Happy 41st Birthday Autodesk

Today, I celebrate and acknowledge the 41st anniversary of Autodesk's founding on January 30, 1982. Over the past 41 years, Autodesk has established itself as a leader in the design and engineering software industry, and has played a significant role in shaping the way professionals in architecture, engineering, construction, and media and entertainment industries work.

One of the biggest highlights in Autodesk's history is the release of AutoCAD in 1982. AutoCAD, short for "Automatic Computer-Aided Design," revolutionized the way architects, engineers, and construction professionals design and document their work. AutoCAD quickly became the industry standard for computer-aided design software, and it continues to be widely used today.

In 2002, Autodesk acquired Revit, a building information modeling (BIM) software. The acquisition of Revit was a key milestone for Autodesk, as it helped the company to expand its portfolio in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) market. Revit became one of the most widely used BIM software in the industry and continues to be a key product for Autodesk.

In 2005, Autodesk acquired Alias, a leader in the 3D design and animation software industry. Alias brought cutting-edge 3D design and animation with Maya.

• The release of AutoCAD in 1982, which revolutionized the way architects, engineers, and construction professionals design and document their work.
• The acquisition of Revit in 2002, which brought the industry-leading building information modeling (BIM) software to Autodesk's portfolio.
• The acquisition of Alias in 2005, which brought cutting-edge 3D design and animation software to Autodesk's portfolio.
• The launch of the Autodesk Sustainable Design initiative in 2007, which encourages sustainable practices in the design and construction industry.
• The acquisition of Tinkercad in 2013, a user-friendly 3D design tool that makes it easy for anyone to create and share their own designs.
• The launch of the Autodesk Forge platform (now named Autodesk Platform Services) in 2014, which provides developers with the tools they need to create custom applications that integrate with Autodesk software.
• The release of Autodesk Fusion 360 in 2013, a cloud-based CAD, CAM, and CAE tool that helps users design, test, and manufacture their products.
• The development of Autodesk BIM 360 in 2016, a cloud-based platform for building information modeling (BIM) that helps architects, engineers, and construction professionals collaborate more effectively.
• The launch of the Autodesk Construction Cloud in 2018, a set of cloud-based tools that help construction professionals manage their projects from start to finish.
  
  

Here is a list of some of the Autodesk products that have been launched since the company's founding on January 30, 1982, along with the year they were launched:

• AutoCAD - 1982
• AutoCAD Architecture - 1985
• AutoCAD Mechanical - 1986
• AutoCAD Electrical - 1990
• 3ds Max - 1996
• Maya - 1998
• Revit - 2000
• AutoCAD Civil 3D - 2005
• AutoCAD Map 3D - 2006
• Autodesk Inventor - 1999
• Autodesk Alias - 2001
• Autodesk Smoke - 2007
• Autodesk Mudbox - 2007
• Autodesk Flame - 2010
• Autodesk Arnold - 2013
• Autodesk Fusion 360 - 2013
• Autodesk Tinkercad - 2013
• Autodesk BIM 360 - 2016

As we look back on the past 41 years, it's clear that Autodesk has been at the forefront of technological innovation and has played a critical role in shaping the way that design, engineering, and construction professionals work today.

In addition to the highlights of Autodesk's journey, we also want to acknowledge a couple major technological events that have occurred since the company's founding:

• The launch of the first commercial cell phone, Motorola DynaTAC 8000X in 1983
• The debut of the World Wide Web in 1991
• The introduction of the first iPod by Apple in 2001
• The launch of the first iPhone by Apple in 2007
  
  

A sincere thank you to John Walker and all the ‘deskers’ that followed in the founders and pioneers footsteps to this day as you literally changed the world, and still continue to 33 years later. There are not many high tech companies with this long of a track record except Adobe, IBM, Microsoft etc. but it is definitely a small club.

Autodesk Flying founders

From left to right:
Rudolf Künzli, Mike Ford, Dan Drake, Mauri Laitinen, Greg Lutz, David Kalish, Lars Moureau, Richard Handyside, Kern Sibbald, Hal Royaltey, Duff Kurland, John Walker, Keith Marcelius

John Walker’s quote.

“We should shoot for having the company in operation by mid-March. We cannot dawdle, but we also are going to do it right this time. We're just going to do it fast! “

Thank you everyone former Autodesk employees, current Autodesk employees, partners, and most importantly our customers!

Overall, Autodesk has helped shape the way design and technology industries operate, leading to increased productivity and creativity in these fields.

I can't wait to see what the next 41 years will bring!

Cheers,
-Shaan