CartoDB Expands Globally with Funding Round and Developer-Focused Marketplace

CartoDB has secured $8 million in Series A financing as it positions itself to become a foundational geospatial layer for the web. Alongside the investment, the company announced it will shift its headquarters from Madrid to New York, while continuing operations in both cities.

The funding will be directed toward expanding the user community, strengthening infrastructure, and accelerating adoption of the platform as a web-based geospatial standard.

Open-Source Platform Focused on Data and Applications

CartoDB operates as a cloud-native, open-source mapping and analytics environment designed to support everything from simple data visualizations to large-scale, high-performance geospatial applications. Rather than competing in the base map space—dominated by providers such as Google, HERE Technologies, and Mapbox—CartoDB concentrates on the data and application layer that sits atop mapping services.

Users can engage the system through an intuitive browser-based editor or leverage APIs to build more advanced, customized geospatial workflows. The platform’s open ecosystem encourages grassroots participation, with contributors continually adding datasets and building applications.

Currently, the company reports more than 50,000 users and over 100,000 active map-based applications. Over the preceding 12 months, active users and dataset contributions have increased by more than 300% year over year.

Launch of the CartoDB Developers Program

A central element of the company’s expansion strategy is the introduction of the CartoDB Developers Program. This initiative is designed to partner with software developers and organizations interested in building geospatial products for a forthcoming CartoDB Marketplace.

Resources funded through the Series A round will be allocated to provide participating developers with design assistance, technical consultancy, marketing support, and commercialization guidance. The objective is to streamline the process of bringing specialized geospatial tools to market through a cloud-based distribution model.

CartoDB plans to concentrate on delivering a high-performance, flexible backend infrastructure, allowing developers to focus on crafting innovative front-end solutions. By exposing robust APIs and data services, the platform aims to integrate seamlessly within third-party applications.

CEO and Founder Javier de la Torre emphasized the company’s belief that the future of geospatial technology lies in specialized applications rather than monolithic software suites. VP of Product and Co-Founder Sergio Alvarez reinforced this vision, highlighting the platform’s ability to combine strong geospatial functionality with refined visual design.

Broad Industry Adoption

Since its launch in early 2012, CartoDB has been integrated into workflows across numerous sectors. Media organizations such as the Los Angeles Times and The Guardian rely on the platform for interactive storytelling. Public sector adopters include agencies like the National Park Service and the City of Buenos Aires.

Commercial users span business intelligence and sales operations, while academic institutions—including Stanford University and City University of New York—incorporate the platform into teaching and research. CartoDB is reported to be in use across all major Ivy League universities and is introduced at educational levels ranging from secondary school to advanced graduate programs.

By democratizing access to the geospatial application layer, the company aims to broaden participation in what it describes as a growing geospatial revolution. Its addressable markets intersect with the global GIS sector valued at $2.5 billion, the $4.2 billion data visualization market, and the $7.5 billion location-based services industry.

Investment and Backers

The Series A round was led by Earlybird Venture Capital, with participation from Kibo Ventures and Vitamina K.

Founded in 1997, Earlybird has raised over €700 million in commitments and supported approximately 100 portfolio companies, several of which have achieved billion-dollar IPOs or acquisitions.

Through expanded investment, a strengthened New York presence, and a developer-centered marketplace strategy, CartoDB aims to embed itself as a core geospatial infrastructure layer for web and mobile applications worldwide.