A COOKSTOWN start up is on the growth path after launching a new online mapping application.
Cianad Software has launched Azimap.com, the brainchild of husband and wife team, David and Ciara McQuillan.
The pair began developing the application in 2014 after receiving research and development funding support from Invest Northern Ireland.
The idea came when they spotted a gap in the market for an "affordable, easy-to-use yet feature rich tool for creating, displaying and analysing location data".
The development project saw the creation of five jobs at the company's Cookstown office including software development, testing and marketing personnel.
Cianad, Software is a sister company of GIS firm Mallon Technology NI, also based in Cookstown, which last year celebrated its 20th anniversary.
The company said it hoped to "continue its growth through 2016 and beyond".
Azimap has been available as a beta version but is officially launched in full today.
“GIS or Geographical Information Systems, is a fairly niche produce," said Mrs McQuillan.
"However with the popularity of Google maps and the increased availability of location-based information in recent years, mapping is becoming more mainstream.
"Many small to medium-sized companies have valuable information that has a location attached, and aren’t harnessing its real power. Azimap can help the unexperienced user get the most from their information.”
A Geographic Information System enables better analyse and allows data to be understood through its use in the form of maps, charts or reports.
Cianad said the technology had "become ubiquitous in our lives, from maps on our Smartphones to the use of GPS navigation".
"The true power of GIS lies in its ability to help collect, manage and analyse geographic information, revealing relationships, patterns and trends in the data, which can be displayed in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. Ultimately, GIS solutions can help you leverage your data to help make more informed business decisions," it said.
