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PinpointXR

AR-Powered Automotive Repair | Pre-Seed | Stow, Ohio | POC: Jim Eisenberger | Deck

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PinpointXR, founded on January 2, 2025, by Jim Eisenberger—a 20-year Ford Senior Master technician—is addressing the global technician shortage by replacing outdated manuals with AR-guided diagnostics and real-time testing. Born from Eisenberger’s firsthand experience with technician burnout, its smart overlays enhance repair clarity, speed, and pay, aiming to “enhance technicians’ lives.” Pre-revenue with a Figma-mocked MVP. With LOIs for end-of-year pilots from five Ford dealerships, Ford data licensing secured, and commitments from two angels (one an Ashland business professor), PinpointXR is raising $500K to build its MVP, targeting a $10B automotive service market and leading Ohio’s auto tech ecosystem.

Location

HQ: Stow, OH 44224

Leadership

Contact: Jim Eisenberger (Founder & CEO) @ jim@pinpointxr.com | (330) 807-3542

  • Jeremiah Landi (Developer, pending funding)
  • Nate Barton (COO/VP, pending funding)
  • Ted Hummel (Director of Field Intelligence, pending funding)
  • Curt Conrad (Parts Director, pending funding)
  • Tim Sterling (Head of Sales, pending funding)

Alignment

Stage: Pre-Seed (MVP in development, seeking $500K for market entry)

Industry: Automotive Technology (AR/VR)

Key Achievements:

  • Secured LOIs for EOY 2025 pilots with five Ford dealerships, including Pittsburgh’s largest mobile service dealer and the world’s largest mobile service operation
  • Obtained Ford data licensing agreement, a key hurdle cleared (June 2025)
  • Gained commitments from two angels, with a third investor meeting scheduled (June 25, 2025)
  • Named finalist in JumpStart Trailblazer program, competing for $50K non-dilutive funding (April 2025)
  • Engaged 60 dealerships in customer discovery; met with a prominent industry investor
  • Showcasing at Ford’s Parts & Services Conference and Automotive AI Summit (2025)

Upcoming Milestones:

  • Build and deploy MVP (Q4 2025)
  • Launch EOY pilots with Ford dealerships (Q4 2025)
  • Close $500K Pre-Seed round via SAFE (Q3 2025)
  • Investor meeting for investment and IP protection (June 25, 2025)
  • Integrate PinpointXR into dealer mobile service truck packages (Q1 2026)

Fundraise Details:

  • Contact Pauly or the founder for more information.

Asks:

  • Ohio-based angels to lead syndicate (Ohio Angel Collective)
  • intros to Ford, GM, Stellantis executives
  • Legal support for SAFE terms and IP protection

Coverage

Pinpoint Traction Since May 2025

Since May, Pinpoint has expanded pilot commitments to seven Ford dealerships, including the largest mobile service operation in the world. The company secured a data licensing path with Ford and has now completed the full scope for its MVP demo, with development planning underway for a Q4 rollout.

Two angel investors have already committed funding, with a third in active discussions. This early capital is fueling the demo build and positioning the company for its next round.

Pinpoint’s founder, Jim Eisenberger — a former 20-year Ford Senior Master Technician — has seen multiple posts go viral on LinkedIn, reaching thousands of technicians, advisors, and service leaders. These posts didn’t pitch a product — they surfaced the pain every tech understands. The response has been a clear signal: the industry is overdue for a change, and techs are paying attention.

Conversations are progressing with Dealer Tire for investment, following a joint meeting with Frederiek Toney, former President of Ford Customer Service Division. Pinpoint will also be featured at the Automotive AI Summit in July (hosted by Dave Foy) and as a speaker at the Ted Ings Roundtable in September — one of the most visible platforms in fixed operations.

Jim has developed strategic relationships with Frederiek Toney, David Johnson (President of ASE), and Ed Roberts (COO of Bozard Ford). All three are actively helping bring Ford leadership into the conversation. David Johnson has also committed to opening doors with other OEMs when the timing is right.

Technicians and service directors across more than 60 dealerships are already asking when they can get access. The demand is real — and the momentum is accelerating.

  1. What sparked the idea for Pinpoint, and how’s it tackling automotive repair challenges from Ohio?

After working in the industry for 20 years, I saw exactly why this trade is becoming unsustainable for technicians. Right now, techs are leaving the industry at twice the rate they’re coming in. It takes about five years to train someone from day one to becoming an efficient, reliable tech — and most leave before they ever get there.

I’ve worked 100 hours in a two-week period and only got paid for 70. I’ve sat in a bay staring at a vehicle I couldn’t figure out, with no hours on the board and three kids to feed. That kind of pressure gets dark fast. But I also know how it feels to flag 120 hours in a pay period — you carry yourself differently. The sun is shining. Most techs never get to feel that.

Removing a camshaft on a 2023 F-150 is 249 pages of steps. Wiring diagrams haven’t changed in 60 years — they’ve just gotten more complicated and harder to follow. I built Pinpoint to bring relief to the techs who are second guessing themselves, when the truth is they’ve been set up to fail. We use AR to simplify diagnostics and repair, to bring clarity, confidence, and speed to a trade that desperately needs it.

  1. How do AR overlays work, and what’s the buzz been like from early partners?

AR overlays let us put the test, the diagram, or the removal step right on top of the vehicle using a tablet. Instead of flipping through a 1,000-page manual, you just look at the car and see what to do. For wiring tests, you get real-time probe guidance, and we verify your meter reading live. If it’s wrong, we pause you. If it’s right, we move you forward. It’s like having a lead tech walking you through it — but faster and more consistent.

We have pilots agreed to at seven Ford dealers. The largest mobile service operation in the world is one of them. Techs and dealership service directors have been asking how soon they can have it — not because someone pitched them, but because it solves the exact pain they deal with every day. When we showed Ford, it was clear we aligned perfectly with their focus on technician training and retention.

  1. Why plant your flag in Ohio, and what’s the ecosystem offering that bigger automotive hubs like Detroit can’t?

I’ve spent my whole career in Ohio. It’s where I trained, worked, and saw the problems that led to building Pinpoint. We’re based in Stow, near Cleveland, which gives us access to strong manufacturing and AR development talent without the overhead of bigger markets.

I don’t need to be in Detroit to understand the industry. I’ve been in the service bays dealing with these challenges firsthand. Ohio gives us the right talent and focus to build something that actually works in the real world.

  1. With Ford pilots and angel commitments, what’s Pinpoint’s economic ripple effect in Ohio?

Our goal is to be in every dealership in the state. When that happens, technicians flag more hours, dealers run more efficiently, and Ohio drivers get their vehicles back faster. Everybody wins.

We’re starting with seven Ford pilots and building from there. As adoption grows, we’ll be adding jobs in Ohio — support, sales, and operations — but the bigger impact is inside the shops. This isn’t just about software. It’s about making repair more profitable, more sustainable, and more technician-friendly.

  1. How’s your funding fueling Ohio growth or automotive tech wins, and what’s the next milestone investors should watch?

We’re raising $500K to build the MVP demo, prove the value of the platform, and set up for our next round. The goal is to get a working slice of Pinpoint into pilot dealers’ hands and show real-world impact — not just ideas.

Right now, we’re finalizing the logistics of our data deal with Ford — a critical step for powering the demo. We’re also in discussions about how Pinpoint could be introduced to dealers through Ford directly. If that happens, it doesn’t just validate what we’re building — it accelerates everything.

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