Reducing the Data Onboarding Tax with GERS | Drew Breunig | Overture Maps

In this session from the Spatial Data Science Conference New York 2025 (#SDSC25), Drew Breunig (Geospatial & AI Strategist) from the Overture Maps Foundation discusses how open, interoperable identifiers can simplify one of the most complex problems in geospatial data: onboarding and integration. He introduces GERS (Global Entity Reference System). This universal ID framework links geospatial entities such as places, buildings, roads, and addresses across datasets, making it easier for organizations to connect, share, and analyze spatial data. 00:08 Intro 03:00 The “onboarding tax” 05:29 What is Overture Maps? 07:21 Why it’s free 08:48 GERS: universal IDs 12:27 How to get started