Siemens’ $10 billion Altair acquisition has closed, but its new growth plan is just getting started.
Welcome to Engineering Paper, bringing you weekly updates from the fast-paced world of design and simulation software.
Let’s start with the $10 billion elephant in the room. Siemens announced that it has completed its acquisition of simulation developer Altair, a deal which has been brewing since last October. In fact, the deal closed ahead of schedule—Siemens initially projected it for the second half of 2025.
A Siemens representative told me that “there should be zero immediate impact to Altair customers.”
I’m sure it won’t be long before something comes from this consummation, but we’ll have to wait and see what the software stork brings.
Meanwhile, it’s interesting that Siemens is now framing this acquisition as part of—nay, a cornerstone of—something called the Siemens ONE Tech Company program.
The program wasn’t mentioned in the original acquisition announcement (dated October 31, 2024), but some intrepid googling leads to a Siemens press release from two weeks later (November 14, 2024) that, amidst a report of the company’s fiscal 2024 performance, nonchalantly announces the initiative.
Here’s the gist: Siemens is pumping more money into acquisitions and R&D. The goal? Take your pick:
- “to achieve the next level of performance and value creation”
- “to ensure that the company leverages the opportunities arising from the historic market shifts that mark a turning point and from [sic] technological disruptions”
- “to achieve stronger customer focus, faster innovation and higher profitable growth”
- “to accelerate the execution of the existing strategy, which is summarized as ‘to combine the real and digital worlds’”
Besides the US$10 billion Altair acquisition, Siemens spent €6.3 billion ($6.81 billion) on R&D in 2024, up from €6.1 billion ($6.59 billion) in 2023.
Seems like Siemens’ ONE Tech Company program is off to a good start. Altair down, a few hundred thousand tech companies left to go.
Motif launches BIM collaboration platform
Motif has officially launched its web-based BIM platform.
The software startup, founded by Autodesk veterans Amar Hanspal and Brian Mathews, emerged from stealth earlier this year with $46 million in funding and a dream: to revolutionize building design.
This debut is just one of many steps towards that dream, Matt Jezyk, VP of product at Motif, told me after the launch. Today Motif’s platform is laser focused on BIM collaboration. It provides a whiteboard-like interface for engineers and architects to brainstorm ideas, review documents and create presentations.
It’s inspired by modern web collaboration tools like Miro, Mural, and Figma, but Motif sets itself apart with support for 3D data—including live, bidirectional plugins for Revit and Rhino. More plugins are in the works, according to Jezyk.
“The first thing that we’re coming to market with is focused on collaborating and reviewing and collecting information from the sources where people are working today,” Jezyk told me.
Lots more details on Motif’s platform and the startup’s vision in Motif launches BIM collaboration app with plugins for Revit and Rhino—check it out, bookmark it, and read it first thing every morning for maximum effect.
Where engineers want to work
Are you an engineer who loves to work—particularly at places? If so, I’ve got just the list for you: the Top Workplaces for Engineers in 2025.
Engineering.com partnered with Energage to compile this list of the best U.S.-based companies to be an engineer, according to employee engagement surveys. The list includes 35 winners in three categories of small, medium and large companies.
Congratulations to the winners. This is an annual program, so if you know of a deserving engineering workplace, why not nominate it for next year’s list.
Quick hits: Update, beta, preview
- IronCAD released the 2025 version of Multiphysics for IronCAD, a simulation extension for the 3D modeling software. Multiphysics for IronCAD 2025 (known to its friends as MPIC 2025) includes new features for design optimization, mesh preparation, visualization and more, according to IronCAD, plus routine updates and bug fixes.
- China-based ZWSOFT released the latest beta of its 2D CAD program, ZWCAD. The developer says that ZWCAD 2026 has new and enhanced features for parametric design, batch editing, dimensioning, plotting and more.
- PTC announced that it will preview its Windchill AI PLM assistant at Hannover Messe 2025, the industrial trade fair taking place this week. The company says the AI assistant will “enable engineers to access information, make decisions, and develop their products more efficiently.” Cool, but I’m still waiting for a preview of Onshape AI Advisor.
One last link
My colleague Ian Wright is in Chicago this week for AMUG, the Additive Manufacturing Users Group, and he shared his first-timer impressions of the unique conference.
(Ian, if you’re reading this, grab some deep dish pizza from Giordano’s and please bring me back a large pie with anchovies and black olives.)
Got news, tips, comments, or complaints? Send them my way: malba@wtwhmedia.com.
