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Vertex Software launches platform for manufacturers

April 4, 2019

Vertex Software has officially launched its cloud-based software platform that allows manufacturers to collaborate with 3D product data.

The recently launched platform uses advances in cloud computing to offer solutions that improve the speed and quality of collaboration for manufacturing teams so theycan get their products to market faster.

“Manufacturers have a lot of really big, big data that they have to move. And historically, that data had been utilized on desktop-installed software,” said Dan Murray, founder and CEO of Vertex Software. “And it’s really difficult for people to collaborate when so much collaboration in manufacturing is visual. So we created a 3D viewer that enables you to instantly open, load and interact with any sized model without having to wait for rendering.”

The platform’s 3D viewer allows users to instantly open and interact with any size model without having to wait for rendering or latency. Within the platform, users can zoom, pan and rotate complex designs. The platform also offers full markup capabilities, allowing users to draw and comment directly on models.

Murrays says that exiting stealth mode has made it easier for the company to connect and talk with potential customers.

“Having been in stealth, our first contact with them has largely been, ‘we’re generally solving this problem, would you like to speak with us,'” Murray said. “Now we can tell them specifically what we’re doing. And as a result, just in the last couple weeks, we’ve seen a huge influx in prospective customers.”

Vertex has quickly grown since forming in September 2017and is now up 87 employees, Murray told Clay & Milk. The company plans to bring 300 jobs to Ames and have between 130 and 150 employees by the end of 2019.

“Just in the last four weeks, we’ve hired 27 new people,” Murray said. “We’re growing and scaling really rapidly and seeing adoption from the market that’s better than I ever hoped for.”

Previous coverage

Vertex Software receives state funding to bring jobs to Ames, plans to launch product Q2 2019 -March 4, 2019

Tags: Vertex Software

Vertex Software launches platform for manufacturers | Clay & Milk

A central Iowa ag-tech accelerator has secured more backers and finally has a name. The Greater Des Moines Partnership first announced the accelerator last year, naming four initial investors. On Monday, the Partnership said the program will be called the "Iowa AgriTech Accelerator" and named three new investors. The new investors include Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corp. and Sukup Manufacturing, all Iowa companies. They join investors Deere & Co., Peoples Co., Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Co. and DuPont Pioneer. Each investor has agreed to put up $100,000 for the first year of the accelerator. Startups entering the program will receive $40,000 in seed funding in exchange for 6 percent equity. Tej Dhawan, an angel investor and local startup mentor, is serving as interim director until the AgriTech Accelerator names a permanent leader. Dhawan held a similar role with the GIA before Brian Hemesath was named as managing director. As interim director, Dhawan said his main job includes hiring the accelerator's executive director, establishing a business structure and initial recruiting for the first cohort. The accelerator will place few filters, such as location and product, on the applicant pool, Dhawan said. "When you’re seeking innovation, innovation can come from every corner of the world so why restrict ourselves," he said. One area the the AgriTech Accelerator won't recruit from is biotech. For its first cohort, the AgriTech Accelerator will work out of the GIA's space in Des Moines' East Village, Dhawan said. A future, permanent home is still to be decided. The accelerator's program will host startups from mid-July through mid-October, ending with an event connected to the annual World Food Prize. The GIA, which the AgriTech Accelerator is based on, also ends with presentations at an industry event. The accelerator has also started lining up a mentor pool. The Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Pork Producers Association have agreed to provide mentors, as has Iowa State University. While the AgriTech Accelerator is loosely based off of the GIA, it will differ in its business structure, Dhawan said. The GIA runs through a for-profit model for both operations and its investment fund. The AgriTech Accelerator will have a nonprofit model for its operations and a for-profit setup for its fund. Dhawan said the nonprofit model is being used so the accelerator can better work with other nonprofit partners, such as trade associations. "These are all organizations that are nonprofits and can be amazing stakeholders without ever having to be investors in the accelerator," he said. "It becomes easier to work with trade associations in their nonprofit role when we are also a nonprofit." When it's up and running, the AgriTech Accelerator would be one of a handful of ag-focused startup development programs in Iowa. Others include the Ag Startup Engine out of Iowa State University and the Rural Ventures Alliance from Iowa MicroLoan. Matthew Patane is the managing editor and co-founder of Clay & Milk. Send him an email at mpatane@clayandmilk.com.

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