Autodesk

Autodesk is a leading software company that develops innovative 3D design software for use in various industries such as architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and media. The company has a rich history that dates back to 1982, when it was founded in Marin County, California by John Walker and 12 others. At the time, the company's primary focus was on developing AutoCAD, a computer-aided design application that revolutionized the design industry.

Today, Autodesk is a global company with offices in over 40 countries, serving millions of customers worldwide. The company's product portfolio includes a wide range of software solutions that cater to the specific needs of different industries. Some of Autodesk's most popular products include AutoCAD, a professional design, drafting, detailing, and visualization software; Autodesk Revit, a model-based design and documentation system for building information modeling (BIM); Autodesk Inventor, a digital prototyping solution that helps manufacturers design and validate their products before production; and Autodesk 3ds Max, a powerful 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software used in the media and entertainment industry.

In addition to its product offerings, Autodesk is committed to sustainability and social responsibility. The company's sustainability efforts include reducing its carbon footprint, using renewable energy sources, and promoting sustainable design practices. Autodesk also invests in education and workforce development programs, such as the Autodesk Foundation, which provides grants to organizations working on social and environmental issues.

Autodesk's success is a testament to its dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction. The company has won numerous awards and accolades for its products, including the Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for 3ds Max, and has been recognized as one of the world's most innovative companies by Forbes. With a strong focus on digital transformation and innovation, Autodesk continues to push the boundaries of design technology and pave the way for a better, more sustainable future.

1982: In Marin County, California, a small group of people got together January 30, 1982 and formed Autodesk.

1984: Update: Here is the AutoCAD 1.x sample file, one of the earliest sample files from 1984.

1985: An oldie but a goodie! Back in AutoCAD version 2.18 (circa 1985), Autodesk placed a sample drawing with AutoCAD named the Solar.DWG to demonstrate the precision of AutoCAD back in the early eighties.

1986: He withdrew as chairman and president of the company in 1986, continuing to work as a programmer.

1987: In the summer of 1987, Autodesk initiated a second issuing of stock, offering 2.5 million shares at $24.00 per share.

1988: Autodesk had assets of over $100 million in cash and securities, while revenues increased 40 percent over the previous year.

1989: Autodesk's sales grew to over $100,000,000 after just four operational years.

1990: “Autodesk: A Success Story,” Information Week, July 23, 1990. He wrote a series of polemic memos including a legendary analysis in 1990 that attacked the company's management for jeopardizing Autodesk's core business by letting its technology lag.

1992: Rohrbough, Linda, “Autodesk to Pay $5 Million to Shareholders,” Newsbytes, December 11, 1992.

1993: the first Autodesk user conference that became AU was hosted near our headquarters in San Francisco.

1994: Berst, Jesse, “A Grown-Up Autodesk Faces the Cross-Roads,” PC Week, January 17, 1994. Sales of AutoCAD and AutoCAD updates accounted for 85 percent of Autodesk's revenues in 1994, while net revenues reached $405.6 million, with foreign sales accounting for 58 percent of those revenues. John Walker officially severed his ties with Autodesk in 1994, in favor of engineering special projects in Switzerland. Over 2,000 independent developers worked to create specialized applications using Autodesk programs in 1994.

1997: By the end of the year, sales were down by nearly $40 million and the company’s net income of $42 million represented a paltry 8 percent of sales. “It has been a very rough couple of years,” Bartz conceded in a September 22, 1997, interview with Forbes. After AutoCAD Release 14 (R13 was last DOS & Unix release), first shipped in 1997, Autodesk discontinued development under DOS, and focused exclusively on Microsoft Windows.

2001: That is such a bunch of crap.” Bartz entered the Internet realm in 2001, launching a web portal and introducing Internet-enabled products to allow users to collaborate through the Internet. In 2001, through its Discreet unit (later renamed Autodesk Media & Entertainment) the company’s software was used to create the special effects for all three films nominated for Oscars in the special effects category: Gladiator, Hollow Man, and The Perfect Storm.

2002: Kerber, Ross, “Waltham, Mass.–Based Architectural Software Company Bought by California Firm,” Boston Globe, February 22, 2002.

2003: This blog started thanks to the encouragement of two Autodesk colleagues Bill Johnston and Eric Wright On August 21, 2003.

2005: The company shot past the $1 billion sales mark in 2005, when total volume reached $1.2 billion.

2006: Bartz, who suffered through troubled years at the beginning of her tenure, stood as Autodesk’s hero when she ended her era of control after the company announced it had generated $1.5 billion in revenue for 2006.

2009: both sides filed motions for summary judgment addressing the issue whether the First Sale Doctrine applies to previously licensed software.

2013: Autodesk introduced a new logo at the TED conference in Long Beach, California, on February 26, 2013.

2017: Autodesk announced the largest lay off in its history on November 27, 2017, with the layoff of 1,150 jobs.

2021: Autodesk updated to its current logo in September 2021.

According to Autodesk, the company mission is: “to build software tools to enable people to experience their ideas before they are real".

Autodesk's mission is to help people imagine, design, and create a better world. The company's software products and services are designed to enable customers in industries such as architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment to create innovative and sustainable solutions to complex challenges.

Autodesk aims to empower its customers to use technology to solve real-world problems and drive positive change in their industries and communities. The company's software tools enable customers to collaborate more effectively, streamline their workflows, and optimize their designs for sustainability and efficiency.

According to Autodesk, the company vision is: “to help people imagine, design, and create a better world".

Autodesk's vision is to help its customers design and create a better world by driving the digital transformation of industries such as architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment. The company envisions a future where technology plays a critical role in solving the world's most pressing challenges, from climate change to urbanization to global health.

To achieve this vision, Autodesk is focused on empowering its customers to work more collaboratively, efficiently, and sustainably using its software products and services. The company is also committed to advancing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things to drive innovation and enable new ways of working.

AutoCAD: This is a computer-aided design (CAD) software used for 2D and 3D drafting, modeling, and visualization in various industries.

Revit: This is a building information modeling (BIM) software used by architects, engineers, and construction professionals for designing and managing building projects.

Maya: This is a 3D animation, modeling, simulation, and rendering software used by media and entertainment professionals for film, television, and games.

3ds Max: This is a 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software used by game developers, visual effects artists, and architects.

Fusion 360: This is a cloud-based 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE software used by designers, engineers, and manufacturers for product development and manufacturing.

Inventor: This is a 3D mechanical design software used by mechanical engineers for product design, simulation, and visualization.

BIM 360: This is a cloud-based construction management software used by construction professionals for project management, collaboration, and document management.

Shotgun: This is a cloud-based production tracking and asset management software used by media and entertainment studios for managing creative projects.