Time for a pause …
It’s been a very busy Fall —let's face it, it's been a tough year— so it’s lovely to feel things slowing down this week. In the US, Thanksgiving Thursday is about food, family, friends, and being grateful for the bounty in our lives. And if you don't celebrate this...
PTC sells ThingWorx+Kepware to TPG
PTC and TPG announced last night that PTC is selling Kepware and ThingWorx to TPG to "provide the businesses with additional capital and expertise to accelerate growth and further their leadership to meet the evolving connectivity and data needs of manufacturing...
When AI isn’t just a tool, it’s a partner: Pricing the value
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Autodesk introducing outcome-based pricing for (some, all?) of its AI offerings. I wrote, This makes sense when we consider the AI products Autodesk is planning to bring to market; for example, describing a building and having a...
Bluebeam Unbound 2025: AI, MagicWand, and why user conferences rock
Have I mentioned how much I love user conferences? They’re hands-down my favorite type of event. Investor and analyst gatherings may be more focused, but they can’t match the energy of users charging into an event space with flags waving, cheers erupting, and...
Polymer printing, virtual factories, and a $5 billion bet on physical AI
I haven’t had time for a full news roundup lately, but here are a few items that caught my eye—presented in no particular order: 3D Systems is reshaping its software portfolio, announcing plans to divest the Oqton Manufacturing Operating System (MOS) and 3DXpert, its...
Autodesk wants you to pay for outcomes, not just access
Autodesk held its bi-annual investor event yesterday, and much of it was product-related, a repeat of what we heard at Autodesk University. One thing that became clearer yesterday, though, was how Autodesk will shift its licensing model yet again to include more...
Quick catchup: Ajai Gopal to join Procore, Desktop Metal finds a home, CAE partners merge, more AI
A lot is going on (is there ever not?), so here are a few bits and pieces you might find interesting: I don't usually write about executive transitions, but this one is noteworthy: Former Ansys CEO Ajai Gopal has been appointed CEO Designate of Procore, the...
Are CAD Tools Really That Cheap?
During Bentley Systems’ recent earnings call, former CEO and current Chairman Greg Bentley told investors that his company could expand its total addressable market by enhancing its products and charging more for them. To make the case, he referenced this 2019 data:...
Cadence expands CAE portfolio with $3.25B MSC Software deal
Cadence announced yesterday that it will acquire Hexagon’s Design and Engineering (D&E) business—including MSC Software—for €2.7 billion (~$3.25 billion). The deal is a mix of cash (€1.89 billion) and stock (€810 million), valuing the business at roughly 10x...
The reality of AI: Costs and adoption challenges
I've come across two interesting reports that highlight how confusing the world of AI is right now -- token prices aren't doing what we thought they would. Adoption also hasn't yet had the effects we were hoping to see. Perhaps the only good news: An MIT study found...