FATMAP

# FATMAP: High-Level Overview

FATMAP is an outdoor adventure technology company building a global 3D mapping platform designed to make outdoor activities safer and more accessible.[1][2] The company creates ultra-high resolution, purpose-built maps of mountainous and outdoor terrain by integrating thousands of data sources, combining satellite imagery with game engine technology to deliver detailed terrain analysis, route information, and safety data to hikers, skiers, and adventure sports enthusiasts.[1][3]

The platform solves a critical problem in outdoor navigation: traditional maps lack the precision and real-time safety information needed for off-piste skiing, backcountry hiking, and other adventure sports. FATMAP's maps calculate crucial terrain metrics on the fly—including gradient, aspect, and avalanche risk—while supporting offline use in remote areas where connectivity is limited.[3] The company serves both individual adventurers and the broader outdoor ecosystem, positioning itself as "the Google Maps of the outdoors."[1]

Origin Story

FATMAP was founded in 2013 by David Cowell and Misha Gopaul, two mountain enthusiasts based in London.[3] Gopaul, an engineer and serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience building technology companies, co-founded the venture with a clear vision: create detailed maps for hardcore off-piste skiers.[1] The company launched its first product, FATMAP Ski, in 2015 after three years of development, initially targeting selected European ski resorts.[3]

The early traction was remarkable. The first pilot launched in three European resorts and attracted 2,000 users in the opening weekend, growing to 10,000 users within six weeks.[3] When the app launched publicly in January 2016, it reached over 120,000 users across 15 weeks, covering 35 major skiing resorts.[3] This explosive growth validated the market demand for high-resolution outdoor mapping.

A pivotal moment came around 2018–2019 when the company hit an inflection point: smartphone technology had matured sufficiently to support outdoor use, with improved battery life, processing power, brighter screens, and cold-weather touch screen performance making the product genuinely usable in harsh mountain environments.[1] This technological convergence transformed FATMAP from an interesting concept into a practical tool.

Core Differentiators

• Purpose-built 3D mapping technology: FATMAP engineered maps from the ground up specifically for outdoor use, rather than adapting existing navigation tools.[1] The platform uses game engine technology combined with 40–50cm resolution satellite imagery and sub-2m digital elevation models to render terrain at unprecedented detail.[3]

• Innovative data licensing model: The company pioneered a Spotify-style royalty solution to address the prohibitive cost of map data (approximately $84 per square kilometre), enabling them to scale globally by integrating thousands of different data sources rather than relying on a single expensive dataset.[1]

• Real-time safety calculations: FATMAP computes terrain and safety metrics dynamically—gradient, aspect, avalanche risk—providing adventurers with actionable intelligence beyond static map visualization.[3]

• Community-driven expertise: The platform leverages a community of mountain professionals who continuously add expert route and area content, creating a valuable resource layer that complements the base mapping technology.[3]

• Offline-first design: Maps can be downloaded for offline use, critical for remote mountain environments where connectivity is unreliable or nonexistent.[3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

FATMAP operates at the intersection of several powerful trends: the democratization of satellite imagery and geospatial data, the maturation of mobile hardware for outdoor use, and growing consumer demand for adventure and outdoor experiences. The company is riding the wave of outdoor recreation's post-pandemic surge while addressing a genuine gap in the market—traditional mapping tools (Google Maps, traditional topographic maps) were never designed for the specific safety and navigation needs of backcountry adventurers.

By combining satellite technology with game engine rendering and community expertise, FATMAP demonstrates how specialized vertical mapping platforms can outperform generalist competitors in niche domains. The company's approach—treating outdoor mapping as a distinct problem requiring purpose-built solutions—influences how the broader geospatial and adventure tech ecosystem thinks about domain-specific mapping applications.

Quick Take & Future Outlook

FATMAP's trajectory suggests continued expansion beyond skiing into hiking, biking, and broader outdoor activities, with ambitions to achieve global coverage of mountainous terrain.[3][5] The company's success hinges on scaling its data acquisition and processing capabilities while maintaining the accuracy and community trust that differentiate it from competitors.

The future likely involves deeper integration with wearables, real-time condition reporting, and dynamic sensor data—features the company has already signaled as part of its roadmap.[3] As outdoor recreation continues to grow and adventure seekers demand safer, more informed experiences, FATMAP's specialized mapping platform positions it as a foundational infrastructure layer for the outdoor economy. The company's ability to solve the data cost problem through innovative licensing models suggests they've cracked a key scaling challenge that will determine whether they achieve their vision of becoming the definitive outdoor map platform globally.