kMaps is a simple company with a simple goal: to help as many people get where they are going. This company was started over two and a half years ago when CEO Evgeny Karpov had the idea to map the world and eventually the human brain; but more on that later. Not only did he want everyone to have this information of the world, he wanted people to use it as a tool to improve their lives. He was tired of congested streets and too many wrong turns. The project started as a WEB engine to edit maps but then shifted. After a year of working diligently, he understood that there was a lot of work to be done and by releasing an application, it would get him closer to his goal. Due to a market shift to mobile phones it became clear that in order to pursue this goal a mobile application must be developed.
Versed in high level code and carrying a special algorithm for compression, he started. He began by compressing the data of the world into bite sized pieces. In order to do this he used a very unique technique for compression that he created. It allowed for huge pieces of data to be compressed into small bites. In other words, this process was ideal for laying the foundation for a downloadable offline map. After some setbacks and lots of coffee the first stage of compression was done. The next step was the creation of the unique rendering and data engines.
The engines used in this app were the most difficult challenge throughout its development. First off, the idea was to create one engine that would allow for high quantities of high quality data to be rendered instantaneously, and the second, to create an engine that allowed for quick storage and quick fetching of high quality data. After 1.5 years and countless sleepless nights, the rendering engines were created that allowed for high quality rendering and movement of data. The first engine renders high quality vector graphics while the second can organize, store, and fetch large amounts of data incredibly fast and with ample flexibility. When you put these features together you have the ingredients for a very powerful application with next generation possibilities.
This project started two and a half years ago and is coming to its fruition. Our promise, from the first release to any version in the future, is to help you. You could say it’s a kind of philosophy we have. Much like in the hospitality business where the customer comes first, for us, the user comes first. After all with out your help our dreams of mapping the world can’t succeed.