Keen On… Carl Bass: Why Autodesk Remains “Incredibly Relevant” [TCTV]

It’s not just start-ups that radically innovate. Take, for example, Autodesk, the 3D design, engineering and entertainment software giant that, according to its President and CEO Carl Bass, continues to be “incredibly relevant” in the innovation economy. “The most creative people use our tools,” Bass told me about popular Autodesk software like Sketchbook, Pixlr and Instructables, when I talked to him at The Economist‘s Innovation event in Berkeley last week. And Bass’ optimism extends to the future where, he told me, all of Autodesk’s products will have migrated online and the cloud, mobile and social will have radically transformed its business. Indeed, in 5 years time, he predicts, computing will become an “abundant resource” thereby providing Autodesk with even richer opportunities to create innovative design, engineering and entertainment software.

This conversation is part of a series that I recorded last week in Berkeley at the Innovation event. Check out my interviews with Stewart Brand, Clay Christensen and Vivek Wadhwa. Tomorrow, I’ll publish interviews about innovation with Don Tapscott and Laura Tyson, the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under the Clinton Administration.