Dassault Systèmes

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Dassault Systèmes SE (Template:IPA) (abbreviated 3DS) is a French multinational software corporation which develops software for 3D product design, simulation, manufacturing and other 3D related products.

Founded in 1981, it is headquartered in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France, and has 25,000 employees across 184 global offices.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

History

1980s

Dassault Systèmes (also known as 3DS) grew out of the aerospace industry's search for more sophisticated drafting tools to streamline the development process and aid in the increasing complexity of aviation design. Dassault Systèmes spun out in 1981 (as part of Dassault Group) to develop and market their 3D surface design software CATI, later renamed CATIA. That same year, Dassault Systèmes signed a sales and marketing agreement with IBM, allowing IBM to resell the CATIA CAD software.<ref name="DS">Template:Cite web</ref>

1990s

In the 1990s, Dassault Systèmes' software was used to develop seven out of every ten new airplanes and four out of every ten new cars worldwide. Major players in the aviation and automotive industries, including Honda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Boeing, were able to design and mock-up their products in CATIA rather than using CAD programs and physical prototypes. The Boeing 777, the Falcon 2000 business jet, and the Rafale jet fighter were designed using CATIA.<ref name="DS" />

Dassault Systèmes launched an initial public offering (IPO) on both the Paris Bourse and Nasdaq in 1996.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following its success, the next year, the company acquired SolidWorks and Deneb Robotics, which later became part of the DELMIA brand, and additional software to build toward product lifecycle management (PLM). The SolidWorks acquisition strengthened Dassault Systèmes' 2D drafting capacity and provided entry into the Microsoft market, while other acquisitions added digital manufacturing software to the product lineup. These acquisitions paved the way for Dassault Systèmes to introduce a total manufacturing system with their subsidiary brand, DELMIA, in 1998. The new offering enabled access to data across the spectrum of manufacturing processes, while remaining independent of the CAD environment.<ref name="DS" />

By the end of 1998, the CAD software industry vendors were devising strategies to become internet-enabled. The main focus was to enable the viewing of 3D models in web browsers and build interfaces to product data management (PDM) systems. Dassault Systèmes was one of the leaders in enabling these functions for its users. The company benefited from their experience integrating CAD software across networks for the Boeing 777 project, and had already made moves toward internet-enabled CAD software in 1996 with CATIA Conferencing Groupware; which enabled review and annotation of models using the internet. The introduction of ENOVIA further marked their industry-leading place by providing internet-enabled PDM and 3D product lifecycle management. Dassault Systèmes' acquisitions continued into 1999, when two CAD software vendors were purchased: Matra Datavision and Smart Solutions. Also in 1999, Dassault Systèmes released CATIA Version 5, which was the first version to be fully implemented in the Microsoft Windows environment.<ref name="Cadazz">Template:Cite web</ref>

2000–2011

As the demand for digital and virtual experiences increased in 2000, Dassault Systèmes launched DELMIA, which provides digital manufacturing tools for virtual planning, simulating, and modeling of production processes.<ref name="Technia">Template:Cite web</ref>

The mid-2000s heralded a series of acquisitions for Dassault Systèmes to improve their product offerings and expand their market reach, and Dassault Systèmes launched new software and tools. In 2005, Dassault Systèmes sought to improve the quality of 3D interactions and simulations. First they acquired Abaqus, a US-based company specializing in software that allows engineers to simulate and observe the performance of components in products.<ref name="FT">Template:Cite web</ref>

Then they acquired Virtools, software that enables companies to create 3D applications.<ref name="Mergr1">Template:Cite web</ref> The following year, the company extended its market reach into high-tech, consumer products, and medical devices through the acquisition of MatrixOne, which would be linked with ENOVIA.<ref name="Cadalyst">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2007, subsidiary brand 3DVIA was launched to create a social network and content community for 3D artists and modelers.

2012–2019

As the 2000s progressed, Dassault Systèmes began to enter online applications and build toward more online applications for product data management, collaboration, realistic simulation and more. Examples of this strategy include the purchase or launch of brands such as EXALEAD for information intelligence, NETVIBES for business analytics, 3DEXCITE for marketing, and GEOVIA for modeling the planet. In 2012, the company launched the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to connect its software applications.

CATIA under the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables users to go beyond physical product definition to model any product in the context of its real-life behavior. Systems, architects, engineers, designers and all contributors collaborate on fit, form, function, and customer experience.<ref name="Adaptive Corporation">Template:Cite web</ref>

Dassault Systèmes also began to offer its version of digital twins, which the company calls virtual twin experiences and are powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Virtual twins help companies visualize, model and simulate an entire environment to explore how a product or process will behave when assembled, operated or subjected to a range of events.

To expand their capabilities and industries served through the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Dassault Systèmes completed additional acquisitions, including:

Throughout the decade, Dassault Systèmes advanced into the life sciences and healthcare industry, including launching the Living Heart Project<ref name="Sciencedirect">Template:Cite journal</ref> for simulating heart function in 2014 and acquiring subsidiary brand MEDIDATA for managing clinical trials, in 2019.

2020–present

In 2020, Dassault Systèmes expanded its focus from “Things to Life” by applying what they have learned over the past four decades and applying it to the human body. By developing a virtual twin experience of the human body, they can model, search, test and treat a human body as precisely, safely and effectively as cars, buildings or airplanes and customize the care of each individual.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

That year, Dassault Systèmes also opened a 3DEXPERIENCE Edu Center of Excellence at Purdue University. This was the first United States based center, with previous centers in France, Mexico, Germany, India. Further United States centers opened, including in 2022 at Long Island University.<ref name="MacAlpine 2022">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2022, the company named Philippine de T'Serclaes as its chief sustainability officer.<ref name="Complianceweek2">Template:Cite web</ref> Later that year, Dassault Systèmes, along with French companies Docaposte, Bouygues Telecom and Banque des Territoires, announced plans to create Numspot, a joint effort to build a European sovereign cloud service for the financial, health and public sectors that would rely on the infrastructure of 3DS Outscale.<ref name="Filippone 2022">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Manens 2022">Template:Cite news</ref> It also extended its partnership with Inria, the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation to use digital twins in the health and cybersecurity industries.<ref name="Gros 2022">Template:Cite news</ref> The next year, further partnerships were created including with the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production to manage engineering processes for a nuclear fusion reactor program.<ref name="Grealou 2023">Template:Cite news</ref> and Bel Group to improve industrial processes at its factories.<ref name="Epitropakis 2024">Template:Cite news</ref> Also in 2023, Dassault Aviation and Dassault Systèmes developed a cloud for the Future Combat Air System and other defense and security projects.<ref name="Cheminat">Template:Cite news</ref>

Dassault Systèmes signed the European Commission's AI Pact in 2024, which outlines best practices for the use of AI,<ref name="DE 2024">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="InfotechLead 2024">Template:Cite news</ref>and expanded its AI offerings through a partnership with Mistral AI.<ref name="Hargreaves 2024">Template:Cite news</ref>

More agreements were drawn up during this year, including a design center at the Gogte Institute of Technology;<ref name="Bureau 2024">Template:Cite news</ref> developing the instruction of future technologies and careers in French schools with the French Ministry of National Education;<ref name="Arène 2024">Template:Cite news</ref> and training medical students at MIT World Peace University.<ref name="IE 2024">Template:Cite news</ref>

That year, French healthcare company Sanofi and Dassault Systèmes announced a new partnership to use its 3D simulation and digital twin capabilities for pharma manufacture.<ref name="Kansteiner 2022">Template:Cite news</ref>

In the automotive industry, Dassault Systèmes partnered with Volkswagen in 2024 for the car manufacturer to use the 3DEXPERIENCE platform during its vehicle development.<ref name="Leblal 2025">Template:Cite news</ref> It has also extended its partnerships with BMW,<ref name="Marchand 2024">Template:Cite news</ref> Hyundai Motor,<ref name="Ogewell 2022">Template:Cite news</ref> and Jaguar Land Rover.<ref name="Tara 2024">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Brown 2024">Template:Cite news</ref>

With more than 90 other companies, Dassault Systèmes signed an open letter in 2025 to the President of the European Commission for more technological independence via the creation of a fund for European public investments.<ref name="Filippone 2025">Template:Cite news</ref>

That year, Dassault Systèmes also announced "3D Universes", stylized as "3D UNIV+RSES", as an update for how it would approach 3D modeling. 3D Universes use generative AI to power and adjust its models. Apple Inc. later announced that its Vision Pro was being integrated into Dassault Systèmes' 3D software for spatial computing.<ref name="Nellis">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Hale 2025">Template:Cite news</ref>

To expand the capabilities served through the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Dassault Systèmes completed additional acquisitions, including:

Products and brands

Dassault Systèmes' currently supported roster of brands and industries served (Template:Asof):

3DS Brands<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Name Industry Slogan
3DEXCITE Engagement marketing "Engineer the excitement"
3DVIA Virtual Home Design Software "Shape your dream"
BIOVIA Scientific Software "Model the biosphere"
CATIA Computer-Aided Design "Shape the world we live in"
Centric PLM PLM Software "Plan your collection's success"
DELMIA Manufacturing Operations Software "Make it happen"
ENOVIA PLM Software "Plan your definition of success"
GEOVIA Geology Modeling Software "Model the sustainable planet"
MEDIDATA SaaS for Clinical Trials "Power smarter treatments and healthier people"
NETVIBES Data science "Reveal information intelligence"
OUTSCALE<ref name="Aithority">Template:Cite web</ref> Cloud computing "The leading sovereign and sustainable operator of trusted business experience as a service"
SIMULIA Simulation Software “Reveal the world we live in”
SOLIDWORKS Computer-Aided Design “Authentic design experience”

Corporate information

Company management

Dassault Systèmes is led by Chief Executive Officer Pascal Daloz. He succeeded Bernard Charlès on January 1, 2024.<ref name="WSJ 2024">Template:Cite news</ref> Charlès, who had held the position since 1995,<ref name="IBT 2017">Template:Cite news</ref> remains the chairman of the board.<ref name="WSJ 2024"/>

Market data

As of 2024, public shares accounted for more than 50 percent of Dassault Systèmes' ownership. Other major shareholders included Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault, Charles Edelstenne, Bernard Charlès and Pascal Daloz.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

People and culture

Dassault Systèmes has 25,000 employees across 184 global offices: 41% are based in Europe; 32% in Asia-Oceania; and 27% in the Americas. Geographic headquarters are located in Paris (Vélizy-Villacoublay, France), Shanghai, and Boston (Waltham, Massachusetts). As of December 31, 2024, approximately 41% of employees worked in R&D.<ref name="2024Report">Template:Cite web</ref>

References

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