Fotoshi is a contributor-built visual record of the physical world. People photograph places and objects where they are, creating map-linked evidence of what is there, what it looks like, and what has changed.
Fotoshi photos are openly licensed under CC BY and can help improve OpenStreetMap and other open map ecosystems.
Our Manifesto
Fotoshi exists to make maps more current and useful by connecting real-world photographs to the places they document. The goal is durable, attributable evidence that people and map systems can use.
What We Believe
- Claims about places should be grounded in observable evidence.
- Freshness matters as much as coverage.
- Place data quality improves fastest when contributors and tooling close the loop together.
- Open map ecosystems, including OpenStreetMap, Overture, and public data, are stronger when they can use fresh evidence.
Our Strategy
- Make it easy to capture high-signal visual evidence in the field.
- Connect photos to the right map objects and preserve their provenance.
- Turn accumulated evidence into useful, auditable knowledge about places.
- Help people and map ecosystems act on what has changed.
Product Principles
- Fast capture, low friction, high confidence.
- Human-in-the-loop correction where it materially improves truth.
- Reliability first for core data and upload flows.
- Data should be operational, auditable, and usable by both people and systems.
What We Are Building
- A living photo record of the places and things that make up our world.
- A simple way for people to document what they see and help keep maps current.
- Better answers about what a place is, what it looks like, and what has changed.
Long-Term Vision
Make Fotoshi the trusted source for “what is actually there now”, at global scale.
We are building a durable, sustainable company: practical growth, high-signal data, and reliable products.
Meet the Team
