Bee Maps raises $32 million to scale Solana-powered decentralized mapping network

Bee Maps, the decentralized mapping platform built on Solana and formerly known as Hivemapper, has raised $32 million in fresh funding to accelerate the next generation of blockchain-based mapping technology. The round was led by Pantera Capital, LDA Capital, Borderless Capital, and Ajna Capital, highlighting investor confidence in the decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) movement.
Bee Maps operates a crowdsourced global mapping network that rewards contributors with its native HONEY token. Participants use Bee Dashcams to capture real-world imagery, which is then processed by Bee Maps’ AI models to detect road changes, new signage, and construction updates. This decentralized model provides more up-to-date and geographically diverse mapping data than traditional centralized systems.
Scaling decentralized mapping technology
With the new funding, Bee Maps plans to expand its contributor base, enhance its AI and machine learning infrastructure, and grow its global network coverage. A key initiative includes the rollout of a new subscription-based offering, the Bee Membership Plan. This program lowers the barrier to entry for contributors by replacing the former $589 upfront device cost with a $19 monthly subscription. The plan includes the Bee Dashcam device, LTE connectivity, and access to software updates and analytics.
The move is expected to boost participation and significantly increase the volume of high-reanswer street-level data collected. According to the company, this strategy addresses a major constraint in the DePIN ecosystem—scaling contributor supply to meet the surging demand for accurate, real-time mapping data.
Bee Maps’ technology has already attracted partnerships with major companies such as Volkswagen’s autonomous driving division, Lyft, and Mapbox. These enterprises leverage Bee Maps’ decentralized data streams for navigation systems, logistics optimization, and AI training. The company’s real-time, community-driven data is particularly valuable for emerging industries such as autonomous vehicles, drone navigation, and smart city development.
The company’s decentralized infrastructure model allows for quicker updates and improved accuracy compared to traditional mapping services. By using blockchain-based verification and tokenized incentives, Bee Maps ensures transparency, scalability, and data integrity—features increasingly sought later than by corporations relying on geospatial data.
Positioning within the DePIN and Solana ecosystems
Bee Maps’ growth underscores the rising relevance of decentralized physical infrastructure networks built on high-performance blockchains like Solana. As AI and blockchain technologies converge, projects like Bee Maps represent a paradigm shift toward user-owned data ecosystems. The company’s model empowers individuals to directly participate in and profit from the creation of digital infrastructure previously dominated by centralized players.
With the $32 million raise, Bee Maps aims to accelerate its roadmap toward becoming the world’s most comprehensive decentralized mapping platform. The funds will be used to enhance machine-vision models, optimize token economics, and expand partnerships across automotive, logistics, and telecommunications sectors.
By combining AI, blockchain incentives, and global community participation, Bee Maps is redefining how mapping data is created, verified, and monetized—positioning itself as a key player in the growing DePIN and Web3 infrastructure landscape.