TomTom explores defense market with map data

TomTom is increasingly focusing on customers outside the automotive industry. In addition to technology companies and insurers, the Amsterdam-based company sees opportunities primarily with governments. This also includes intelligence services and military organizations. TomTom is thus joining a broader trend: more and more Dutch companies are looking to the rapidly growing defense market.

The move is in line with TomTom's strategic direction. The automotive industry is still its largest market, but the company wants to be less dependent on a single sector. Governments offer new growth opportunities in this regard. TomTom already has a contract with the Australian government and is in talks with other parties. The company sees defense as a market that will grow structurally in the coming years.

Rising defense budgets

This growth is being driven by rising defense budgets, especially in Europe. NATO countries are investing significantly more to maintain their military capabilities. The Netherlands is also allocating tens of billions of euros to defense. Within the European Union, the combined budget runs into the hundreds of billions. That money goes not only to weapons, but also to data, software, and digital infrastructure.

Maps and location technology

TomTom does not supply weapons, but maps and location technology. These play an important role in what is known as geospatial intelligence. This involves analyzing location data to support military operations, national security, and disaster response. Intelligence services combine their own data, for example from satellites, with detailed digital maps. TomTom provides the base layer for this.

The company does not know what specific applications customers build on those maps. That information remains with the client. TomTom focuses on providing flexible, easily integrable map data. The core is a standard map to which customers can easily add their own datasets. This used to be complex and expensive, but cloud technology and new software architectures have made it much simpler.