Why Marketplaces Are Building Their Own Mapping Stacks

Episode 55 of The Platform Economy digs into a surprising vertical integration move: marketplaces building their own mapping and geospatial platforms. Lucas walks through the specific cost and control calculus behind this trend, using Amazon's internal mapping API and Uber's OpenStreetMap contributions as concrete examples. He explains why off-the-shelf Google Maps pricing doesn't scale for delivery-density optimization, and how latency requirements for real-time dispatch push platforms to own the stack. Luna pushes back on the make-versus-buy logic, asking whether this is actually about data moats rather than cost savings. The episode closes with a reflection on what happens when every platform becomes a geospatial data company — and why the next frontier might be indoor mapping for fulfillment centers. #PlatformEconomy #Marketplaces #Mapping #GeospatialData #Amazon #Uber #OpenStreetMap #VerticalIntegration #LogisticsTech #DeliveryDensity #MakeVsBuy #DataMoat #IndoorMapping #Fulfillment #RealTimeDispatch #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo