Location Innovation Hub has published a new Geospatial API Business Guide, designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises make better use of geospatial data in their business.

Geospatial data is increasingly important for decision-making, service development and scaling operations. However, accessing and utilising this data can be challenging. The new guide addresses this by introducing geospatial APIs as a practical and efficient way to access data directly from its source, without the complexity of handling multiple data formats.

In addition to the basics, the guide covers key considerations such as security, licensing and business models. Understanding these aspects is essential, as not all datasets – even if openly available – can be used commercially. The publication also provides an overview of widely used geospatial APIs and offers guidance on how to get started.

With real-world use cases included, the guide gives SMEs a concrete starting point for turning geospatial data into business value.

“One effective way to use geographical datasets is to fetch them straight from the source via an interface (API), without the need to handle multiple data formats. With this guide, we aim to explain what geospatial APIs are and highlight the opportunities they offer through practical examples and minimal technical jargon. We hope it helps SMEs across sectors scale their business using geospatial data”, says Sanna Jokela, CEO of Gispo Finland.

The guide was produced by the Location Innovation Hub together with Gispo Finland, one of LIH's partner organisations.