Telcontar Announces First Product Line, Funding Agreements
20 April 1999
Personal and Vehicle Navigation Software Company Telcontar Announces First Product Line, Funding Agreements
SAN JOSE, Calif.--April 19, 1999---- Telcontar's Rich Map Engine for Geo-Spatial Data Management in
Navigation Applications Available Now; Funders Include Trimble Navigation Limited, Seiko Epson, Xanavi Informatics Corp., Investor's
Place Founder's Fund, LLC and Callaghan Partners Corp. --
Telcontar, a privately held provider of street map data management, compression, route-finding and rendering tools for the personal and vehicle navigation markets today announced the availability of its first product, Rich Map Engine.
San Jose, Calif.-based Telcontar also announced investments in the company by Trimble Navigation Limited, Seiko Epson, Xanavi Informatics Corp., Investor's Place Founder's Fund, LLC and Callaghan Partners Corp . Delivering unique solutions to the burgeoning in-car and handheld navigation technology marketplace, Telcontar's cross-platform and disparate map database integration eases the behind-the-wheel challenges of busy parents, delivery drivers, emergency and security services and business travelers.
"We're pleased that with the launch of Rich Map Engine as well as this new round of funding we've secured, our vision for integrated navigational software solutions is being validated by our peers and the financial community," said Bill Schwegler, president of Telcontar. "We're eager to expand our product line as well as grow our market share in the coming months."
With many map/navigation software packages, in-car and handheld devices and disparate operating platforms on the market, both hardware and software developers need a solution to manage geo-spatial information and deliver their products to a broad international market of consumers quickly and efficiently. Telcontar's Rich Map Engine is able to provide this solution elegantly and easily for hardware and software products in the Windows CE, AutoPC, '95, '98 and NT, and UNIX platforms. The Rich Map Engine is robust; able to work with very large base maps with very fine detail, and then store the data along with added layers, annotations, even sounds and images. The Rich Map Engine is available now from the company and its international distributors. Telcontar distributes its products through OEM and System Integrator channels.
Telcontar's business model relies on development and distribution agreements with the key players in the navigation technology industry. The company is a Microsoft Auto PC partner and has relationships with the developer of the first all-in-one portable car navigation system Datus, private security service Protection One, and Vicinity the provider of enterprise Internet-based eRetail technology and services.
Telcontar Management Team Embodies Experience
Telcontar's management team is led by Bill Schwegler, president and CEO. Schwegler brings to Telcontar 17 years of experience in the computer industry and experience as a founder of two previous start-up companies. Brian Smartt is vice president for product development. Smartt brings to Telcontar 13 years experience in GIS-related industries with particular focus on designing and implementing map database management systems and applications. He has a proven track record of creating new technologies and architecting robust products and systems. Brian is the inventor of the fundamentally new data management method that is the foundation of Telcontar's technology. Bob Serafini is vice president for sales and marketing. Serafini brings to Telcontar 30 years of experience in the computer industry, with 15 years of specific senior-level responsibility for computer sales and marketing projects. Acting CFO Kip Witter is a hands-on senior financial and operations executive with over 20 years of experience. Kip has been a founder and member of the senior management teams of two companies and held a senior financial management position with another.
Telcontar's open map management software provides access to comprehensive worldwide map coverage and enables companies to deliver the ultimate navigational solutions to consumers and businesses today. When integrated with a variety of dashboard and handheld devices, Telcontar's solutions are ideal for the most advanced automotive, personal, vehicle location systems, and security navigational applications. Founded in 1996, the company is establishing itself as the industry standard by providing patent pending, fast, and powerful access to base map data, integration with a wide variety of base maps, efficient data compression and storage and customizability for Microsoft AutoPC, Windows CE(TM), Windows 95(TM), Windows 98(TM) and Windows NT(TM), as well as Unix.
Copyright (c) 1999 by Telcontar. All rights reserved. All product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.