A newly launched online location finding company is currently finalising a £750,000 (€952,000) seed financing deal for the first phase of its development.
Bizmaps (www.bizmaps.ie) has developed software which provides businesses with online access to mapping, listings, routes and directions-on-demand services for the Irish market.
Describing itself as a geographical information systems application service provider, Bizmaps will focus on the business-to-business market.
For example, a car dealership may want to indicate on its website where its outlets are located in Ireland.
"This is a service that will appeal to anyone wanting to offer address finding or location pinpointing online," says Mr Pat Donnelly, Bizmaps managing director.
"At the moment we can pinpoint locations down to people's houses in the greater Dublin area, and by the end of June we will offer the same level of service for Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick."
To date, Bizmaps has been developed with a £350,000 investment from co-founders Mr Donnelly and Mr Feargal O'Neill, and private investor and Internet consultant Mr Tony Connolly.
The new investment is understood to be from two private investors, and Bizmaps is in discussions with a mobile phone operator to offer the service over WAP phones - an application of the technology with very big market potential.
Mr Donnelly plans to repeat the Bizmaps service in other European markets shortly, and expects to raise £2 million to fund the globalisation, some of which may come from a mobile operator.
