What's Up with Tech?
Tech Transformation with Evan Kirstel: A podcast exploring the latest trends and innovations in the tech industry, and how businesses can leverage them for growth, diving into the world of B2B, discussing strategies, trends, and sharing insights from industry leaders!
With over three decades in telecom and IT, I've mastered the art of transforming social media into a dynamic platform for audience engagement, community building, and establishing thought leadership. My approach isn't about personal brand promotion but about delivering educational and informative content to cultivate a sustainable, long-term business presence. I am the leading content creator in areas like Enterprise AI, UCaaS, CPaaS, CCaaS, Cloud, Telecom, 5G and more!
What's Up with Tech?
Revolutionizing Startups: Dassault Systèmes' 3DEXPERIENCE Lab Empowering Entrepreneurs with AI and Sustainability Initiatives
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Unlock the secrets of innovation at the crossroads of technology and entrepreneurship with our fascinating conversation with Abhishek Bali, Director - 3DEXPERIENCE Lab North America at Dassault Systems. Abhishek passionately reveals how Dassault is revolutionizing the startup ecosystem with their zero-equity, mentorship-driven accelerator program. You'll discover how startups are given unparalleled access to Dassault's cutting-edge software and technical mentoring, empowering them to solve complex challenges in industries ranging from health tech to construction. Plus, learn how the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab's initiatives align seamlessly with the UN's sustainability goals, fostering a wave of global innovations.
Feel the excitement of CES as we recount our dynamic interactions with eager entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts at our bustling booth. Dive into discussions on the potential for AI and health tech innovations and our commitment to supporting these promising ventures. CES isn't just an event; it's a launchpad for future technological breakthroughs, and we're thrilled to play a part in it. Join us as we celebrate the power of collaboration and look ahead with optimism to the innovations of tomorrow.
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And I am here at CES with Dassault Systems and Abhishek from the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab. Abhishek, how are you? I'm good. I'm good. How are you, evan? I'm well. What an amazing event and you guys have so much going on and you and your team and your wider engineering team are kind of the brains, if you will, at Dassault Systems. Introduce yourself and the great work that you do, yeah definitely so.
Speaker 2:My name is Abhishek Bali. I manage the 3D Experience Lab program for North America and I've been doing this for eight years now, and also I manage the startup program for SolidWorks. So in so many ways I think I'm always surrounded by stories of startups and we love startups here at Dassault Systems and, to be very honest, the company it's a huge company. We started in 1981, and we are world leaders in design, engineering, simulation, data, intelligence, software, but at heart, we still are a startup and we really love working with startups.
Speaker 1:Yeah, your enthusiasm is infectious and you work with hundreds, if not thousands, of startups. Maybe explain the value proposition behind that ecosystem you built and what's the big idea behind partnering with startups, founders and entrepreneurs?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, sure. So let me put it this way we as a company, we work with Boeing, airbus, p&g to 300,000 big and small customers, helping them solve their problems, driving innovation top-down innovation, I would say. But a few years ago, say a decade ago, we realized that innovation is not just top-down, it has to go both the way, both ways, like it has to be also driven bottoms up. So the company decided that, hey, you know what is the right way of making sure startups, makers, innovators, builders, you know working in the basements or say from from, from the parents houses right, or with accelerators, incubators, how can we facilitate easy access of our world-class, world-leading software to them? So a couple of programs started and the key program was called the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab, which is the corporate innovation lab of the source systems, and we run a zero equity, mentoring, focused, super selective startup program, startup accelerator program.
Speaker 2:We very we are always looking for companies or founders that are solving tough technical challenges for a better, sustainable world. We are always looking at UN sustainability goals. We map every single applicant that applies to the lab with the UN sustainability goals. We map every single applicant that applies to the lab with UN sustainability goals, and also there are other factors around. You know how serious the team is, what is the business model and also you know their technical prowess.
Speaker 2:And then, if they get selected in the program, we offer for two years free access to all our software, that is, ketea, solidworks, simulia, biomia and so on. And then we give them access to our mentoring technical mentoring because we know that we have 25,000 employees and all of them can potentially help startups in their journey. So why not do that? And, of course, we bring startups to CES, vivatech, all these amazing events, so that they can a dialogue or a conversation with an investor or an accelerator or somebody in the industry can really change their future or their fate. So that's a mission, that's the spirit of the 3D Experience Lab.
Speaker 1:Amazing. So you're based in Boston, as am I, but this is a global program. Talk about your global reach and the diversity of countries and people that you have on board.
Speaker 2:Perfect so you know, good ideas can come from anywhere in the world. So that's why, when we started the 3DXPERIENCE Lab back in 2015, the first lab was established as a physical lab in our headquarters in Belize, just outside of Paris, and the second lab was in Boston, where I am from, and we started the Boston Lab in collaboration with MIT Center for Bits and Atoms. And the third lab was in Pune in India, and the fourth one is in Munich, and next year we'll be opening another lab. Just I would say stay tuned for that news because it'll be great.
Speaker 2:So the main idea is that 3D experience platform is the cloud platform on which all these design engineering, simulation solutions by the source systems are enabled. So gone are the days of CDs, dvds, blu-rays and all these CAD software is coming on these devices and you download and you start working. Everything remains in your computer, but now the trend industry-wide is connected, cloud, collaborative, and that's what the 3D Experience platform does. So that's why it's a global program. Anybody from anywhere in the world, if they're solving a tough technical problem for a better, sustainable tomorrow for the planet, they can apply to the program.
Speaker 1:Well, it's wonderful collaborative environment and talk a little bit about the range of startups in health tech, in med tech, in wearables, in construction technology. Really fascinating cohort.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, definitely, and we are in 11 industries. We have 12 brands as the soft system and the interesting thing that's the part I really love about both the programs in a way is that we get applications from all across the world, from all the different industries. We're on one side for SOLIDWORKS for startups program. We get around 10,000 applications every year for the 3D experience lab program because we are super selective, we are focused on impact and sustainability. We get the best of the best, the cream of the applications for that program, but they are across from all, across the industries.
Speaker 2:In fact, the startup that we've brought here today at CES, whether it's Atacama Biomaterials, which is around sustainability, or StrongBioform you know startup from Germany that's looking into innovative uses of wood infrastructure, and or Pacify Medical, the Indian startup that's looking into innovative uses of wood in construction. Or Pacify Medical, the Indian startup that's actually come up with a spray of skin for reconstruction surgery. So you know, life sciences to sustainability, to medical devices, consumer electronics, you name it and we have startups in the 3D experience lab program so exciting.
Speaker 1:Well, as we wind down here at CES, we're only on the middle of the day here. What are you looking forward to over the next weeks and months?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:So first of all, the first thing I'm looking at is we usually collect a lot of business cards from CES, a lot of contacts, but one of the things that we really love doing diligently at Dassault Systems is to make sure that we follow up on that, because when you have a physical booth at such a central location with our partners, Business France and French Tech, then know it's your response or responsibility to, to respect every, every single query that has come your way there.
Speaker 2:Hundreds of people and it's still day two who have stopped by our booth and they have requested for more information or connections within the company. They were very keen to know more about what the source systems are. We support our startups, so we'll take the next few weeks to cater to every single request, write emails, make some phone calls. But, yeah, overall, I always feel that CES sets the tone for the entire year for technology innovation startups. So I'm really looking forward to what changes in the next year the kind of startups that apply to the program, or will we see more AI startups applying to the program or more health tech? So stay tuned and we'll definitely let you know and maybe next year we'll talk about it.
Speaker 1:Well, I will be tuned in and thank you so much for sharing the vision and the highlights, and congratulations onwards and upwards. It's a wonderful mission, thank you. Thanks and thanks, everyone take.