Innovation is a business imperative in today’s global economy. In fact, 84% of executives say innovation is key to their growth strategy, according to a McKinsey report. While companies need to innovate at scale to stay competitive, engineers need the right tools to avoid the many challenges associated with the product development process. In this session from Onshape, hear Jon Hirschtick’s entrepreneurial journey and how cloud and SaaSification of the industry can accelerate product innovation as well as tips on scaling businesses into multi-million-dollar companies.

Speakers

Chris Gardner | Partner, Underscore VC

Chris Gardner is a partner at Underscore VC focusing on FinTech. Prior to joining the firm, he had spent the last 25 years as an operator in Product and Marketing roles resulting in 5 exits in a row. Most recently, he was the co-founder of Paydiant which was acquired by PayPal in 2015. He then led P2P, SMB, and retail payments teams at PayPal prior to joining Underscore in October 2020.

Jon Hirschtick | Executive Vice President, PTC and Founder, Onshape

A technology pioneer and entrepreneur, Jon Hirschtick is passionate about empowering innovators so they can design products that positively impact society and the planet. He understands the challenges engineers face as they build products for the modern era, as well as the design platforms required to accelerate product innovation in today’s connected world. This insight and market knowledge have allowed Hirschtick to successfully build and sell three companies. He is now executive vice president (EVP) at PTC and general manager (GM) of its Onshape and Atlas divisions — responsible for driving strategy and growth, while empowering global businesses to shape the future. In 2012, Hirschtick launched Onshape — the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product development platform. It’s the only product development platform that’s architected for the cloud, enables engineers to design products on-demand, and lets them collaborate in real time — without being tethered to a machine or device. Onshape was acquired in 2019 by PTC for $470 million. Previously, Hirschtick created SOLIDWORKS, the first desktop 3D CAD (computer-aided design) solution that made 3D design technology accessible to the masses. SOLIDWORKS was acquired by Dassault Systèmes in 1997 for $310 million. When he is not building companies, Hirschtick entertains customers and peers with magic tricks. In fact, he was a member of the famed MIT Blackjack team, featured in the movies “21” and “The Last Casino.” In his spare time, Hirschtick enjoys playing golf and practicing yoga. Hirschtick holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT.