Company: Platial
Description: Online mapping community
Competitors: Plazes, Google Maps, AskCity
Location: Portland
Amount Raised: $2.4 million
Round: First
Date Announced: 3/6/07
VC Firms: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, KeyNote Ventures, Omidyar Network
VC Directors: Randy Komisar
Quick Take: The traveler in me has always liked maps. So, I've got a soft spot for Platial, an online mapping startup that enables its users to collaborate and converse about map-based projects. The release of its new MapKit distributes its offering across the web, which should expedite uptake. If enough people use the service, Platial will profit greatly from tailored and perhaps, self-service advertising opportunities based on geography and interests. Will this startup be a key piece that cracks the local ad puzzle? If it can overcome the challenge of giving those beyond the early adopters a good reason for getting started with maps, maybe it will be. In the meantime, see my latest venture capital-related cartographic creation below and feel free to add to it.

Technology (1 out of 10): 6
Market: 8
Management: 4
Chances for IPO: 3
Overall VC Rating: 8

Tags: platial, maps, kpcb, vc, venture+capital