Hyderabad-based Pramati sells enterprise social collaboration software biz Qontext to Autodesk

AutoCAD software provider Autodesk Inc has acquired the enterprise social collaboration software business of Hyderabad-based Pramati Technologies for an undisclosed amount.

US-based Autodesk, which provides professional and personal 3D design software, will use the Qontext technology from Pramati to add new social capabilities to its cloud-based platform Autodesk 360, which enables users to store, search, view and share critical design data from anywhere, anytime.

"Autodesk's acquisition of the Qontext technology is a testament to the Pramati strategy," said Pramati's co-founder and president Vijay Pullur. "This transaction is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to incubate and build companies that address the rapidly changing needs of business through highly innovative technologies."

Pramati was founded in 1998 by Jay Pullur (CEO) and Vijay Pullur as a web technology company. Its flagship product Pramati Application Server hit the market along with offerings from BEA Systems, IBM and Oracle.  Later, the company started investing in technologies and people to create independent companies. Pramati employs over 500 people, across three global locations that includes California in the US and Chennai, apart from Hyderabad.

"Mobile, cloud and social computing are dramatically changing the way engineers, designers and architects work. The addition of the Qontext technology to the Autodesk portfolio will lead to new technology innovations that help our customers embrace these disruptive technologies and leverage them for competitive advantage," said Amar Hanspal, senior VP of information modelling and platform products at Autodesk.

Set up in 1982 by John Walker and Dan Drake, Autodesk develops a broad range of software for design, engineering, and entertainment as well as a line of software for consumers, including Sketchbook, Homestyler, and Pixlr. The company makes educational versions of its software available free to qualified students and faculty through the Autodesk Education Community.

Autodesk's digital prototyping software, including Autodesk Inventor and the Autodesk Product Design Suite, are used in the manufacturing industry to visualise, simulate, and analyse real-world performance using a digital model during the design process. The company has a strategic partnership with technology behemoths like Apple Inc, Dell, HP, Microsoft and Oracle etc.

(Edited by Prem Udayabhanu)