Who Owns PlanGrid?

Autodesk, a leading software company, acquired PlanGrid, a construction productivity software, for $875 million in December 2018.

Autodesk’s Acquisition of PlanGrid

In November 2018, Autodesk announced plans to acquire PlanGrid for $875 million. The acquisition was completed on December 20, 2018, making PlanGrid a wholly-owned subsidiary of Autodesk. PlanGrid’s CEO and co-founder, Tracy Young, was named to Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” in 2015.

PlanGrid’s History and Funding

PlanGrid was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company’s seed-stage investors include Y-Combinator, Sam Altman, Paul Buchheit, and 500 Startups. In May 2015, PlanGrid raised an $18 million Series A from Sequoia Capital, followed by a $40 million Series B led by Tenaya Capital in November 2015.

PlanGrid’s Software and Features

PlanGrid is a construction productivity software designed for onsite construction workers. It digitizes blueprints and features version control and collaboration tools such as field markups, progress photos, and issues tracking. The software can store, view, and communicate construction blueprints on mobile and Windows devices.

PlanGrid’s Impact and Growth

Before the acquisition, PlanGrid had over a million projects across 85 countries using its software. The company grew from 30 employees to 450+ employees before being acquired by Autodesk. In an interview, Tracy Young mentioned that PlanGrid’s growth slowed to a double percentage year-over-year growth in her last years leading the company, while competitors were rumored to have triple-digit growth.

Autodesk’s Plans for PlanGrid

After the acquisition, Autodesk plans to integrate PlanGrid’s technology into its construction software offerings, providing customers with a more comprehensive solution for managing construction projects. The acquisition aligns with Autodesk’s strategy of expanding its presence in the construction technology market and providing tools that help construction teams work more efficiently.

How Autodesk Build Compares to Other Construction Software

Autodesk Build provides a comprehensive solution for construction management, focusing heavily on project and document organization. It also includes a scheduling tool that teams can use to access project timelines. Schedules must be imported from third-party software, unlike the best calendar apps for teams that are ready to go immediately.

FieldEdge offers many of the same features as Autodesk Build, including centralized data management and team collaboration. What sets FieldEdge apart is its built-in project time tracking software, something Autodesk Build lacks. 

More details can be found in this FieldEdge Review.

JobNimbus is another well-established solution in the construction and field service industries. It includes construction timesheet software and helps businesses manage leads, estimates, and payments in the field. 

To learn more, read this JobNimbus Review.

If you’re looking for alternatives to Autodesk Build, Workyard is a great choice. Its highly accurate GPS tracking allows managers to monitor worker locations and boost scheduling efficiency.

You may also want to explore these additional construction software options, which include both time-tracking and scheduling features:

• OnTheClock Review
• Kickserv Review
• Time Doctor Review

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