In early December, the OGC@30 Anniversary Celebration and OGC Innovation Days DC 2024 brought together geospatial experts from government, industry, and academia under the theme Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Futures. This premier event explored the transformative potential of geospatial technologies and the evolving role of interoperability in building scalable, accessible SDIs.
As a new Principal Member of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), the Overture Maps Foundation (Overture) participated in two panels that addressed the future of SDIs and the critical need for collaboration across the geospatial community.
These discussions spotlighted the role of open data and stable ID systems such as Overture’s Global Entity Reference System (GERS) to address data interoperability challenges.
Panel Highlights – Insights from Overture
A New Era of Interoperability: Transforming the World With Geospatial Data
Featuring Amy Rose, Technical Director of Overture Maps, this panel explored the critical role of interoperability in unlocking geospatial innovation. Amy draws on her 30 years of experience in geospatial technology to discuss how breaking down data silos and enhancing data accessibility can enable transformative applications.
Key messages from Amy’s panel:
- Interoperability as a foundation: Despite the abundance of geospatial data, much remains locked in silos or governed by restrictive policies. Tackling this challenge requires frameworks like GERS to provide a universal reference system for seamless data integration.
- The power of partnerships: Overture’s task forces and working groups demonstrate how industry players can collaboratively solve shared problems. Amy emphasized the importance of understanding the line between competitive advantage and shared needs to accelerate progress.
- A global vision: Interoperability is not just technical—it’s foundational for addressing global challenges, from climate resilience to urban planning, by making high-quality data more actionable.
“Interoperability is not just a technical challenge—it’s the foundation for empowering geospatial innovation at scale.”
Watch the recording: Dive into the full panel recording here.
“Panel Discussion: Modernizing SDIs”
Marc Prioleau, Executive Director of Overture, joined this discussion about the future of SDIs, focusing on their modernization to meet 21st-century challenges. Marc emphasized the importance of collaboration between government and industry to create shared geospatial assets while addressing shared challenges.
Key messages from Marc’s panel:
- A new era in mapping: Marc described the industry’s shift from traditional survey-based data collection to sensor-based approaches, which enable more frequent updates and higher accuracy.
- Growing User Expectations: Public demand for up-to-date, accessible mapping data has increased dramatically, pushing organizations to innovate.
- Collaboration as a catalyst: Open data serves as a shared foundation, enabling industry and government to pool resources while competing on differentiated offerings. Marc illustrated how Overture’s collaborative model brings together 30+ companies to create scalable, interoperable mapping solutions.
- The role of stable identifiers: Stable ID systems such as GERS bridge the gap between disparate datasets, facilitating integration and interoperability across the geospatial ecosystem.
“Collaboration on open data strengthens the geospatial ecosystem, paving the way for a more sustainable and innovative future.”
Driving the Future of Geospatial Collaboration
The overarching theme of Innovation Days DC—making SDIs more interoperable, sustainable, and accessible—resonated strongly with Overture’s mission. Both Amy and Marc highlighted how GERS exemplifies these goals, providing a universal framework to integrate disparate geospatial datasets into cohesive systems.
From addressing the global need for FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) to tackling technical challenges through partnerships, Overture is helping build the foundations for a geospatial future that benefits the community across sectors.
Get Involved
At Overture, we believe that collaboration and open data are key to transforming the geospatial landscape.
- Get involved: Visit Overture Maps Foundation website to learn more about our work, and join our community by becoming a member.
- Stay connected: follow us on Linkedin and X for the latest updates and discussions. Sign up for Overture’s monthly newsletter and be part of a growing community.
Closing Thoughts
The OGC Innovation Days DC 2024 reaffirmed the importance of collaboration in shaping the geospatial landscape. As Overture continues to grow, its participation in OGC demonstrates its commitment to open standards and collaboration in the geospatial community. The foundation’s approach of bringing together diverse organizations, from small companies to major tech firms, shows a practical path forward for addressing global mapping challenges through collaborative effort.
Overture is proud to be part of this global effort, driving the conversation on open data, interoperability, and the future of SDIs.
