JP is an entrepreneur and a proud new father. He is also an avid aficionado card; so he created Mapiary, a powerful engine of social mapping.
We are curious, which stands for J.P.?
John Patrick. My father is John, so from a very young age everyone called me JP and he stayed.
As the issue of men, tell us, what do you a big man?
Commitment, honesty, wisdom and cajones .
You are quite the entrepreneur; why did you take an interest in Indonesia? When did you move here
I'm on the track of law school after my undergraduate university degree, and as I had spent a few years of my youth growing Asia - my father built the skyscrapers so that we move every few years - I thought China would be a good place to go for a year of adventure before returning to hit the books. To make a long story short, I was given the opportunity to go to China, but at the last moment, the director of the Indonesia program dangled this carrot crazy in front of me, and I chose suddenly , coming in Indonesia instead. They moved me to an ethnobotanical research station in the hills of western Flores.
At Ecosystem Crunch Up - California, August 2012
You studied in New York? How was it having to adjust to life in Indonesia?
I had the chance to attend Columbia University in New York, so I was already accustomed to a certain amount of chaos! Obviously, New York in a mountain village in Flores was a bit of a transition, but it was, in retrospect, one of the best ways to get acquainted with the country. Starting very rural and isolated and east, and work your way west in a few years, when you arrive in Jakarta, it feels so very cosmopolitan!
Come straight to the point; which is Mapiary? What was your vision for it?
Mapiary is a powerful and immersive digital marketing tool based on a map for brands, agencies, media owners, and others. An excellent way of thinking is that "Pinterest for cards." At present, digital maps are used and these things very very functional, but they are also very bad to the narration and sharing of information and specific experiences. Mapiary allows anyone to create and share quickly and easily their own cards. What distinguishes this approach is the reflection on the world as a collection of millions and millions of mini-cards, instead of an incredibly large macro map. So Mapiary is essentially what great storytelling tool that overwrites maps, location, mobile, social, as well as marketing and advertising.
So I can search for restaurants, gyms and other businesses across Jakarta Mapiary?
To some extent, yes. Specifically, Mapiary is an engine and a set of tools that allows me to make cards of my own experiences in Flores and New York, and to share with you. It also allows you to make your own, for example, the culinary map of Jakarta, or follow the footsteps of someone else and from the recommendations. For a beautiful ride through Jakarta well, I recommend the "36 Hours in Menteng" card, presented on the home page Mapiary.
How the Jakarta Mapiary response so far?
This is an interesting question because support for what we do has been overwhelming. So many people love cards, collect cards, obsess on the cards. So we're definitely in this nice soft place with a product that essentially allows a huge amount of customization on digital maps. We partner with media groups, guides, political campaigns, historical societies, food bloggers, and many others.
What are you most proud of with Mapiary? What's different about it compared to other social mapping applications?
Social mapping is essentially a whole new category of software. still - There are only a handful of companies who do this in the world today, and none of them had much success outside of Waze and mapping the social movement. The breakthrough Mapiary, and what I am most proud of is our overview that there is not a single card and final. There actually are millions and millions of different cards, each informed by the experiences and prejudices of their creator. physical locations hold different levels of importance to different people, brands and families.
Bathing in the Racang river, Flores - March 2006
Have you always been interested to software development? What did you study in college?
My degree is in political science, but I also have a background in web design and development. During the first internet boom, I used to bid for web design work that small businesses in New York would post them on college job boards. I would meet the client, understand the requirements, make some specifications and farm work on designers and developers in the dorms. I did not know then because I just wanted to have fun, but he was essentially what we call product management.
You and your team have also created Harpoen, correct? Tell us a little about Harpoen. How is it different from Mapiary? We heard just won a prize?
Thank you, yes, Harpoen was the predecessor of Mapiary. It was recognized earlier this year as the world champion in m-Tourism & Culture at the World Summit Awards in Abu Dhabi. We were delighted to represent Indonesia at this global forum of over four hundred digital companies from around the world.
Are there other techie projects that you have been busy with?
Many! I love the software, as well as creativity and the speed of it. Many things here are still fundamentally difficult and in print. Software will play a big role in the Indonesian economy of the future.
Do you work on projects that are not so much in the field of technology?
I am extremely fortunate to have very talented and dedicated business partners. Among other things, we distribute the brand Para'Kito French manufacturing strips and natural mosquito repellants clips in over 100 stores across the country. We also design, crafts and sell luxury hair jewelry that is carved buffalo horn and accented with gold and silver and emeralds and others. Can you repeat that please? Yes, I know, it sounds crazy, but jewelry for women's hair is a whole new category of luxury goods. You can check http://jamesanddaughter.com.
You're a bee! In addition to all this, you are a new father. Congratulations! How has fatherhood far been to Jakarta? He made this city a completely different place for you?
Fatherhood is great, thank you! Hunter My son is almost four months. He was born in RS Bunda in Menteng. It is our first, so we try to spend as much time as possible with him, and he is spoiled to have twelve cousins and constant visitors to the family and friends of the United States, too.
J.P. appreciate your comments on Mapiary. Contact him via jp@harpoen.com / http://mapiary.com