deCarta is a company.
deCarta has raised $37.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at deCarta.
deCarta has raised $37.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at deCarta.
deCarta is a geospatial technology company specializing in mapping, routing, navigation, geocoding, local search, and geo-data processing platforms for mobile, internet, enterprise-fleet, and automotive applications.[1][2][3] Founded in 1996 and headquartered in San Jose, California, it served high-volume location-based services (LBS) customers including Samsung, Ford, GM OnStar, TomTom, and Nokia/HERE, powering reliable mapping features before its acquisition by Uber in March 2015 for an undisclosed amount.[1][2][4] Post-acquisition, deCarta operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary, with 30 of its 40 employees retained, including CEO Kim Fennell, to enhance Uber's map-dependent services like UberPOOL and ETA calculations.[1][2]
The company addressed core challenges in scalable, accurate geospatial tech for ride-sharing and beyond, solving problems like precise routing and location integration in high-stakes environments.[1][2] Its growth included $56.1 million in funding across six rounds from investors like Norwest Venture Partners and Translink Capital, reflecting strong pre-acquisition momentum in the LBS market.[2]
deCarta was founded in 1996 as Telcontar, a San Jose-based pioneer in foundational mapping technology amid the early internet and mobile era.[1][3] It evolved from providing basic geospatial platforms to advanced LBS solutions for internet, personal navigation, and enterprise use, building longevity through partnerships with giants like TomTom and Denso.[1][2][3] Key early traction came from serving automotive (Ford, GM), telecom (T-Mobile, Telstra), and tech firms, amassing significant funding—$56.1 million over six rounds—before the 2015 Uber acquisition.[2]
Founders' specific backgrounds are not publicly detailed, but the company's pre-dotcom boom origins positioned it as a veteran in mapping tech, culminating in Uber's buyout to bolster its mapping reliability.[2][4]
deCarta rode the explosive growth of location-based services in the mid-2010s, fueled by smartphone proliferation and ride-sharing booms, where accurate, real-time mapping became mission-critical.[1][2] Its timing aligned with Uber's expansion, as market forces like urban mobility demands and GPS advancements favored embedded geospatial tech over general-purpose maps.[1] By powering apps for Ford, GM, and TomTom, it influenced the ecosystem's shift toward integrated LBS, enabling seamless navigation in fleets and consumer services—paving the way for Uber's dominance in map-reliant logistics.[1][2]
Post-2015 acquisition, deCarta likely deepened Uber's internal mapping capabilities, contributing to refined ride-hailing, pooling, and logistics features amid ongoing mobility trends.[1][2] Looking ahead, as autonomous vehicles, delivery drones, and AR navigation surge, its legacy tech could evolve within Uber (now part of growing super-apps), shaping precise geospatial standards in a \(10+\) trillion mobility market. Its veteran role underscores how specialized mapping startups fuel platform giants, tying back to deCarta's foundational impact on reliable, global LBS.
deCarta has raised $37.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
deCarta's investors include Norwest Venture Partners, Tenaya Capital.
deCarta has raised $37.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $11.0M Series C in May 2008.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2008 | $11.0M Series C | Norwest Venture Partners, Tenaya Capital | |
| Jul 1, 2007 | $15.0M Series C | Norwest Venture Partners, Tenaya Capital | |
| Mar 1, 2005 | $11.0M Series B | Norwest Venture Partners, Tenaya Capital |