OUR HISTORY
The Beginning
In 1996 when a group of friends from diverse disciplines gathered at an informal reunion, they realized they had a few things in common: they were all well-educated, well-placed in their careers, and they all were passionate about conserving the environment. This passion inspired them to create an Environmental Atlas, leading to the establishment of the Centre for Spatial Database Management and Solutions (CSDMS), a not-for-profit organization, in 1997. The group had its objective cut out: generate awareness about the potential of GIS in development and environmental protection. And what better way to generate awareness than start a magazine. The first edition of GIS@ Development was published in June 1997. Shortly afterwards, in an attempt to reach out to a larger audience, the organization hosted its first conference in September that year, with “GIS for Business and Environment Planning” as its theme. It was the beginning of a long journey, which is still ongoing!
The Growth
While creating a buzz in the social, political and business ecosystems with GIS@ Development, the organization continued to create awareness with its thought leadership events — the first conference with international attendees (Map India) was held in October 1998. To enhance the impact of the work started under CSDMS, two friends from the entrepreneurial group decided to take their engagement with the stakeholders to the next level, leading to the birth of GIS Development Pvt Ltd, an innovative media and events company, in 1999. New milestones were achieved with every year, and the company launched a dedicated website in 2000 and hosted its first regional event (Map Asia, Bangkok) in 2002. By 2006, GIS Development emerged as a leader in media and events, and was hosting conferences in Asia, Middle East and Africa, along with bringing out four magazine editions.
The Impact
In 2007, the company hosted its first global conference (Map World), and within a few years, it had set up offices in six countries. A turning point of sorts came in 2011, when the organization reoriented its focus and moved from GIS to Geospatial, and the company was renamed as Geospatial Media and Communications (GMC). The magazine and the website were rebranded as Geospatial World. The same year, GMC’s efforts were recognized by the United Nations, and it was tasked with facilitating a program of industry and government exchange at the UN High-level Forum in South Korea. With its entry into the Western markets, GMC had declared itself as a global company, as it organized the first Geospatial World Forum in Amsterdam in 2012. Two years later, the company marked its presence in the United States and set up an office in Washington DC. This was also the time when a dedicated research unit was set up in the organization.
The New Beginning
At every step of the way, we have tried to make a difference by closely collaborating with policy-makers, business heads, academia and civil society in achieving our mission of “Making a Difference through Geospatial Knowledge in the World Economy and Society”. As we assume the role of a knowledge organization in 2021, GMC, now Geospatial World, will leverage its experience and knowledge of over two decades to carry forward thought leadership, policy advocacy, evangelizing geospatial data and technology, and advancing knowledge for sustainability.
1997
First Print Magazine
1998
First National Conference
2000
Dedicated News and Resource Portal
2002
First Regional Conference
2007
First Global Conference
2011
GIS Development Renamed as Geospatial Media & Communications
2015
Established Market Research & Policy Advocacy Division
INSPIRE & GWF Conference collaborated together
2017
First GeoBuiz Report
Co-organised UN-High Level Forum in partnership with INEGI & UN
2021
Organization Rebranded as Geospatial World