Say hello to Bee Maps, powered by Hivemapper

It’s time for the next revolution in how humanity makes maps.

Maps are one of humanity’s most powerful inventions. With billions of people using them every day, they aren’t far behind food, clothing and shelter on the hierarchy of basic human needs. 

As we travel from day to day, we learn so much about the world. But until recently, humanity has lacked the ability to efficiently share information and build a real-time map of the world. With the latest advances in sensors, AI and connectivity, humanity is now capable of passively building our collective map of our world, instead of just consuming maps from our phones. 

Since the launch of the Hivemapper Network in late 2022, contributors have passively mapped more than 26% of the world’s roads while going about their daily lives – improving map data freshness while reducing its collection cost by orders of magnitude.

With a distinct brand identity and website, the mission of Bee Maps (beemaps.com) is to build value-added products that commercialize the rich data collected by the Hivemapper Network, while inviting other open-source developers to build atop its decentralized mapping platform.

Having already secured contracts with three of the world’s top 10 global mapmakers, including industry giant HERE Technologies, Bee Maps is poised to transform how humanity builds maps by serving the world’s best-in-class mapping companies.

Before diving into Bee Maps, let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey of the Hivemapper Network. At network launch in 2022, there were three critical questions to answer:

The answer to all three questions has been a resounding yes. 

The Hivemapper Network has achieved unprecedented growth, adding coverage five times faster than Google Street View. (Google Street View launched in May 2007 and announced in May 2017 that its vehicles had covered 10 million miles. Hivemapper launched in November 2022 and reached 10 million miles in September 2024.)

 And this isn’t just an American success story—a community has emerged across the globe, creating a dynamic and ever-expanding network.

But growth alone isn’t enough.  The project team has successfully completed pilots with some of the world’s largest mapmakers and have earned the trust of highly quality-conscious customers, including automotive OEMs and autonomous vehicle developers.  

The mapping industry has long struggled with gaps in data—whether it’s the lack of images in automotive sensor detections or the poor quality of images from ordinary consumer dashcams. These customers now understand that with a dashcam purpose-built for mapping, anyone can help build a commercial-grade map data platform. And with the next generation dashcam Bee on the way, the network will support even more advanced data collection at a compelling price point.

Those pilots have already led to contracts with three of the top 10 global mapmakers, with more in the pipeline. Moving forward, Bee Maps is well on its way to making map data collection efficient, reliable, and accessible for the entire global mapping industry.

Looking ahead, the Hivemapper Network is on a mission to grow an open-source mapping ecosystem where developers can build on top of network data to create specialized products for diverse industries and geographies. This ecosystem will ultimately thrive on a broader set of inputs—ranging from street-level imagery to satellite data and GPS traces—feeding into the world’s richest decentralized, crowdsourced mapmaking data source.

And here’s where Bee Maps comes in. As a U.S.-based company focused on navigation maps, Bee Maps is just one player in this expansive ecosystem. But the beauty of the Hivemapper Network is that it’s designed to support many developers, each with their own focus—whether that’s geographic, segment-specific, or technical. 

Gone are the days of the one-size-fit-all map. With an open network, any developer can leverage Hivemapper. Maps for Africa. Maps for Europe. Maps for Asia. Developers can make specialized maps to optimize delivery routes for logistics companies. Humanitarian groups, utilities, governments — anyone can build a map specific for their needs or community. 

This platform approach will ensure that the best, most innovative products rise to the top, benefitting end-users and driving the future of mapping.

To support this vision, the Hivemapper Foundation today announced plans to launch a developer program, and solicited input on how to structure it. The Foundation said it intends to offer grants in HONEY to developers building value-added products for end customers. 

Interested in becoming a Hivemapper Network developer? Check out the Hivemapper Foundation home page to see how you can get involved. 

This is a strategic move to ensure the long-term success of the Hivemapper Network. When the network launched  in 2022, it made sense for the lead developer (Hivemapper Inc.) to share a name with the network for clarity. But as the network grows, the impact of the network will be far greater than that of any single developer. By introducing the Bee Maps brand, we’re drawing a clear distinction: the Hivemapper Network is an open-source platform that any developer can build on, and Bee Maps is one of many companies using this platform to create products.

To use an analogy, the Hivemapper Network is the Android operating system and Bee Maps is the Google division that builds services and Pixel phones on top of Android. Google could have kept Android closed and sold their phones as Android phones. Instead, they created an open platform, encouraging competition among manufacturers – including themselves. Similarly, the Hivemapper Network will serve as a platform for a diverse range of developers, with. Bee Maps as the first of many. By creating this distinction, we are laying the foundation for this vibrant ecosystem.

Going forward, Hivemapper Inc. will market its map products under the Bee Maps brand on beemaps.com, while proudly noting that these products are “powered by Hivemapper.” Other developers building on the Hivemapper Network can also highlight that their products are “powered by Hivemapper,” ensuring a level playing field for all.

For contributors with dashcams or AI Trainers, nothing changes—Hivemapper Network’s rules and policies remain the same. And while the Bee Maps team has the expertise that comes with being the original project team, it has no special privileges as a developer. Bee Maps pays the same as any other developer to use network data, ensuring fairness and transparency.

Bee Maps is more than just a new name—it’s the next step in our journey to revolutionize mapmaking. By separating the for-profit Bee Maps from the not-for-profit Hivemapper Network, we’re creating a vibrant, open-source platform where developers from all corners of the globe can innovate and contribute to the future of mapping. Welcome to the next chapter with Bee Maps, powered by Hivemapper.