ADSK

Autodesk, Inc.

A maker of 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software, Autodesk's tools like AutoCAD, Revit, Fusion, Maya, and 3ds Max are used by architects, engineers, manufacturers, and film studios to design everything from buildings to movie effects. Founded in 1982 by programmer John Walker and a small group of colleagues, the company's name was a placeholder chosen under pressure to file incorporation papers — the founders planned to change it later, but it stuck once their flagship product AutoCAD took off.