Topi Tjukanov is a geographer from Helsinki, Finland, currently serving as a Senior Map Designer at Mapbox. He has become one of the most influential figures in the modern cartography community, not just for his beautiful map creations, but for fostering a global movement that celebrates the joy of mapmaking.
In 2019, while riding a bus to work in Helsinki, Topi conceived and launched the #30DayMapChallenge, an annual social media phenomenon that has become a highlight of the cartography calendar. Each November, the challenge encourages developers, designers, and map enthusiasts to create and share maps based on daily theme prompts—from "points, lines, and polygons" to "vintage style" and "hexagons." The challenge has grown exponentially, with Tjukanov estimating approximately 50,000 maps produced in recent years. The initiative is hosted on GitHub with suggested data sources, tools, and tutorials.
Unlike traditional competitions, the #30DayMapChallenge is deliberately non-competitive. Topi describes it as being "all about creativity, openness and the joy of beautiful maps and cartography." This philosophy has made it remarkably inclusive, welcoming first-time mapmakers alongside seasoned professionals. Many participants credit the challenge with helping them gain confidence to share their work publicly, learn new techniques, and advance their careers.
Topi's success in creating and organizing the annual challenge helped him land his position at Mapbox. His own cartographic work has been featured on the Daily Mail, Iltalehti, and the front page of Reddit. Notable projects include his "Notable People" interactive map showing the most famous person from locations around the world. Through the challenge and his personal work, Topi has demonstrated that cartography can be both technically rigorous and genuinely fun, inspiring a new generation of mapmakers worldwide.
