Duon: Helping Find The Way In Urban Jungles Through Indoor Navigation

Duon is a pioneering indoor navigation platform in the Philippines, built to simplify wayfinding inside malls and large venues. Using interactive 3D maps, it provides real-time guidance to help users reach their destinations effortlessly. The platform also supports businesses by offering targeted location-based marketing opportunities. After launching at SM North EDSA, Duon plans to roll out in more SM and Robinsons malls by 2025. With that, why don’t you join me in learning more about Duon with its CEO and Founder, Gab Angeles. 

What inspired you to create Duon, and what problem does it aim to solve?

Duon was born out of a personal frustration that I experienced repeatedly. I’m the type of person who enjoys the outdoors, and I often find myself getting lost inside malls or large establishments. Back in 2018, I kept thinking, "Why isn’t there an indoor navigation service?" I said it over and over, but no one seemed to be doing anything about it. While working at a startup, I gained experience in product design, business modeling, and operations. Then in 2022, when the idea resurfaced, it just clicked—I realized I could actually build it myself. So I did my research, conducted feasibility studies, and by February 2023, we officially incorporated Duon. Our goal is simple: to help people navigate indoor spaces more efficiently, saving them time and energy. Whether it's locating a specific store, ATM, restroom, or exit, Duon provides users—both locals and tourists—with a seamless way to explore Philippine urban spaces.

But we’re not just solving problems for individuals; we’re also creating value for businesses. For our establishment partners—such as SM Supermalls and Robinsons Malls—we offer foot traffic analytics, helping them optimize operations and marketing strategies based on real user behavior. Similarly, we assist brands by providing geo-marketing capabilities and engagement reports, allowing them to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and reach their target audiences more accurately. With Duon, we’re not just improving indoor navigation; we’re building a smarter ecosystem that benefits both consumers and businesses alike.

How does Duon differentiate itself from other navigation or mapping solutions?

Duon is a service that doesn’t currently exist in the Philippines. The closest comparison would be the digital kiosks you see in malls, which provide static navigation. With those, you manually select your starting point and destination, then try to memorize the directions—or if you're lucky, you take a photo. But most of the time, these kiosks are offline, unresponsive, or outdated.

What sets Duon apart is that it offers real-time, step-by-step indoor navigation—think of it like Waze, but for indoors. It guides you continuously until you reach your destination. Unlike kiosks, Duon is accessible anytime and anywhere inside the establishment. You don’t have to walk back to a kiosk or rely on asking a security guard for directions. With Duon, you always know exactly where to go.

What has been the biggest challenge in bringing Duon to life, and how did you overcome it?

As a startup, scaling to the market is always a hurdle. One of the biggest challenges early on was proving the value of our product. Since Duon is the first of its kind in the market, we had to validate that there was a real need for it. We conducted market research, surveys, and direct outreach to consumers to confirm that indoor navigation was a pain point that needed solving. On the establishment side, the validation process was actually smoother—many of the partners we approached were already looking for a solution like ours. The challenge with them was more about negotiating terms, refining our tech-as-a-service model, and fine-tuning our pricing and partnership structures since there was no existing blueprint to follow.

Another major challenge was securing resources. Like most startups, funding was a significant hurdle, especially in moving from concept to MVP, to soft launch, and finally to where we are today. Fortunately, we had a few angel investors who helped us deploy, and we recently signed a grant under the DOST TAPI Technicom program. This grant is a huge milestone for us—it serves as a launchpad to help us scale further. Right now, we’re live in SM North, but with this funding, we’re aiming to expand to 8 to 10 more locations across major malls in Metro Manila.

Can you walk us through how Duon’s real-time indoor navigation works?

Duon’s real-time indoor navigation works like Waze but for indoor spaces. The online version detects your location automatically, showing you as a blue dot on the map. Just search for your destination—whether it’s a store, ATM, or comfort room—and Duon provides the best route, estimated time, and step-by-step directions.

For offline use, it functions like a digital mall directory. You select your starting point, choose a destination, and get an overview of the route—perfect for planning ahead or navigating without data. We’re also working on real-time offline navigation, which we aim to roll out within the next year.

How do malls and businesses benefit from partnering with Duon?

Malls and businesses benefit from Duon through data-driven insights and targeted marketing. For mall owners, we provide foot traffic analytics to optimize security, reduce operational costs, and improve housekeeping. We're also integrating real-time emergency evacuation navigation. Additionally, we help optimize leasing strategies and support promotional campaigns by reaching consumers before they visit. For brands, Duon enables location-triggered marketing, connecting them with target customers upon entry. Our reports track consumer behavior, helping businesses refine strategies and maximize engagement. We're also piloting a parking navigation feature with a major mall operator. This will guide users to available parking spots and help them find their car after shopping. We’re continuously enhancing our data offerings to improve operations and customer experiences.

Currently, Duon is available at SM North EDSA. What are your expansion plans?

We're actively expanding beyond SM North EDSA. While I can't name exact locations yet, this year, we're focusing on major SM and Robinsons malls across Metro Manila. Beyond that, we're looking at Cebu and Davao to establish a presence in key cities across the country. We're also in discussions with several hospitals and two hotel casinos—around four to five hospitals in total.

Our goal is to launch in these locations within the year, or by the first half of next year at the latest.

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Gab Angeles is the CEO and Founder of Duon. Under his leadership, Duon is transforming indoor navigation in the Philippines by providing real-time, step-by-step guidance in malls and commercial spaces. As seen in him, he is passionate in leveraging technology to enhance user experiences and optimize business operations through data-driven solutions.

Visit www.techshake.asia if you would like to know and connect more with Duon.