From idea to revolution: How Localina defined Web 3.0. What began as a bold vision of us four business informatics students from the University of Zurich developed into an exciting research project in the area of the Semantic Web, also known as Web 3.0. In 2006, we launched Localina. What began as a bold vision of us four business informatics students from the University of Zurich developed into an exciting research project in the area of the Semantic Web, also known as Web 3.0. Supported by the Federal Innovation Funding Agency (CTI, now Innosuisse) and in collaboration with my former company, Astina AG. The University of Zurich took on the challenge of developing an ontology-based recommendation system that would redefine the world of online search, or rather finding.
Imagine you're planning a spontaneous trip to London. You're full of anticipation, but there's one problem: You have no idea where to eat or go out to party. You rummage through endless online reviews, hoping for honest opinions, and yet you often end up in places that don't live up to your expectations. The problem lies at the core of the technology: Traditional search engines provide keyword-based results that take neither your personal preferences nor qualitative reviews into account. In short, they are unable to meet the complex needs of a modern, connected user. That was the case back in 2006, one year after the launch of Google Maps.
In 2006, we launched Localina. What began as a bold vision of us four business informatics students from the University of Zurich developed into an exciting research project in the area of the Semantic Web, also known as Web 3.0. Supported by the Federal Innovation Funding Agency (CTI, now Innosuisse) and in collaboration with my former company, Astina AG. The University of Zurich took on the challenge of developing an ontology-based recommendation system that would redefine the world of online search, or rather finding.
At the core of Localina was an algorithm that used semantic technologies. Instead of relying on simple keyword searches, this algorithm filtered useful information from the flood of Internet data and evaluated it using qualitative criteria (content-based filtering). The research team, consisting of developers, doctoral students from the University of Zurich and programmers from Astina AG, thus created a system that could process natural language and establish content-related, structural and contextual relationships between independent User Generated Content (UGC).
But every revolution has its own problems. Localina's recommendations were very slow at first. The algorithm needed considerable time to process the many data points involved. In addition, it was difficult for the user to understand the logic behind the recommendations, especially when the suggested locations were unknown to him. Despite these obstacles, the first impressions were promising and aroused great interest.
Localina made it possible to take personal preferences into account and provide tailor-made recommendations that went far beyond mere keywords. With a database of over 100,000 location profiles (restaurants, event locations,...) worldwide, Localina was able to present personalized restaurant and nightlife guides to a user who was planning a weekend in London that met their individual dining habits.
Later, an iPhone app was added, a computer science bachelor thesis: an ontology-based recommendation system for restaurants. The aim was to improve the usability and maintainability of the prototype. Through usability tests and technical optimizations, an app was created that provides personalized restaurant recommendations based on user reviews. The app uses advanced recommendation algorithms and communicates with the Recommender Engine via a SOAP interface. Improvements include an intuitive interface, faster response times, and clearer user guidance.
For the end user, Localina meant an unprecedented transformation in how information was sought and recommendations were obtained. It was no longer necessary to look through endless lists and hope for luck. Instead, Localina offered highly personalized and high-quality recommendations that were precisely tailored to individual needs and preferences. Learned from similar behavior (colllaborative-filtering).
The beta version of Localina, which went online on 29.10.2007, invited users to co-write a piece of Web 3.0 history. With their reviews and feedback, the first users helped to refine the system and make it an indispensable tool in the modern information society.
Following the initial successes and challenges, Localina piloted the idea in 2012. The original concept eventually developed into a restaurant CRM and booking system that offered restaurants a digital reservation book, which enabled restaurants to efficiently manage their reservations and strengthen customer loyalty. The final highlight came when the solution was not adopted by Google Maps but by Swisscom. With the digital telephone directory, now known as localsearch.ch, Localina found its perfect home. This takeover marked the successful transition from an innovative idea to an established, practical application that enriches the everyday lives of many people.
Following the launch of the beta version of Localina, the project attracted a lot of media attention. The Swiss newspaper 20 minutes put Localina on her front page while Tages-Anzeiger and NZZ published detailed reports. But the enthusiasm was not limited to Switzerland. Media in Australia and the USA also reported on Localina, and I myself was a guest on a popular radio show in Dublin, Canada, Australia. This international recognition underscored the importance and potential of Localina as a breakthrough technology in Web 3.0.
The vision didn't end with locations and events. The technologies and findings from the Localina project were later applied to other areas: job ads, real estate offers, news — all improved and personalized through a recommendation system.
Localina's story is one of research collaboration and the relentless quest for innovation. It shows how a visionary idea can result in a technological revolution that fundamentally changes the way we search for and use information.
Localina is not just a product, but living proof that the combination of science and industrial partnership can make a difference.
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