Autodesk

Autodesk is an American software company founded in 1982 by John Walker and colleagues, headquartered in San Francisco, California. It trades on NASDAQ under the ticker ADSK. Autodesk develops software for design, engineering, and construction, with products used by millions of professionals across architecture, civil engineering, manufacturing, media, and entertainment.

Autodesk's historically central product is AutoCAD — a computer-aided design and drafting application launched in 1982 that transformed the engineering and design professions. Over the years the company transitioned from perpetual licenses to a SaaS/cloud subscription model, a shift largely completed by 2021. Customers span construction firms, architecture practices, manufacturers, and animation and visual-effects studios.

Autodesk's flagship products include AutoCAD (general-purpose drafting and design), Revit (BIM modeling for the construction industry), Fusion 360 (CAD/CAM for manufacturing), Maya and 3ds Max (animation and visual effects for the media industry), and Civil 3D for infrastructure and urban planning. Autodesk acquired PlanGrid in 2018 and BuildingConnected in 2019 to strengthen its Autodesk Construction Cloud platform.

Autodesk competes with Dassault Systèmes (maker of CATIA and SolidWorks), PTC, and Bentley Systems in the AEC and manufacturing software space. In animation, Maya competes with SideFX's Houdini. The shift to a subscription model has provided the company with more predictable, recurring revenue.

Autodesk maintains R&D activity in Israel, primarily in Tel Aviv. The Israeli office focuses on software development and is integrated into the company's global engineering efforts. Autodesk has acquired several Israeli companies over the years, including assets that were folded into products such as Autodesk Flow (formerly Shotgun). Detailed current headcount figures for the Israeli operation are not available to me with sufficient confidence to state.