Calgary tech company BigGeo earns recognition in Times Square for participation in startup challenge
By Hannah Caparino, August 15 2024—
This past June BigGeo, a Calgary technology company that specializes in geospatial data technology and solutions, was recently acknowledged on a billboard in Times Square in New York City. The company had recently been listed as one of the finalists in the 2024 Snowflake Startup Challenge. The software company, Snowflake Inc., partnered with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to provide investment opportunities and guidance from leaders within the NYSE to the winner of the challenge.
Dr. Faramarz Samavati, a professor in the University of Calgary’s computer science department, served as the lead scientist for BigGeo. The professor sat down with the Gauntlet to speak on BigGeo’s involvement with the 2024 Snowflake Startup Challenge and prior research that contributed to BigGeo’s success.
“I have been working on something called 3d modelling,” Dr. Samavati said. “One of the areas which I have been a pioneer in is called subdivision and multiresolution surfaces.”
Much of BigGeo’s work with geospatial data and intelligence is attributed to advancements made in 3D modelling and mapping. Dr. Samavati had addressed the misconceptions behind modern-day mapping, which were the result of decades of map distortion and the use of two dimensional map layers. Years of limited resources made data integration in the digital mapping difficult, until the use of 3D models. The solution to decades of distortion is what Dr. Samavati calls “discrete representation” to better represent a digital 3D globe.
“My approach has been to use discrete representation and we can make a smooth surface using some simple algorithms, this is called subdivision surfaces,” he said. “I was also thinking about how to store data in these 3D models where we have this discretized model. You may ask why we should bother to store data in these shapes, [but] one important application could be Digital Earth.”
Using multiple forms of discretization and models better represents the Earth through various sized cells, called multiresolution. The data stored in the 3D models prevents more technical challenges from persisting while accurately depicting the changes happening on Earth’s surface in a digital environment. When developing an accurate depiction of the Earth, implementing the Discrete Global Grid System (DGGS) allows for continued research potential and practical application. BigGeo’s development with geospatial data was shaped by the integration of DGGS and the system’s success led to the beginning of its commercialization. Through BigGeo, Dr. Samavati explains how DGGS had begun to be commodified through the 2024 Snowflake Startup Challenge and funding by U of C.
“Snowflake has an annual competition for startups who develops apps inside of [Snowflake’s cloud]. So last year more than 900 startups developed apps in Snowflake and entered this competition, and from that 900 or something companies, […] they selected the three best. And the BigGeo app was one of the best three and that’s the reason why they put the picture of us in Times Square.”
Snowflake’s cloud-based model made the company highly successful and in-demand by multiple businesses and corporations. An advantage of Snowflake’s system is that it provides a secure environment to develop apps, and BigGeo used Snowflake to expand their market and expose DGGS to a larger audience.
“BigGeo chose to develop the app inside Snowflake [and] that was kind of because they can encounter a large set of companies. As soon as you have an app, any company using Snowflake can take advantage of that, exposing BigGeo to many clients.” said Dr. Samavati.
The future of BigGeo is rooted in the research that Dr. Samavati and his team had done in regards to 3D modelling and software. The technical applications of DGGS will work to to predict and solve modern-day issues like wifi error detection, or be implemented in multiple industries that are location-based. To learn more about BigGeo’s geospatial applications and solutions, visit their website.