Indoor mapping and location analytics or real-time location systems (RTLS) are a set of technologies that enable the location of people and objects within buildings using a range of indoor positioning technologies.

While designed for a variety of applications, including visitor or meeting room wayfinding and maintenance support, the technology’s various safety and security features are beginning to take center stage amid an increase in business activity.

“The need for an indoor map as the foundation for smart buildings is driving increased demand in corporate offices, where indoor mapping has a clear value proposition and where building utilization and usage optimizations can generate a high return on investment,” explains our Occupancy Analytics & Location-Based Services research.

​​“A major trend is the integration of indoor mapping capabilities into a range of other systems, including occupancy analytics and facilities management, as well as a variety of safety and security solutions.”

On a day-to-day basis, indoor mapping enables real-time location monitoring of people and assets as they move within a building. By integrating maps with security systems, it allows security personnel to track the movement of specific individuals, identify unauthorized access, and respond swiftly to potential security breaches.

Indoor mapping can also be integrated with access control systems to manage and monitor access to secure or sensitive areas. By visualizing all access on a map, security teams can detect unusual patterns and prevent unauthorized access when required. Furthermore, using occupancy data, mapping can help identify overcrowding or unusual congregation patterns that could indicate a threat, especially vital for crowd management during events.

In an emergency situation, indoor mapping solutions can automatically locate people and guide them out of buildings, to evacuation points, or away from danger when integrated with mass notification via smartphones or signage systems. Indoor mapping also provides first responders with critical information about the building's layout, potential threats, and the location of people in need, thereby helping them navigate the premises quickly and safely.

“Cutting-edge technologies have elevated indoor maps from mere wayfinding solutions to dynamic digital re-creations using live data to replicate physical spaces,” writes Morten Brøgger, CEO at MapsPeople in a recent article. “Indoor maps are still an up-and-coming technology, but when elevated with existing smart systems, they can enhance emergency preparedness plans, fortify building security and, ultimately, provide peace of mind to keep physical property and people safe.”

Navigating the Indoor Mapping Market

The security features discussed above in combination with a wide range of non-security applications, means indoor mapping and location-based services have attracted significant interest in recent years, sparking a wave of new business activity. According to our extensive market research, the key vendors in the indoor mapping space include Cisco, MapsPeople, Pointr, and Esri.

Cisco Spaces (formerly known as DNA Spaces) is the highest-ranked indoor location and IoT services platform reviewed by customers on Gartner Peer Insights, three years in a row. Deployed by more than 8,000 enterprise customers, in around 194,000 buildings worldwide, the solution has digitized over 6.6 billion square feet of floor space to date.

In April 2023, Cisco announced an integration partnership with Dutch workplace analytics firm Mapiq. The Cisco Spaces integration will allow Mapiq customers to leverage already existing Cisco technology, such as Cisco Webex systems, for real-time space analytics for accurate occupancy insights from devices. And, in July 2021, Cisco Meraki announced a partnership with Kloudspot Inc. focused on customer and employee safety in the smart workspace.

Also in April 2023, MapsPeople reached an agreement to acquire all of Point Inside's customer contracts and indoor mapping assets. The deal follows a raft of new product releases for their MapsIndoors portfolio to support a wide variety of location-based applications and last-mile delivery services. Two years earlier, MapsPeople commenced an IPO listing on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market in Denmark, which it completed in May 2021, raising $39 million.

British indoor location & mapping solution provider Pointr was particularly active in the summer of 2022. First, in July, the company announced a number of large joint projects with Siemens and a deepening integration with Siemens subsidiary, Comfy, a workplace environmental control platform. Then, in August, Pointr announced a collaboration with Smart Spaces, a workplace engagement platform, on a number of notable projects including the new headquarters of UK mobile network operator Three.

The summer of 2021 saw three significant deals. In the first, in June, Verizon acquired Senion, a Swedish location solutions startup. The second, in August, saw ServiceNow acquire Mapwize, a French firm focused on location-based services in commercial office real estate. And the third, in September, when Esri ArcGIS Indoors announced an integration with IBM TRIRIGA, an integrated workplace management system.

Like in all physical spaces, maps will remain an essential tool for data visualization in buildings. With the evolution of the sensors and intelligence that make up the smart building, new opportunities are emerging for the integration of maps with a range of critical building systems.

While privacy and data security concerns remain, and integration challenges persist, the future of buildings will inevitably be mapped for the benefits of safety and security, as well as the wider occupant experience.