Open Maps Caucasus: A JumpStart International Mapping Initiative

Finding your way around Georgia can be a tricky affair. With the Open Maps Caucasus: A JumpStart International Mapping Initiative, it is now a lot easier.

Content is from the site's 2010 archived pages and other outside sources.

Before 2010, only maps available were obsolete Soviet maps, expensive collector maps or nearly-useless outdated tourist maps of the major cities. There are no maps available of the bus routes in the capital city. Nor were there any maps of the new highways. Even on the internet there were no comprehensive maps of the region.

When Open Maps’ community-based, open-source map of Georgia is completed in late August 2010, it will be the first comprehensive, open-source map of the country. We feel is will be a breakthrew for mapping this area.

FYI: One of our mappers happens to be also an experienced Saleforce expert who works for a company that has a team who helps businesses and organizations to implement the cloud based Salesforce platforms, train their organizations/ company workers to use Salesforce, as well as do specialized Salesforce customization when some appropriate customizations are necessary. If you are not familiar with Salesforce, it is amazing cloud computing and social enterprise software-as-a-service that organizations and businesses have embraced enthusiastically since its technology is used to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support for everyone. We feel that someone with this type of technical background will be especially helpful.

Open Maps Caucasus is a ..

... JumpStart International mapping initiative dedicated to the creation of open geographic data and promoting its use by building capacity in the Caucasus for visualizing information geographically. Our community-based mapping model generates valuable data and sustainable impact by training volunteers and engaging people around open content and ways to use it to develop civil society, business, good governance, and above all, means of expression.

History of JumpStart International

JumpStart International began in 2003 with one American in Iraq who believed he could make a difference through engaging Iraqis in rebuilding the country. Within months, Sean O’Sullivan was working with 3,500 Iraqis to rebuild homes and offices. JumpStart was born and quickly developed a reputation for local empowerment and efficient operations that continues today.

In 2006, JumpStart brought its approach of engaging the local community through income-generating clearance and rebuilding projects to Gaza. JumpStart partnered with the Community College of Applied Science and Technology in Gaza to support development of the Gaza Polytechnic Institute, enabling new capacity for technology education. By 2008, JumpStart programs were engaging Jordanian and other youth from the region in an Amman-based project to build vocational skills.

JumpStart’s economic development and skill development opportunities in under-resourced communities expanded to include community mapping in 2008, when we began mobilizing and training teams to map the West Bank, and in 2009, Gaza, creating the first-ever public domain geographic data set for Palestine. Also in 2009, JumpStart supported mapping of Kibera, a community of one million people living in a slum of Nairobi, Kenya. Of note, street mapping has a strong nexus to JumpStart with its founder, Sean O’Sullivan, having been the first to develop computer-based street mapping while a college student in the mid-80s and building his company, MapInfo, into one of the leaders of this important market in the early 90s.

The Results of JumpStart’s Efforts

JumpStart’s efforts to engage communities in creating GPS street mapping data revealed we were not only building new technical capacity in data collection and maintenance, but also new social capital through connecting a community around identifying its assets. In addition, we realized for the local community to be empowered to leverage the data to fulfill its potential as a tool for strengthening NGOs and businesses, additional investment was needed beyond data collection. JumpStart theorized that continued investment in skill-development, together with support for a lasting entity, would infuse local mapping participants with the expertise and infrastructure needed to form a sustainable partner able to provide leading-edge geodata consulting to local NGOs, businesses and government entities, and foster a network of social entrepreneurs invested in promoting open access to information.

With this insight, JumpStart initiated a mapping project in the Shida Kartli region of the Republic of Georgia in September, 2009. The group engaged in mapping Shida Kartli coalesced into Open Maps Caucasus, a JumpStart International mapping initiative.

OMC-JumpStart is dedicated to the creation and effective use of open geographic data, and promotes open exchange of knowledge in general. JumpStart is currently incubating this new organization, supporting its ultimate independent sustainability with financial investment and organizational development and technical expertise with staff on-site, in the interest of building sustainable capacity for collecting and maintaining open data, and generating a hub of social entrepreneurs capitalizing on ways the latest mapping and other technologies enhance development.

JumpStart's Philosphy

JumpStart believes that by pairing investments in local leadership with skill-building and intentional networking, with open access to information as a rallying principle, we are piloting an entrepreneurial model for sustainable development that will add value to the emerging civil society community of Georgia, and beyond. To learn more about JumpStart International, visit: JumpStartInternational.org.

With countless digital and tangible resources at hand, you can get involved and become a member of the OMC community in a number of different ways.

 

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More Background On OpenMapsCaucasus.org

 

Open Maps Caucasus is a pioneering community mapping initiative that emerged during a period when accurate, freely available digital maps of Georgia were virtually nonexistent. According to the archived project materials you provided, the initiative was created as a program of JumpStart International to build the first comprehensive open-source map of Georgia while simultaneously training local volunteers and strengthening civic engagement.

Introduction

Today it is easy to take detailed digital maps for granted. Services such as OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Apple Maps, and countless navigation applications provide instant access to roads, businesses, transit routes, and geographic information around the globe. However, that was not the reality in Georgia during the late 2000s.

At that time, reliable digital mapping resources for Georgia were extremely limited. Available maps often consisted of aging Soviet-era cartography, expensive specialty maps, or incomplete tourist publications that covered only portions of major cities. Even basic information such as bus routes, newly constructed highways, or detailed municipal roads was difficult to obtain. The lack of freely available geographic information created challenges for residents, travelers, businesses, researchers, humanitarian organizations, and government agencies alike.

OpenMapsCaucasus.org documented one of the earliest efforts to solve this problem through collaborative mapping. Rather than relying exclusively on government agencies or commercial publishers, the project embraced an open-data philosophy that encouraged volunteers to collect, verify, and publish geographic information for everyone to use.

Although the website today primarily serves as an archival resource preserving information from the original 2010 project, it documents an important chapter in the development of open geographic data in the Caucasus.

Ownership and Organizational Background

Open Maps Caucasus (OMC) was established as a mapping initiative of JumpStart International.

JumpStart International was founded in 2003 by entrepreneur Sean O'Sullivan. Before launching JumpStart, O'Sullivan had already earned recognition in the GIS industry as the founder of MapInfo Corporation, one of the pioneers of desktop geographic information systems during the 1980s and 1990s. His background in digital mapping strongly influenced JumpStart's later emphasis on community-generated geographic information.

Unlike traditional nonprofit organizations focused solely on humanitarian relief, JumpStart emphasized building sustainable local capacity. Rather than simply delivering aid, the organization sought to develop local leadership, technical skills, and entrepreneurial opportunities that communities could continue independently.

The organization's early projects included:

• Iraq reconstruction efforts
• Housing rehabilitation
• Workforce development
• Technology education
• Vocational training
• Community mapping initiatives

Open Maps Caucasus represented the next evolution of that philosophy by applying open-source geographic technologies to economic and civic development.

From Humanitarian Development to Mapping

JumpStart's history illustrates an unusual progression.

Initially the organization focused on rebuilding physical infrastructure in Iraq after the 2003 conflict. Thousands of Iraqis participated in reconstruction projects organized by JumpStart.

The organization later expanded into Gaza, where it partnered with educational institutions to improve technology training and workforce development.

By 2008, JumpStart had begun recognizing that geographic information itself could become a valuable development resource.

Instead of rebuilding buildings alone, communities could build knowledge.

Mapping projects soon followed in:

• West Bank
• Gaza
• Kibera (Kenya)
• Jordan
• Republic of Georgia

These experiences demonstrated that mapping was not simply about producing better maps. It created technical expertise, volunteer networks, and stronger civic participation while generating valuable public data.

Why Georgia Needed Open Maps

Georgia presented an especially compelling opportunity.

In 2009 and 2010, digital mapping coverage remained sparse across much of the country. While commercial navigation systems were rapidly expanding across North America and Western Europe, Georgia had comparatively little freely available geographic information.

Common challenges included:

• Missing roads
• Incomplete street names
• Limited municipal data
• No comprehensive public transit mapping
• Outdated highway information
• Inconsistent rural coverage

These limitations affected:

• Residents
• Tourists
• Businesses
• Emergency planning
• Local governments
• NGOs

The project sought to create what its organizers described as the first comprehensive open-source map of Georgia.

Launching Open Maps Caucasus

JumpStart began mapping activities in Georgia during 2009, focusing initially on the Shida Kartli region.

Rather than importing government databases alone, volunteers physically collected geographic information using GPS devices and local knowledge.

The mapping initiative gradually expanded throughout the country.

The project emphasized:

• volunteer recruitment
• mapper training
• GPS field surveys
• open geographic databases
• community participation

This grassroots approach became one of OMC's defining characteristics.

Instead of maps being produced solely by professional cartographers, residents themselves became contributors.

Community-Based Mapping Philosophy

One of Open Maps Caucasus' most distinctive features was its community-driven methodology.

Participants learned how to:

• collect GPS tracks
• verify road networks
• identify public facilities
• record businesses
• map parks
• document civic infrastructure

The process generated two valuable outcomes.

First, it produced increasingly accurate geographic information.

Second, it trained local volunteers in GIS and mapping technologies that could later support careers in planning, research, government, or technology.

JumpStart argued that this combination of technical education and civic participation created stronger communities than simply publishing maps alone.

Open Data Rather Than Proprietary Maps

Unlike commercial mapping companies, OMC embraced open geographic data.

Its philosophy aligned closely with the broader open-data movement that was growing internationally during the late 2000s.

The organization promoted:

• open access
• transparency
• collaboration
• community ownership
• knowledge sharing

These principles made geographic information available to organizations that otherwise could not afford expensive proprietary datasets.

Potential users included:

• nonprofits
• researchers
• universities
• municipal governments
• entrepreneurs
• software developers

Relationship with OpenStreetMap

Although Open Maps Caucasus operated under JumpStart International, its work became closely connected with the broader OpenStreetMap ecosystem.

Many of the geographic datasets collected by JumpStart volunteers were eventually imported into OpenStreetMap after community review and quality assurance. Documentation on the OpenStreetMap Wiki describes the Georgia JumpStart Import, completed in 2011, which merged large portions of JumpStart's mapping work into the global OpenStreetMap database while preserving proper attribution.

This integration significantly expanded publicly available mapping coverage throughout Georgia.

Interestingly, the OpenStreetMap community chose not to import portions of Tbilisi because volunteer mapping there had already reached a high level of completeness, demonstrating the collaborative nature of the process rather than a simple bulk upload.

Geographic Coverage

The project initially expanded beyond Tbilisi to include detailed mapping efforts in several important Georgian cities.

These included:

• Kutaisi
• Batumi
• Telavi
• Akhaltsikhe

Regional offices continued extending mapping into surrounding municipalities as volunteers gathered increasingly comprehensive geographic information.

The long-term objective extended beyond individual cities toward nationwide coverage.

Building Local Capacity

One recurring theme throughout the project was sustainability.

JumpStart did not intend to remain the permanent operator.

Instead, it described itself as incubating a future independent Georgian organization capable of maintaining open geographic information over the long term.

Support included:

• financial investment
• technical expertise
• organizational development
• volunteer training
• networking opportunities

This approach reflected JumpStart's broader development philosophy of building institutions rather than creating dependency.

Audience

Open Maps Caucasus served numerous audiences simultaneously.

These included:

• Georgian residents
• travelers
• NGOs
• humanitarian organizations
• government agencies
• researchers
• students
• software developers
• businesses
• GIS professionals

Because the data was openly available, different organizations could adapt it for entirely different purposes.

Technology and Innovation

During the late 2000s, collaborative digital mapping represented a relatively new concept in many parts of the world.

Open Maps Caucasus demonstrated how volunteer-generated geographic information could rival traditional mapping approaches.

The project relied upon:

• GPS field collection
• digital editing
• open licensing
• community verification
• collaborative maintenance

This methodology anticipated many practices that later became common within humanitarian mapping and citizen science initiatives.

Social and Cultural Significance

Perhaps the project's greatest legacy lies beyond the maps themselves.

By encouraging residents to document their own communities, Open Maps Caucasus promoted civic participation and local ownership of public information.

Rather than waiting for outside organizations to define geographic reality, communities contributed their own knowledge.

This participatory model strengthened:

• civic engagement
• volunteerism
• technical literacy
• collaboration
• public transparency

It also demonstrated how open geographic information could support democratic participation by making public knowledge more widely accessible.

Recognition Within the Mapping Community

Although Open Maps Caucasus was never a mainstream consumer mapping brand, it earned recognition within the international open mapping community.

Documentation on the OpenStreetMap Wiki references the JumpStart data import as an important milestone for Georgian mapping, while planning documents for the proposed State of the Map 2012 conference in Tbilisi note that JumpStart Georgia—previously known as Open Maps Caucasus—had mapped much of Georgia and would assist with conference organization.

This recognition reflects the project's influence among GIS professionals and volunteer mappers rather than mass-market consumers.

Popularity

The website itself was relatively specialized.

Unlike consumer mapping platforms designed for millions of everyday users, OpenMapsCaucasus.org primarily attracted:

• GIS enthusiasts
• nonprofit organizations
• volunteers
• researchers
• civic technology advocates
• OpenStreetMap contributors

Its influence is better measured by the lasting impact of its geographic data than by website traffic.

Reviews and Public Reception

Few traditional consumer reviews exist because Open Maps Caucasus functioned as a nonprofit civic initiative rather than a commercial service.

However, within GIS and open mapping communities, the project has generally been viewed positively for:

• pioneering open mapping in Georgia
• encouraging volunteer participation
• promoting open geographic data
• improving national map coverage
• supporting humanitarian applications

The successful integration of much of its data into OpenStreetMap further reflects community confidence in the quality and usefulness of the mapping effort.

Legacy

The legacy of Open Maps Caucasus extends well beyond its original website.

Many of the concepts championed by the initiative—open geographic data, community mapping, volunteer collaboration, and local capacity building—have since become standard practices within humanitarian GIS and OpenStreetMap communities around the world.

As modern mapping technologies have matured, Georgia now benefits from vastly richer geographic information than was available in 2010. The pioneering work documented by Open Maps Caucasus helped accelerate that transformation by demonstrating how local volunteers could create high-quality public geographic data through collaborative effort.

Although the original website now primarily preserves the historical story of the initiative, it remains an important record of one of the earliest organized efforts to build comprehensive open geographic information for Georgia. The project illustrates how technology, community engagement, and open access principles can work together to create resources that continue benefiting society long after the original initiative concludes.