“I refuse to accept this status quo. I cannot accept a future where we can hail self-driving cars, unlock buildings with facial recognition, or book flights using AI-powered software. Yet, architects and engineers must rely on software designed in the 1990s as they craft cutting-edge structures.”
That’s a quote from a recent blog post by Amar Hanspal, former Co-CEO and CPO of Autodesk, who co-founded Motif with Brian Mathews, former VP of Platform Engineering at Autodesk.
Motif aims to modernize the $8 billion AEC software industry dominated by legacy 20th-century technology.
The other two joining the core team also share a history at Autodesk. Matt Jezyk contributed significantly to the development of Revit Architecture and Revit Structure, and Lira Nikolovska was a Director of XD for the BIM Product Line Group.
Modern tech and versatile expertise
Motif promises to develop a cloud-native platform where
- Data is open and linked, fostering transparency and accessibility.
- Global teams collaborate seamlessly with real-time updates and tracking.
- Models are responsive and dynamic, adapting instantly to changes.
- Repetitive tasks are fully automated, and options are generated, freeing practitioners to focus on innovation.
- Building information evolves into building intelligence, enabling smarter design decisions.
“The Motif platform will fuse cutting-edge 3D, cloud, and machine learning technology to empower AEC teams to collaborate seamlessly to design the buildings of the 21st century,” Hanspal says.
The startup has hired a team of experts in cloud computing, machine learning, and BIM with meaningful experience at companies such as Autodesk, OnShape, Twitter, Vimeo, and Tesla.
$46 million funding
The startup was unnoticed until January 30, when it announced a $46 million seed and Series A funding round.
Alphabet’s independent growth fund, CapitalG, led Series A and Redpoint Ventures the Seed round. Pre-seed venture firm Baukunst participated in both rounds.
The investors seem confident about Motif’s capabilities but also understand the challenges.
CapitalG partner Jill Chase told TechCrunch, “You have to have some element of trust and relationships with big architecture firms for them to even let you in the door.”
She continued that when she met Hanspal and Mathews, she immediately knew that their combined 40 years of experience in the AEC software industry would help them create a company that could take on incumbents.
Why now?
Having a team of previous Autodesk execs founding a design software company signals frustration with how our design tools have evolved over the years. Many designers share this sentiment.
BIM software is essential in today’s design and construction but often underperforms in terms of efficiency and user experience. According to Hanspal, processing even simple edits can take 45 minutes.
Innovative, cloud-based design software startups like Arcol and Snaptrude have emerged to offer an alternative to monolithic platforms. These startups aim to provide more intuitive, responsive, and collaborative tools that reflect the needs of modern AEC professionals.
The prospects
In a Redpoint video interview, Hanspal discusses using legacy design tech and asks whether we will be doing that 20 years from now. “That’s what compelled me to act; I couldn’t stand on the sidelines anymore.”
“We’re building something that will directly impact lives and the future of our planet,” Hanspal writes in his blog post. “Having spent my career in design software, I want to build a different kind of company.”
TechCrunch reports that Motif’s first product will be ready in the first half of this year. I’m looking forward to the value the 2023-founded Motif will add to the AEC design software scene.
View the original article and our Inspiration here
Leave a Reply