- FOSS4G-ASIA 2026 is being hosted by GeoBharat at Nasik, India between 22-27 January, 2026!
- Call for Proposals for FOSS4G-Asia 2026 is released!
- FOSS4G-Asia 2024 was held in Bangkok (TH) from 15-18 Dec.
FOSS4G-Asia is now twenty years old!
The FOSS4G Asia movement has reached an incredible milestoneācelebrating 20 years of advancing geospatial technology through free and open-source software. What began as a small community of enthusiasts has grown into a powerful regional force, bringing together researchers, professionals, and developers to share knowledge and build tools that promote innovation, collaboration, and sustainability.
David Hastings, an early pioneer of FOSS4G, played a pivotal role in shaping this journey. He authored a GRASS GIS How-to guide and was actively involved in the inaugural FOSS4G event at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2004. It was during this event that Hastings helped bring together the future founders of the annual FOSS4G eventā Venkatesh Raghavan, Jeff McKenna, and Markus Neteler. Their camaraderie and shared vision set the stage for what would become a global movement. Hastings also led the first āInstallfestā at the 2004 event, establishing a precedent for the training workshops and software packaging initiatives that have become a staple of FOSS4G conferences ever since.
From grassroots mapping initiatives to AI-driven geospatial projects, FOSS4G Asia continues to empower users with open-source solutions, ensuring that the next 20 years will be as innovative and collaborative as the last.
FOSS4G – FREE/Libre AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE FOR GEOINFORMATICS
Geoinformatics technologies help us to manage, assess and present spatial information on natural resources, environment and habitat. They provide valuable tools for national development planning, resource management and disaster mitigation. Many Geoinformatics techniques now provide vital support for sustainable development. Over the last few decades, Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) has grown tremendously in scope and popularity.
FOSS has gained the attention of the Geoinformatics community and created new opportunities for developing local capabilities. Attractive licensing terms, free availability, high quality, low management costs, and opportunities for anyone to join cooperative software development teams make FOSS systems highly desirable for capacity building, especially in regions with growing IT skills and manufacturing base such as Asia. FOSS4G also helps stimulate academic research, as well as international cooperation in developing and adaptation of such software for specific national/local needs.