Waypoint Labs

Waypoint Labs, a firm that emerged from the academic incubators of MIT and Harvard, was founded in 2016 with a focus on applying augmented reality to industrial settings. The company was established by Umar Arshad, who served as its CEO. His background includes an MBA from MIT Sloan and a BS in Computer Science, which provided a strong foundation for leading a technology-centric enterprise.

The core of Waypoint Labs' business was the development of enterprise software for augmented reality glasses. This technology was designed to assist businesses in creating 3D spatial maps of their work environments. Clients could then tag physical assets with digital information, enabling them to track and monitor both their equipment and workforce. The primary objective was to improve productivity and safety for front-line workers in sectors like manufacturing and biotechnology. The software allowed for the capture of real-time movements and audio-visual data from a worker wearing an AR headset. This information was processed through a knowledge engine and could be converted into various formats, including interactive training modules and service manuals.

The company's business model centered on providing this augmented reality platform to industrial clients. The service facilitated the creation of AR-powered standard operating procedures (SOPs), which was particularly beneficial for improving quality and compliance in biotech labs and for distributing product documentation in manufacturing. After a period of operation and gaining recognition through accelerators like MassChallenge, the company's journey as an independent entity concluded. In June 2018, Waypoint Labs was acquired by PTC, a global software company. The acquisition integrated Waypoint's advanced AR technology into PTC's portfolio to enhance their training and remote assistance capabilities for industrial enterprises. Following the acquisition, founder Umar Arshad transitioned to a role at PTC, heading growth strategy for their augmented reality products.

Keywords: augmented reality, enterprise software, frontline workers, AR training, knowledge capture, industrial technology, spatial computing, 3D mapping, workforce productivity, safety compliance, PTC acquisition, MIT startup, Harvard startup, MassChallenge finalist, wearable technology, service manuals, standard operating procedures, knowledge processing, remote assistance, industrial AR