Welcome to our September FME Community User Spotlight. This month features a participant in the FME Grant Program, with a special focus on the meaningful work he’s doing with FME. We’re excited to highlight their experiences and insights! ⭐
User Spotlight: Giorgi Kapanadze
What company do you currently work for?
Business and Technology University
What's your current job title?
Assistant Professor
Tell us more about what you do and how you use FME?
As an Open Source advocate, I focus on comparing different spatial tools and finding the best tool for the job. I use FME alongside open-source solutions to handle complex data integration, automate workflows, and build seamless bridges between open-source ecosystem tools and proprietary formats.
What inspired you to start using FME?
I love exploring spatial technologies, especially open-source platforms. What inspired me to use FME was its incredible ability to integrate seamlessly with open tools (like QGIS, PostGIS, and Python) while drastically reducing the time needed to map and translate complex data structures across different formats.
What's the most impactful way you've used FME?
Combining the power of Open Source tools with FME to solve complex spatial tasks. By benchmarking and integrating FME alongside open-source workflows (like PostGIS and QGIS), I’ve been able to bridge compatibility gaps and demonstrate to students how to choose and apply the right tool for any given spatial challenge.
Tell us something about your organization or studies that you want people to know.
In our academic environment, we place a strong emphasis on technology evaluation and problem-solving. We love testing different spatial tools—both proprietary and open source—to find the most efficient solution for real-world geospatial problems.
If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things with you, what would they be?
A solar generator, a satellite internet terminal, and a laptop with both FME and my favourite open-source GIS stack installed!
If you could work from anywhere in the world, where would it be?
A quiet mountain cabin in the Georgian Caucasus, with fast Wi-Fi and a view of the peaks.
Would you like to be featured on Spotlight of the Month? Fill out this form here.
We’ll see you next month! 😊
