UrbanSpectra Capability Statement

Last Updated 2026-03-10. Published at urbanspectra.com/capability-statement

UrbanSpectra Pty Ltd
ABN 46 687 299 298

urbanspectra.com
jake@urbanspectra.com
Sydney, NSW

About UrbanSpectra

UrbanSpectra is a studio building data-driven mapping and urban analysis software for cities with a vision, founded by Jake Coppinger.

UrbanSpectra brings a digital-native approach to understanding cities with a great respect for direct observation and community engagement.

UrbanSpectra projects utilise and contribute to open data and open-source software, with a focus on transparent modelling and data visualisation critical for public trust and understanding.

UrbanSpectra founder Jake Coppinger has worked for over five years at Atlassian as a full-stack software engineer, has been nominated for Young Sydneysider of the Year (Committee for Sydney) and has advocated for safe, walkable cities throughout his career.

Core Competencies

Interactive Mapping & Geospatial Visualisation

Custom web-based map applications that translate complex urban data into intuitive, accessible tools for communities, planners, and decision-makers.

Urban Analytics & Modelling

Bespoke analytical tools including custom isochrone modelling, signal-delay-aware pedestrian catchment analysis, cycleway network analysis, and transport accessibility assessment. UrbanSpectra methodologies go beyond standard distance-based models to reflect real-world infrastructure safety conditions.

Full-Stack Software Development

End-to-end design and delivery of production-grade web applications – from serverless backends and data pipelines through to polished, cross-platform frontends.

Co-Design, Project Management & Delivery

Structured, iterative project delivery with regular client check-ins to deliver on time and on budget – even when the initial brief requires clarification. UrbanSpectra works collaboratively with non-technical stakeholders, including co-design of scope and training documentation for ongoing use.

Open Data & Community Engagement

Expertise in leveraging and contributing to open data ecosystems (OpenStreetMap) and building tools that support community participation and advocacy (Better Intersections, Australian Cycleway Stats, Streets for People talk with Lee Waters).

Transport & Planning Policy Knowledge

Practical understanding of the Australian transport and planning policy landscape, including TfNSW’s Road User Space Allocation Policy (RUSAP), Movement & Place framework, traffic signal operations in NSW(SCATS), cycleway planning, Sydney’s transportation planning history and local government processes (LPF).

What sets UrbanSpectra apart?

  • Software + city-making fluency: UrbanSpectra sits at the intersection of full-stack engineering and urban policy, advocacy, and place-based analysis – with experience at both Atlassian-scale tech development and deep, practical knowledge of Sydney’s transport policy, urban planning and community engagement. Jake Coppinger’s full-stack fluency expands from algorithm development and classical computer science training, professional software development practice, product-focused project leadership through co-design, technical writing, to broad policy insights and recomendations.
  • Transparent methods: UrbanSpectra’s commitment to open data, explainable modelling and visual communcation supports public trust, reproducibility and public interest in trust sensitive contexts – critical for government and not-for-profit clients.
  • Proven delivery to institutional clients: UrbanSpectra has a track record of delivering on time and on budget for national not-for-profits and multi-council partnerships, with strong client references.
  • Innovative methodologies: UrbanSpectra’s traffic signal delay-aware isochrone modelling and approach to non-technical georeferencing are innovative solutions requiring significant technical expertise.
  • Strong collaboration with non-technical stakeholders: Client references highlight clear communication, regular check-ins, responsiveness to feedback, and the ability to translate complex information into usable tools and decisions.

Personnel

Jake Coppinger – Founder & Director

  • BSc Computer Science (Distinction), UNSW – Co-Op Scholar, Dean’s Honours List, Computing Elite Students Award
  • 5+ years as a Full-Stack Software Engineer at Atlassian, building and operating globally distributed services supporting tens of millions of monthly users
  • Deep expertise in TypeScript, React, Node.js, C++, Python, AWS, PostgreSQL, geospatial data systems
  • Won the Atlassian international hackathon in a team he started and led; principal engineers held his on-call handover reviews as the quality bar for the team
  • Nominated for Young Sydneysider of the Year (Committee for Sydney) in 2024
  • Creator of Better Intersections, an open-source crowdsourced signal timing platform with 900+ measurements across 12 countries (ABCSMH coverage)
  • Technical analysis of the Epping Bridge Transport Impact Assessment (a project to add to private vehicle traffic lanes) resulted in TfNSW commissioning modelling adjustments
  • Negotiated the release of WA Main Roads SCATS traffic signal timing data
  • Writing and advocacy on Sydney Park Junction contributed to the implemented of a dumped cycleway connection
  • Active OpenStreetMap contributor
  • Traffic signal analysis shared by the Committee for Sydney as a “must read”

Past projects

Heart Foundation Community Walkability Map (2025)

Client: National Heart Foundation of Australia

An interactive, Australia-wide tool enabling communities to visualise pedestrian access to everyday destinations within 5, 10, 15, and 20-minute walk catchments – accounting for real-world conditions including path connectivity, highway barriers, and traffic signal delays.

A key innovation was the development of traffic signal delay-aware isochrone modelling, integrating crowdsourced and estimated signal timing data to reveal the typically invisible cost of pedestrian delays at major roads.

Scope delivered:

  • Co-design and scoping with the Heart Foundation team
  • Project management with incremental delivery and regular status updates
  • Backend isochrone algorithm development with signal delay estimation
  • Geospatial data integration (OpenStreetMap, Ausgrid street lighting, NSW DPHI tree canopy, Better Intersections signal data)
  • Serverless backend development
  • Graphic design and cross-platform frontend engineering

The map is now a central feature of the Heart Foundation’s Community Walkability website, supporting community checklists, fact sheets, and a Supporters’ Toolkit for built environment professionals.

Extract from the Heart Foundation’s reference (contact for full reference):

“Jake demonstrated genuine interest and enthusiasm for the project which, no doubt, at least in part contributed to the high-quality output. He demonstrated himself to be highly capable, competent and skilled… Jake’s level of commitment and positive, can-do attitude is unparallelled and I would have no hesitation in recommending him to future clients.”

Cooks River Catchment Map (2025–2026)

Client: Cooks River Alliance (partnership of Bayside Council, Canterbury-Bankstown Council, Inner West Council, Strathfield Council, and Sydney Water)

A user-friendly interactive map designed to maximise the visibility, accessibility, and accountability of improvements in the Cooks River catchment. The map enables the public and decision-makers to track proposed, under-construction, and completed projects across the entire catchment in one place.

A significant engineering challenge was empowering non-technical Alliance staff to create and continuously update map layers – including the ability to georeference documents from external sources without GIS expertise.

Scope delivered:

  • Product co-design and scoping with the Cooks River Alliance
  • Iterative project management with rapid prototyping and tight feedback loops
  • Full-stack development: frontend design, serverless backend with authentication, data ingestion from external sources
  • Innovative browser-based georeferencing tool for non-technical staff
  • Integration with OpenStreetMap for up-to-date infrastructure layers
  • Graphic design, branding support, and scope definition
  • Comprehensive technical and user training documentation

The map is published at ourbackyardriver.com.au and serves as a 24/7 planning and reporting mechanism for the catchment.

Extract from the Cooks River Alliance’s reference (contact for full reference):

Working with Jake has been a thoroughly gratifying and beneficial experience. He was clearly passionate about the project and deeply engaged. He has an eye for detail that is unparalleled and an understanding of user-design that is rare. … Jake has set the bar high for the Cooks River Alliance’s future projects, in terms of our expectations for future collaborations and our expectations for our own ability to manage and communication complex data. We would highly recommend Jake’s work to anyone looking to communicate complex information to a wide audience.

  • Senior Engagement Officer, Cooks River Alliance

Better Intersections – Crowdsourced Signal Timing Platform (2023–present)

Open-source project

A web-based tool to crowdsource and visualise pedestrian and bicycle signal timing data, developed in the absence of publicly available traffic light timing information.

  • 900+ measurements from hundreds of authenticated users gathering data over 12 countries
  • Coverage in ABC News and the Sydney Morning Herald
  • Data used by a major transport consultancy to support improved traffic signal configuration
  • Detailed open-source statistical analysis including histograms, scatter plots, and comparison against City of Sydney wait-time targets

Australian Cycleway Stats Dashboard (2024)

Open-source project

An open-source dashboard providing kilometres of cycleways and safe streets in every Australian council – encompassing current, under-construction, and proposed projects with international benchmarks. Built on OpenStreetMap’s detailed cycleway-type specification. Queries from this analysis informed the beginning of a commercial economic analysis.

Contact

Jake Coppinger Founder/Director

UrbanSpectra Pty Ltd ABN 46 687 299 298 Sydney, NSW