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Mapping innovator what3words to guide Olympics visitors in Rio

London-based mapping firm what3words is to help guide tourists visiting Rio for this summer’s Olympic games after its innovative location system was integrated into a number of Rio 2016 apps.

The tech firm has announced tie-ups with navigation apps, including RioGo and Navmii, which will see its 3 word addressing system integrated into mapping services in time for the Rio Olympics.

RioGo is the official Olympics public transit app while Navmii is the world’s biggest offline satnav app, which will put what3words’ innovative navigation system in the hands of potential user base of half-a-million extra visitors in Rio de Janeiro alone.

The London-based startup, which recently closed a $8.5m (approx. £6.3m) Series B funding round led by logistics firm Aramex, has developed its own unique addressing system which it claims simplifies location sharing, with addresses taking the form of a string of three, unique, pre-assigned words.

Splitting the world into 57 trillion 3m by 3m squares, the addressing system helps to define and pinpoint areas that are currently unmapped or underserved by official addressing formats.

This new initiative in Rio builds on some of the firm’s work in Rio’s largest favela, Rocinha, where it has assisted local co-operative, Carteiro Amigo, in delivering parcels and letters to the largely unmapped slum.

Chris Sheldrick, CEO and co-founder of what3words said: “We are on a mission to change the way people communicate location, to make the world a more efficient, less frustrating and a safer place with 3 word addresses.

“With what3words, there’s simply no reason to get lost in Rio this year.”