Ed Freyfogle

Currently my main project is learning the hands-on details of running a SaaS business.

I'm co-founder of OpenCage, we provide a geocoding API - a way to convert geographic coordinates to places.
It's a fun but challenging business that still gives me plenty of flexibility to spend time with my kids.

I organize Geomob, in London, Barcelona, and online. We have events about once a month. Get on our monthly mailing list, and I hope to see you at our next event. If you can't make it (or even if you can), you may enjoy the Geomob podcast, where my co-hosts and I discuss themes from the geo industry, interview Geomob speakers, and provide regular updates about our various projects. If you want to learn more about Geomob here's an episode where I describe the format and goals of the event.

I'm an occasional angel investor investing in early-stage startups I can help via my domain knowledge or network, or where I have a long history with the founders. I'm particularly interested in geo, API-based businesses, developer tools, aggregation, SaaS, and messaging. My geographic focus is Germany (Berlin), London, and Barcelona. Please do NOT contact me about investing unless you are in one of these categories and locations, otherwise I probably will not answer.

I am (or was) an investor in:

5Mins (friend of founder)
Abi Global Health (messaging)
AVUXI* (geo, aggregation)
Calm Company Fund (SaaS fund)
Cashwave (aggregation, friend of founder)
Castos (friend of founder)
Dent Reality (geo)
Elm (aggregation)
Flock (geo)
GetAgent* (geo, aggregation)
Hubtype (messaging, developer tools)
LastPOS (aggregation)

Localistico (geo, aggregation)
Mintago (friend of founder)
Overleaf** (aggregation)
Perkbox (aggregation, friend of founder)
Printastic (friend of founder)
Reform (other, pivoted from original idea)
SplashMaps (geo)
Storage Made Easy (friend of founders)
Summit (aggregation, SaaS)
Teragence (geo, aggregation)
TinySeed (SaaS fund)
What3Words (geo)

and a few startups that have closed.
* member of the board
** successfully exited

I occasionally interview interesting people from the geo world on GeoHipster.
I was interviewed back in 2014 (before it was cool, obviously).

Before OpenCage, I co-founded Lokku. We built the real estate search engine Nestoria, which we eventually operated in nine different countries. Our customers were all the major media groups across those markets.

In May 2015 Lokku was acquired by Mitula Group. It was a fun ride.

I grew up back and forth between the US and Germany, spent 10 years living in London and another five in Barcelona. I'm not really "from" anywhere.

The NY Times American dialect quiz says I speak English as if I'm from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bizzare as I've been there only once for a two day visit.

Der Spiegel Sprachatlas behauptet ich würde so sprechen als ob ich aus Leinefelde käme, was völlig falsch ist. Heiligenstadt liegt ja 15 km entfernt.

My Spanish is not yet magnífico, but gradually improving. My accent can probably best be described as "faltering tourist".