Autodesk buys a piece of the Internet of Things for the Cloud

SeeControl has created a cloud service platform for IoT development. Acquisition price was not disclosed.

Autodesk has signed an agreement to acquire SeeControl, a San Francisco-based developer of an enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) cloud service platform. The move gives Autodesk a footprint in the competitive emerging space for IoT for manufacturing.

Autodesk says the SeeControl service helps manufacturers and systems integrators “connect, analyze, control, and manage remote products, things, and assets and create new service revenue opportunities.”

SeeControl is working on a point-and-click cloud-based platform to build Internet of Things connections. (Source: SeeControl)
SeeControl is working on a point-and-click cloud-based platform to build Internet of Things connections. (Source: SeeControl)

“A new future of making things is emerging, where any built object, product or environment can be embedded with sensors that can feed information back into the design process,” says Amar Hanspal, Autodesk Senior Vice President for Information Modeling and Platform Products.

Autodesk intends to continue to sell and support the SeeControl platform and to incorporate the technology into design solutions for the manufacturing and building industries. Autodesk also plans to develop a new IoT solution based on the SeeControl technology that will allow companies to gain real world insights of how their products perform, enabling customers to explore innovative new service models.

An early customer is SolarCity, a leading national provider of commercial and residential solar panels. “SolarCity has able to conceive and prototype new product ideas faster with SeeControl’s point-and-click toolset, and we’re excited to see how Autodesk will further develop the platform and integrate the technology,” said Ryan Hanley, Senior Director of Grid Engineering Solutions, SolarCity.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close during Autodesk’s fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2015. Terms were not disclosed.