Pinpoint Networks
Provider of software and services to global mobile operators.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
| investor investor investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | N/A | Acquisition | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
The entity known as Pinpoint, associated with the pinpoint.microsoft.com domain, was not an independent startup but rather an online marketplace created and owned by Microsoft. Launched in the United States in 2008, Pinpoint served as a searchable directory for software applications and professional services built upon Microsoft technologies. It functioned as a successor to the earlier Microsoft Solution Finder.
The platform's primary business purpose was to connect customers with independent IT companies, including Microsoft Certified Partners, who were part of the Microsoft Partner Network. This marketplace was designed to generate leads for these partners, with Microsoft reporting 6.3 million visits and 1.2 million customer referrals sent to partners in the 2014 fiscal year. By May 2010, the U.S. version of the site listed over 7,000 software applications from more than 30,000 independent software vendors (ISVs). The business model facilitated a B2B marketplace, allowing partners to promote and sell their solutions to a global customer base.
Pinpoint's service was a search engine that allowed users to find applications and services that supported or enhanced Microsoft technologies. It featured robust search and filtering capabilities to help customers find appropriate solutions. The platform also supported product-specific marketplaces for offerings like Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Azure, and Windows Server. Microsoft initiated a global rollout in 2009, expanding the directory to numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, India, Germany, France, and Australia, among others.
In late 2017, Microsoft officially shut down the Pinpoint service. It was replaced by Microsoft Solution Providers, with Microsoft Partner Center proposed as its successor, marking the end of the platform's nearly decade-long operation.
Keywords: Microsoft Pinpoint, software directory, professional services marketplace, Microsoft Partner Network, IT solutions, B2B marketplace, application directory, Microsoft technologies, solution finder, customer referrals, ISV marketplace, Microsoft Certified Partners, cloud solutions, lead generation, tech marketplace, partner ecosystem, business applications, technology services, software discovery, IT marketplace