Dassault Systèmes‘ Industry Analyst Days 2023

This year again, Dassault Systèmes (3DS) invited multiple industry analysts to its headquarters in Vélizy-Villacoublay near Paris. Over two days, the software company gave an extensive overview of the capabilities of the 3DEXPERIENCE platforms and the evolutions to come.

In 2022, Dassault profited from several industry-specific developments that helped the company grow its revenues by 9%. In the manufacturing industry, which makes up about 70% of 3DS’ revenues, the automotive sector was a major driver. Due to the shift to electrification, the market for electric vehicles (EVs) has grown significantly over the past few years. 3DS has taken advantage of this trend and now has a stronger footprint in the EV market than in combustion engines. The French company works with Audi, BMW, Renault, and Volkswagen, among others.

The life sciences & healthcare sector accounts for 20% of Dassault Systèmes’ revenues. Life sciences clients, in particular, put a lot of emphasis on research and are looking for new therapies while relying on 3DS’ specialized portfolio.

Just like the rest of the world, Dassault did not escape the pressure from regulators, clients, and employees and has been putting emphasis on ESG, especially sustainability. The software provider created the position of Chief Sustainability Officer in 2020 and plans to become carbon-neutral by 2040.

From a client perspective, 3DS has introduced sustainability-related features to its multi-physics platform. Thanks to Dassault’s expertise in 3D modeling, simulation, and digital twins (the company calls them virtual twins), the provider can support engineers in understanding the environmental footprint of a product in the design and conception phase. For instance, 3DS has been working with Finnish Metsä Board on reducing the carbon footprint of paperboard packaging. In urban planning, similar functions are available. By supplementing the virtual twins and 3D models of cities and their corresponding infrastructure with adequate data, Dassault is helping urban planners, architects, and construction companies obtain more transparency on the environmental impact of cities. Therefore, it is no surprise that the software specialist participates in urban development projects like Zenata, a city in Morocco centered around eco-friendliness.

AI was a major topic at the Industry Analyst Days. Currently, Dassault Systèmes is implementing AI-based features on its platform. For now, the focus lies on the CAD and PLM tool CATIA with which engineers can design complex 3D shapes and patterns with the help of generative AI. 3DS plans to further extend CATIA’s functionality with the help of artificial intelligence.

Overall, Dassault Systèmes has stuck to last year’s ambitions and is pushing ahead with its focus on enterprise virtual twins. The goal is to offer virtual twin experiences of products, humans, and the planet or, in 3DS’ words, ‘experience-as-a-service’. With the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform and by supporting customers in building the digital twin that meets their requirements, Dassault Systèmes aims to push for more transparency and put the human experience at the heart of its product strategy.