# Klokan Technologies > company in Switzerland **Wikidata**: [Q121345157](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q121345157) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/klokan-technologies ## Summary Klokan Technologies is a Czech Republic entity[1]. ## Summary Klokan Technologies GmbH is a Swiss software company founded on 5 February 2010 that specializes in open‑source mapping tools, most notably the OpenMapTiles vector‑tile generator and the Old Maps Online digital archive. It is led by CEO and programmer Petr Přidal and operates from its headquarters in Unterägeri, Switzerland. ## Key Facts - **Founded:** 5 February 2010【inception】. - **Headquarters:** Unterägeri, Switzerland【headquarters】. - **Legal form:** Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH)【legal_form】. - **CEO:** Petr Přidal, also a computer scientist, programmer and entrepreneur【ceo】. - **Industry:** Software industry; classified as a software company【industry】【instance_of】. - **Employees:** 6 (as of 11 August 2023)【employees】. - **Core products:** OpenMapTiles (vector‑tile generator) and Old Maps Online (digital antique‑map archive)【Created / Developed by】【Owned / Operated by】. - **Corporate parts:** Includes MapTiler AG and Old Maps Online as subsidiaries【has_part(s)】. - **Online presence:** Website https://www.klokantech.com, Twitter handle @klokantech (since Nov 2018)【website】【twitter】, GitHub username klokantech【github_username】. - **Identifiers:** D‑U‑N‑S 485466994, Swiss enterprise ID CHE‑115.421.836【d_u_n_s_number】【swiss_enterprise_identification_number】. ## FAQs ### Q: What does Klokan Technologies do? A: Klokan Technologies develops open‑source mapping software, most prominently the OpenMapTiles vector‑tile generator and the Old Maps Online platform for browsing digitised historic maps. ### Q: Who founded Klokan Technologies? A: The company was founded on 5 February 2010 and is currently led by CEO Petr Přidal, a programmer and entrepreneur with a background in computer science. ### Q: Where is Klokan Technologies headquartered? A: Its headquarters are located in Unterägeri, Switzerland. ### Q: How many people work at Klokan Technologies? A: As of 11 August 2023, the company employs six staff members. ### Q: What are the main products associated with Klokan Technologies? A: The primary offerings are OpenMapTiles, a tool that creates vector tiles from geographic data, and Old Maps Online, an online archive that lets users search and view antique maps. ## Why It Matters Klokan Technologies occupies a pivotal niche at the intersection of open‑source software and geospatial data. By providing OpenMapTiles, the company enables developers, cartographers, and GIS professionals to generate high‑performance vector tiles without costly proprietary solutions, fostering wider adoption of modern web‑mapping standards. Its Old Maps Online service democratizes access to historical cartographic resources, supporting research, education, and cultural heritage preservation. Operating with a lean team of six, Klokan demonstrates how focused expertise can produce globally relevant tools that power both commercial platforms (e.g., MapTiler) and community‑driven projects. The firm’s Swiss GmbH structure and transparent identifiers (D‑U‑N‑S, Swiss enterprise number) reinforce its credibility, while its open‑source ethos encourages collaboration across borders. Consequently, Klokan Technologies not only supplies essential infrastructure for contemporary mapping applications but also contributes to the open‑data movement, helping to keep geographic information accessible, interoperable, and innovative. ## Notable For - **OpenMapTiles:** One of the most widely used open‑source vector‑tile generators, supporting global map rendering. - **Old Maps Online:** A searchable digital archive that makes historic maps readily accessible to the public. - **Small, specialized team:** Operates with only six employees, emphasizing efficiency and expertise. - **Integration with MapTiler:** Through its subsidiary MapTiler AG, Klokan’s technology underpins commercial mapping services. - **Swiss legal and financial transparency:** Holds a D‑U‑N‑S number and a Swiss enterprise identification number, reflecting formal corporate governance. ## Body ### Overview Klokan Technologies GmbH is a software company based in Switzerland that focuses on geospatial and mapping solutions. It is classified under the software industry and identified as a software company in Wikidata. ### History - **Inception:** The company was established on 5 February 2010. - **Leadership:** Petr Přidal, born 16 December 1980, serves as CEO. He is a computer scientist, programmer, and entrepreneur with Swiss citizenship. ### Products & Services - **OpenMapTiles:** A vector‑tile generator and schema that converts geographic data into web‑ready vector tiles. - **Old Maps Online:** An application that provides a searchable digital archive of antique maps. ### Organizational Structure - **Legal Form:** Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH). - **Subsidiaries / Parts:** Includes MapTiler AG and Old Maps Online. - **Ownership:** Operates Old Maps Online as an owned/operated service. ### Online Presence & Identifiers - **Website:** https://www.klokantech.com (English). - **Twitter:** @klokantech (active since November 2018). - **GitHub:** Username “klokantech”. - **Contact:** Email info@klokantech.com. - **Identifiers:** D‑U‑N‑S 485466994; Swiss enterprise ID CHE‑115.421.836. ### Workforce - **Employees:** Six staff members reported on 11 August 2023, reflecting a compact, specialized team. ### Industry Impact Klokan’s open‑source tools lower barriers to high‑quality map production, enabling both commercial and community projects to leverage modern web‑mapping technologies without licensing constraints. Its historic‑map archive supports cultural research and public engagement with cartographic heritage. --- *All information is drawn exclusively from the provided source material.* ## References 1. Commercial Register 2. [Source](https://www.maptiler.com/contacts/) 3. [Source](https://maplibre.org/about/) 4. GitHub 5. [Source](https://github.com/orgs/klokantech/people) 6. [Source](https://www.klokantech.com/contact/)