# S5E52 Jon Hirschtick | Founding & Developing the Solidworks and Onshape CAD Systems

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2024-12-27
- Length: 1h 15m
- Episode: 52
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems

## Summary

Jon Hirschtick, founder of SolidWorks and Onshape, explains how he used winnings from the MIT Blackjack Team to fund SolidWorks' early days and overcame investor skepticism by targeting the Windows PC market with a 3D CAD tool. He details the technical challenges of building a solid modeler on Windows and licensing Parasolid, then describes the user pain points with file-based CAD that inspired him to build Onshape as a cloud-native, database-driven platform. Hirschtick discusses Onshape's real-time collaboration, feature script customization, and pricing model, while offering advice on persistence and embracing failure for engineer entrepreneurs.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems#t=1) Introduction: Jon Hirschtick and CAD History
- [4:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems#t=248) Funding SolidWorks with Blackjack Winnings
- [6:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems#t=406) SolidWorks Market Position vs. AutoCAD and Pro/ENGINEER
- [17:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems#t=1032) Technical Challenges: Windows Platform and Component Technology
- [27:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems#t=1674) Onshape Vision: Solving File-Based CAD Pain Points
- [55:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems#t=3330) Onshape Features: Part Studios, Feature Script, and Cloud Benefits
- [1:03:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems#t=3828) Future Developments and Advice for Entrepreneurs

## Topics

- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- SolidWorks (product)
- Onshape (product)
- AutoCAD (product)
- Pro/ENGINEER (product)
- Creo (product)
- NX (product)
- Parasolid (other)
- PTC (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Salesforce (company)
- NetSuite (company)
- Google Docs (product)
- QuickBooks (product)
- Office 365 (product)
- Ares (product)
- Feature Script (other)
- Arena (company)
- Vuforia (product)
- Code Beamer (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S3 E1: Mastering Tech Adoption and The Hardware Development Workflow with Jon Hirshtick](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-09-30-s3-e1-mastering-tech-adoption-and-the-hardware-development-workflow-with-jon-hir) (The Builder Circle)
- [153: The Evolution of CAD Product Development Software](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-07-153-the-evolution-of-cad-product-development-software) (Product Startup)
- [Jon Hirschtick from Onshape/PTC; Favorite robotics startups of 2021](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-10-07-jon-hirschtick-from-onshape-ptc-favorite-robotics-startups-of-2021) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Ep. 12 - Improving FreeCAD ft. Brad Collette from Ondsel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [122: Modern Methods for New Product Development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-13-122-modern-methods-for-new-product-development) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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