Esri Eliminates GeoIQ

So the answer to the age old question, What are the boys down in the lab doing?” has been answered.

We are excited to join the Esri family, integrating our technology and extending the Esri platform,” says Sean Gorman, founder of GeoIQ. Esri’s approach to GIS for Everyone’ is transformational in the industry and is very closely aligned with GeoIQ’s vision, so we are extremely excited about working together.”

I think Sean threw up in his mouth while saying that. That goes against everything GeoIQ has said about Esri for the past couple years (most assume the old @FakeJackDangermond twitter account was a GeoIQ sock puppet).

GeoIQ staff will join Esri at a new software development center located in Washington, D.C. and extend the ArcGIS platform with special emphasis on federal government clients in the areas of self-service mapping, analytics, big data, content streaming and social media.

Heh, GeoIQ staff extending the ArcGIS platform? I can only assume Sean made a deal with the devil (the real devil, not Esri) and lost. Now he’s got to work for Jack for a little while before they let him go. That’s what you get for trying to change the world guys, eaten by the beast. Despite having to give up control of his company to Jack, Sean looked pretty happy leaving the office this morning.

Slim GormanSlim Gorman

Andrew Turner should be able to fit in really well at Esri D.C. I pulled this quote from Andrew near the bottom of the press release about the File Geodatabase, We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious.”

Andrew GollumAndrew Gollum

The bottom line is clearly here:

Esri opens the door for us to operate within the ArcGIS platform and to directly work with their millions of users.

Thus you see the problem with all these geospatial government contractor startups. There is one company in that space and it is Esri. Either you work with them or you don’t work at all. GeoIQ lasted as long as they could, but they clearly needed an out. At least their staff will work with a company making money hand over fist in D.C.


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Date
July 10, 2012