SolidWorks

SolidWorks (stylized as SOLIDWORKS, officially rebranded as SOLIDWORKS Design in 2026) is a brand of software used for solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE). It was one of the first 3D CAD applications designed to run on a desktop PC. The brand is owned by French software company Dassault Systèmes.

SolidWorks (stylized as SOLIDWORKS, officially rebranded as SOLIDWORKS Design in 2026) is a brand of software used for solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE). It was one of the first 3D CAD applications designed to run on a desktop PC. The brand is owned by French software company Dassault Systèmes. ==Company overview== Manish Kumar is CEO of SolidWorks, as of 2025. SolidWorks, originally a privately held company, was acquired by Dassault Systèmes in 1997 through a stock transaction valued at $300 million. Prior to the acquisition, it was named Solidworks Corporation. As of 2024, SolidWorks had an estimated 7.5 million users. ==History== SolidWorks Corporation was established in December 1993¹ by MIT graduate Jon Hirschtick. During this time, computer-aided design software was only compatible with UNIX systems. Hirschtick aimed to create a software that was easy to use and affordable and so created SolidWorks for Microsoft Windows. SolidWorks was originally based in Concord, Massachusetts with Hirschtick as its first chief executive officer. Its first product, SolidWorks 95, was released in November 1995¹ after two years of development. The next year, John McEleney succeeded Hirschtick as CEO. In 1997, Dassault Systèmes acquired SolidWorks for $316 million. Under McEleney, SolidWorks increased its number of customers to over 40,000 and had a market valuation of $1.5 billion. After 12 years as CEO, McEleney stepped down and was succeeded by Jeff Ray. In 2011, Dassault Systèmes purchased a new office in Waltham, Massachusetts, where SolidWorks became headquartered. By 2013, SolidWorks was used by 62 percent of engineering professionals. Gian Paolo Bassi was named CEO in 2015. During his tenure, he was credited with modernizing SolidWorks by adding cloud features, utilizing databases in the software over files, and pushing for environmental initiatives. Bassi stepped down in 2022 and was succeeded by Manish Kumar, SolidWork's vice president of research and development. ==See also== Comparison of computer-aided design software List of 3D printing software Power Surfacing – allows users to create and edit complex freeform surfaces in SolidWorks

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