After more than two decades as an independent software development company, Philly’s Azavea has been acquired.The Callowhill-headquartered GIS software company was founded in 2001 by Robert Cheetham — colloquially known as “the godfather of open data” in Philadelphia — after a career in government. For the last two decades, the certified B Corp has quietly grown to be a mainstay in the Philly tech scene. But on Thursday, a company announcement said it had been acquired by Element 84, based in Alexandria, Virginia.Both companies work within the GIS space, working to process, visualize and analyze geospatial and Earth observation data. Through the acquisition, the companies will work under one entity, Element 84, but they will maintain Azavea’s Philly headquarters as its HQ, per a press release. A commitment to open source technology, information and data made the deal feel right, the companies said.The companies’ technologists work in cloud-native geospatial software engineering, machine learning, data analysis, project management and UX design. The merged entity will stand at a headcount of just over 100 people, and existing leadership will be integrated into the new team; Cheetham, currently Azavea’s CEO, will become chief strategy officer of the combined organization, according to the public statement.Cheetham did not immediately respond to Technical.ly’s request for comment

Alexandria, VA-based Element 84 has acquired Philadelphia technology company Azavea, joining forces as a singular professional services firm focused on the open source geospatial technology ecosystem.