If you’re looking to expand your product’s reach to grocery stores in Mexico City, Dataplor offers global location intelligence to assist you in achieving that goal.
Geoffrey Michener founded the company and took on the role of CEO in 2016. Its main focus is on indexing microbusinesses in emerging markets. The company secured $2 million in funding in 2019 to enable Latin American food delivery vendors to establish an online presence.
Dataplor leverages cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and large language models, along with a purpose-built technology platform, to analyze public domain data.
Although there are other companies in the market, such as ThoughtSpot, Esri, and Near, that are also involved in business and location intelligence, Dataplor sets itself apart by integrating all of that technology and public domain data with a human touch. The company enlists and educates more than 100,000 human validators, known as Explorers, to verify all the data using computer technology. Furthermore, no personally identifiable information is used.
You’ll find answers related to the number of Taco Bell locations that opened in South America last year. For example, what is the proximity of Walmarts in Europe to fast food restaurants?
The company has accumulated over 300 million point-of-interest records (POI) on more than 15,000 brands. This data includes physical location, hours, contact information, credit card acceptance, and consumer sentiment. It covers over 200 countries and territories.
Dataplor licenses its data to companies across various industries, such as third-party logistics, real estate, and finance. Some notable clients include American Express, iZettle, and PayPal. Over 35 Fortune 500 brands have already embraced Dataplor.
According to Michener, it can be challenging to determine the open or close rates of companies, such as Starbucks, due to the delay in receiving their 10-K reports. Other companies are interested in staying informed about their competitors’ closures and the surrounding businesses to assess potential locations. We aim to enhance their decision-making abilities.
Since 2020, the company has experienced significant revenue growth, with an average increase of 2.5x year-over-year. According to Michener, the company is on track to achieve profitability this year.
Now the company aims to accelerate its growth, so Dataplor secured $10.6 million in Series A funding with Spark Capital as the lead investor. Spark has a reputation for making early investments in successful companies like Slack, Affirm, Postmates, Discord, and Deel. The round also includes participation from Quest Venture Partners, Acronym Venture Capital, Circadian Ventures, Two Lanterns Venture Partners, and APA Venture Partners. The company has successfully raised a total of $20.3 million.
According to Michener, Dataplor intends to use the funding to make strategic hires and accelerate its sales and brand visibility.
When it came to Series A, Spark and Alex Finkelstein, the general partner who spearheaded the deal, demonstrated unwavering belief in Dataplor’s mission. This unwavering conviction is what made Michener select them to take the lead. As part of the investment, Finkelstein becomes a member of Dataplor’s board of directors, joining John Frankel, the founding partner of ffVC.
“Alex had a visionary perspective, recognizing that our company goes beyond being just a POI or data company. We are actively assisting individuals in reaching their destinations or successfully selling their products,” Michener explained. He mentioned that having a comprehensive understanding of a business, spanning across numerous locations, presents a significant opportunity. That’s a completely new idea. If we have a shared vision, we can leverage capital to achieve efficient and effective growth. Why not take advantage of this opportunity? Let’s go and get it done.
