing priorities'
HERE Technologies
- Positioning
- Owned-data location platform ranked #1 by Omdia 2025; targets automotive OEMs and enterprise with AI-powered SDV tooling.
- Customer segments
- Automotive OEMs (BMW, Hyundai, Sony Honda Mobility), logistics fleet operators, enterprise developers requiring geocoding and routing APIs.
- Strengths
- Proprietary global map database with lane-level HD precision; primary data source for ADAS systems across major production OEMs.
- Watch for
- Partial ownership by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen Group raises perceived data-sharing conflicts for non-consortium OEM customers.
- Recent moves
- April 2026 MoU with Baidu Maps to jointly deliver in-vehicle navigation and ADAS mapping solutions for global automakers.
TomTom
- Positioning
- Automotive navigation and mapping platform transitioning from hardware-era embedded contracts to modular software licensing for software-defined vehicles.
- Customer segments
- Automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers (Volkswagen Group, Stellantis, Lamborghini), logistics fleet operators, enterprise web and mobile developers.
- Strengths
- 2.40 billion euro automotive contract backlog; lane-level Orbis Maps platform embedded in Volkswagen Group and Stellantis production programs.
- Watch for
- Co-founders Harold Goddijn and Alain De Taeye both departed March 2026; 300 job cuts in mid-2025 amid revenue expected flat or declining.
- Recent moves
- March 2026 CEO succession: co-founder Harold Goddijn stepped down; CRO Mike Schoofs appointed CEO amid product-led restructuring.
Google Maps Platform
- Positioning
- Default mapping API for web and mobile developers; enterprise tier introduced March 2025; distributed through Google Cloud agreements.
- Customer segments
- Web and mobile app developers, enterprise logistics and retail teams, any buyer requiring geocoding, routing, and places data at volume.
- Strengths
- Places dataset tied to Google Search and Street View imagery in 100+ countries; both unavailable through any alternative mapping API vendor.
- Watch for
- March 2025 deprecated Directions API, Distance Matrix API, and Places API (Legacy), forcing existing integrations to rebuild against newer APIs.
- Recent moves
- March 2025 pricing restructured into Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise tiers; Directions API and Distance Matrix API designated Legacy status.
Sources
- www.mapbox.com — Company overview, core products (Maps, Navigation, Search, Data, Location AI), target industries, customer base
- www.mapbox.com — 2024 product innovations, partnerships with DoorDash, Snowflake, Michelin Mobility, ChatGPT integration, customer advisory board, awards
- www.mapbox.com — Named customer case studies (BMW, Toyota, General Motors, Hyundai AutoEver, Picnic, Instacart, Tripadvisor, Citizen, REVER, ParkBee, Yahoo! JAPAN)
- medium.com — Founder Eric Gundersen background, founding story in 2010, international development expertise
- www.mapbox.com — Peter Sirota CEO transition in March 2021, Eric Gundersen to Chair and Chief Strategy Officer
- www.mapbox.com — Series E funding $280M led by SoftBank, September 19, 2023 announcement, post-money valuation, ADAS features for automotive
- technical.ly — January 2023 layoffs of 64+ workers, union organizing, unionization vote results (123 against, 81 for), allegations of retaliation
- x.com — Mapbox Workers Union reporting of mass layoff, at least 64 workers without notice