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Pointz
Techstars '22Providence, US · Founded 2021 · 9 employees on LinkedIn · 3 known investors
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Pointz is a bike navigation app that rates roads and paths on a 1-5 bike-friendliness scale and lets cyclists customize routes based on their comfort and experience level. It offers turn-by-turn voice navigation and community-reported hazards such as construction, bike lane obstructions, and dangerous intersections.
Also known as Pointz Mobility Inc.
Investors · 3
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How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
Company profile
researched Sep 2026Pointz, operated by Pointz Mobility Inc., is a mobile application that helps bicyclists find safer routes to a destination. The app combines detailed road data with crowdsourced input from cyclists to guide riders onto bike-friendly paths, for uses ranging from commuting to exploring a new city to recreational weekend rides. It has been described as a "Waze for bikes."
The company has extended the product beyond navigation with Pointz Premium, a subscription-style offering that provides roadside assistance to cyclists who experience a flat tire, a mechanical issue or other problems while riding. The app is distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play. Coverage of Rhode Island's startup ecosystem also characterizes Pointz as serving cyclists and other micromobility transit users.
Founding story
Pointz was founded by Maggie Bachenberg and Trisha Ballakur, both members of the Brown University class of 2022. The venture participated in Brown's entrepreneurship programming, taking part in the 2020 B-Lab cohort and the 2021 Community Lab, and is identified as a Brown Venture Prize alum. Bachenberg serves as CEO and co-founder.
Business model
Pointz distributes a consumer mobile app free on the App Store and Google Play and offers Pointz Premium, an upgraded tier that includes roadside assistance for riders.
Traction
The app is publicly available on the App Store and Google Play. Pointz raised an undisclosed pre-seed round and won the $40,000 grand prize at TCU's Values and Ventures Competition, where 42 of 235 teams worldwide were invited to pitch on campus.
Latest developments
Pointz launched Pointz Premium, adding roadside assistance for cyclists, and won the $40,000 grand prize at Texas Christian University's Values and Ventures Competition.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Pointz is positioned as a safety-oriented cycling navigation product, frequently described as a "Waze for bikes," and is cited as an example of a venture that raised early capital while remaining based in Rhode Island rather than relocating to a larger hub.
Technology
The app combines detailed road data with crowdsourced insights contributed by cyclists to identify and recommend the most bike-friendly routes between two points.
Go-to-market
Bicyclists, including commuters, riders exploring unfamiliar cities and recreational cyclists, as well as other micromobility transit users.
Geography
The company is based in Rhode Island and was built within the Providence-area startup ecosystem, drawing on local accelerators, pitch competitions and Brown University's entrepreneurship center.
History
The company developed out of Brown University's entrepreneurship programs, including B-Lab in 2020 and Community Lab in 2021, and is a Brown Venture Prize alum. Rhode Island accelerators, pitch contests and Brown's entrepreneurship center supported the company on the path to an official app launch. Rogue Venture Partners, an Oregon-based firm, discovered Pointz at the first Rhode Island Startup Week and subsequently made a pre-seed investment of undisclosed size, its first investment in Rhode Island. The company later launched Pointz Premium and won the $40,000 grand prize at Texas Christian University's Values and Ventures Competition.
Compiled by commissioned research from 4 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Related companies · 4
Companies working in the same space as Pointz.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsPointz won the $40,000 grand prize at Texas Christian University's Values and Ventures Competition, in which 42 of 235 teams worldwide were invited to pitch on campus.
$40K source ↗
Pointz launched Pointz Premium, which provides roadside assistance to cyclists dealing with flat tires, mechanical issues or other problems while riding.
Oregon-based Rogue Venture Partners discovered Pointz at the first Rhode Island Startup Week and invested an undisclosed amount, making Pointz the firm's first Rhode Island investment.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 4
primary sources listed
- Pointz | Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship | Brown Universityentrepreneurship.brown.edu · web
4 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Pointz do?
- Pointz is a mobile navigation app that routes cyclists along bike-friendly, safer roads and paths.
- Who are Pointz's investors?
- Pointz's investors include Rogue Womens Fund, Techstars, Rogue Venture Partners.
- Where is Pointz headquartered?
- Pointz is headquartered in Providence, US.