A local startup appears to be building something like the “GitHub for CAD.” Does that mean anything to you?
Well, GitHub is the open-source software hosting company that raised $100 million from Andreessen Horowitz earlier this summer. CAD is computer-aided design, which the Boston area is famous for (see SolidWorks, Parametric Technology Corporation, and others). And the startup in question is Cambridge, MA-based GrabCAD, which is backed by Matrix Partners, Atlas Venture, NextView Ventures, and other investors to the tune of over $5 million.
GrabCAD was known for creating an online marketplace for connecting mechanical engineers with people who wanted stuff built—automotive parts, furniture, mobile devices, you name it. Well, it turns out the Estonian-born company has been heads-down with a different focus since the beginning of this year. GrabCAD has closed its marketplace—though it still has companies hosting design challenges—and is working on a collaborative CAD product for businesses.
Hardi Meybaum, GrabCAD’s co-founder and CEO, didn’t give a lot of details about the new product, which he says will be out late this year or early next. But he did say it represents a strategy shift for the company, and
Author: Gregory T. Huang
Greg is a veteran journalist who has covered a wide range of science, technology, and business. As former editor in chief, he overaw daily news, features, and events across Xconomy's national network. Before joining Xconomy, he was a features editor at New Scientist magazine, where he edited and wrote articles on physics, technology, and neuroscience. Previously he was senior writer at Technology Review, where he reported on emerging technologies, R&D, and advances in computing, robotics, and applied physics. His writing has also appeared in Wired, Nature, and The Atlantic Monthly’s website. He was named a New York Times professional fellow in 2003.
Greg is the co-author of Guanxi (Simon & Schuster, 2006), about Microsoft in China and the global competition for talent and technology. Before becoming a journalist, he did research at MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Lab. He has published 20 papers in scientific journals and conferences and spoken on innovation at Adobe, Amazon, eBay, Google, HP, Microsoft, Yahoo, and other organizations. He has a Master’s and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT, and a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
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