2023, Mapped: NextBillion.ai’s Year in Review

2023 marked a pivotal shift at NextBillion.ai towards a hyper-focused strategy. Embracing targeted efforts, we honed in on specific markets, sectors and products, aiming to excel in location tech and become leaders in routing optimization and navigation APIs.

A major move was revising our pricing structure, a risk that paid off with more sustainable and significant deals. This refined focus not only streamlined our operations but also boosted our product quality and market appeal.

Let’s take a look at the key highlights of 2023 at NextBillion.ai.

Witnessed enduring growth anchored by our Route Optimization API

In a year of remarkable achievements, our U.S. market performance stands out, with measured growth setting the pace. Our customer base in the region has expanded robustly, a clear sign of our solutions’ increasing relevance and impact. Not only have we grown our clientele, but our revenue figures tell a similar success story, showcasing our strengthening foothold in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

In 2023, our Route Optimization API became a cornerstone of growth, with user engagement surging significantly. The API calls escalated impressively, reflecting a consistent month-over-month increase. The number of customers leveraging our API also experienced a remarkable uptick, nearly tripling by year-end. This growth is a testament to our targeted approach to refining the product to meet evolving industry demands.

Crafted solutions for diverse companies and use cases

We welcomed over 50 new customers into our routing and navigation platform. Notable names like Lithium, Everest AI, Sun Direct, Lattice, RutinRota, Gosamplify, DrinkPrime, SuperProcure and CyberDelta chose NextBillion.ai as their solution provider.

We addressed complex use cases, such as truck routing, robot-assisted delivery, sidewalk routing, time-critical delivery schedules, employee transportation and more.

We handled everything, including basic driver tracking, field force dispatch, waste management and intricate transportation network planning for FMCGs.

Our tailored solutions helped non-emergency medical transportation services to improve dispatch, supported essential services in delivering goods during significant road closures, facilitated FMCG companies in effortlessly transporting metric tonnes of goods and more.

Here are some figures that reflect the tangible business impact of our solutions:

• 40% reduction in transportation costs for a pet food giant
• Over 30% OpEx reduction for a logistics and trucking delivery company
• Enhanced visibility into fleet productivity with a 25% increase in dispatch efficiency for a last-mile delivery player in Europe
• Creation of 40,000 sqm of custom maps on an open format in just 80 days – all achieved at a fraction of the cost the customer would have incurred if starting from scratch

Unveiled multiple new products to elevate navigation, mapping and tracking capabilities

We launched ten groundbreaking products to transform user experiences and enhance our customers’ capabilities.

From the Live Tracking API to the Clustering API, from the iOS Navigation SDK to the Asynchronous Distance Matrix API, each product played a crucial role in advancing navigation, mapping and tracking functionalities in 2023.

The Flutter Maps SDK and iOS Maps SDK offered dynamic, interactive mapping solutions, while the Asset Tracking SDK for Android and iOS provided unparalleled tracking precision. Together, these products marked a significant leap forward in our commitment to delivering state-of-the-art tools that empowered developers and businesses alike.

Consistently improved existing products for greater impact

In addition to the new products, our team was equally dedicated to enhancing our existing offerings. Noteworthy among these improvements is the Route Optimization API, which received significant updates. Recent enhancements include the introduction of three new features — relations, custom objective and custom cost matrix.

We implemented enhancements across various products, including the Geofence, Post Trip Route, Navigation and Directions APIs. Additionally, Live Tracking API V1 saw updates, now featuring dynamic alerts for enhanced asset monitoring.

You can learn more about the 2023 new products and feature updates we released in detail here.

Amplified accessibility through strategic collaborations and platform integrations

As we reflect on the strategic pivots and partnerships that have shaped the past year, our collaborations with leading SaaS marketplaces stand as a pillar of our success. By joining forces with giants like Google Cloud, AWS, Microsoft Azure and Bosch, we’ve made our solutions easily accessible on their marketplaces. This strategic move amplified our reach, allowing customers across these platforms to seamlessly adopt our robust route optimization technology.

Additionally, technical integrations with Samsara and Salesforce have been pivotal. These partnerships enable their existing customers to integrate with our platform effortlessly, leveraging our advanced route optimization solutions to enhance their operational efficiency.

Elevated customer experience through exceptional product support

Our commitment to exceptional support became our superpower this year, setting us apart and empowering our customers’ journey.

We redefined product support with the introduction of NextBillion.ai Cloud Console – the upgraded version of our product support portal.

Users were able to monitor API usage and set budget and usage alerts. They benefitted from enhanced security features related to API access. Users could also explore our expanded product library and directly access tools like Geofence and Road Editor.

With prompt responses guaranteed within 2 hours, expert help for any issue, and an unwavering dedication to your business’s uptime, we ensured a seamless experience for our valued users throughout the year.

Transformed user engagement through interactive API notebooks

In a pivotal move last year, we introduced API Notebooks — an interactive resource to improve user engagement. We created a dynamic testing environment where users explored our APIs without installations.

These notebooks showcased practical applications and a wide range of use cases, from optimizing staff commutes to refining waste collection routes. Beyond technological strides, this release marked a paradigm shift—users interacted dynamically and tested our products.

These notebooks surpassed mere demonstrations, as they empowered users to engage actively and fostered a more immersive and insightful experience with NextBillion.ai.

Fostered conversations through webinars, events and industry insights

Throughout the year, we took an active role in shaping discussions around location technology, mapping and startup growth.

Besides hosting distinguished experts in our engaging webinar series, our leadership was also invited as speakers at various prestigious events.

NextBillion.ai shined in winter, spring and fall

This year, both Gaurav Bubna and Ajay Bulusu had the honor of receiving the esteemed Fortune India 40 Under 40 award, recognizing not just their efforts but the collective dedication of the entire NextBillion.ai team.

In the realm of user feedback, we proudly secured 30+ G2 badges across the Winter, Spring and Fall 2023 reports.

In the G2 Fall 2023 report, NextBillion.ai secured 16 G2 badges, including titles like High Performer, Best Support and Momentum Leader across key categories such as Route Planning, Location Intelligence, Last Mile Delivery, GIS and Business Intelligence.

These distinctions affirm our expertise and reinforce the ongoing trust of our valued customers.

Embraced the challenges and victories with the team

Annual Offsite – November 2023

Behind every achievement, every G2 badge, and each milestone in business growth, stands the backbone of NextBillion.ai — the incredible team.

Global SKO – June 2023

As a remote workplace with a distributed team, we made it a point to come together and celebrate. These pictures encapsulate the collaborative spirit, dedication, and shared victories that made 2023 a remarkable journey for NextBillion.ai.

Looking Ahead

Starting a company in the challenging climate of 2020 set the stage for a transformative 2023. This year’s learnings have been invaluable, shaping a more grounded and practical approach to our business. As we move forward, we’re dedicated to continuous innovation, delivering tailored solutions and enhancing our product support.

In 2024 and beyond, our focus will sharpen on North America, driving the adoption of our routing and navigation product suites. Building upon our customer success initiatives will be at the forefront, ensuring we grow sustainably and make a lasting impact in the market.