ServiceNow expands to indoor maps by acquiring Mapwize

With the acquisition of French startup Mapwize, ServiceNow is expanding its footprint to indoor maps. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

ServiceNow, a workflow automation platform used by companies such as Deloitte and American Express, said that when the Mapwize acquisition is completed in the next few months, it will provide the technology as part of a wider range of services to help employees reserve seats, meeting rooms, and other public spaces— —And usually navigate around large buildings and campuses. Mapwize will eventually be integrated into the Now platform on desktop and mobile devices.

Mapwize was founded in Lille, France in 2014 to help companies digitize their existing floor plans — which can be imported into any format, such as AutoCAD — and design and manage their maps from a single interface. Mapwize can also integrate with beacons and other pathfinding hardware technologies.

Hybrids

At the time of the acquisition, some companies wanted to get employees back to the office, while others were committed to permanent remote work arrangements. How this will develop remains to be seen, but many companies may adopt a hybrid approach-allowing employees to work from home sometimes, provided they come at least part of the week. This is the world ServiceNow said it hopes to support by putting Mapwize under its wings.

The platform can help employees return to unfamiliar buildings with new layouts and new employees who have not visited the office. It will also help building managers and administrators identify usage patterns so that they can better design office layouts.