Connecting People to Information 20 Years and Counting:  A Newforma Story and Vision  

In 2004, a group of passionate AEC professionals and management experts founded Newforma. After many discussions with industry leaders, it became clear that we needed to create a platform that allowed firms to get their arms around all the data that was scattered across different software solutions. Fast forward two decades and Newforma is a global leader in information management software. Our on-premises and SaaS platforms connect teams and foster effortless knowledge sharing, ensuring seamless collaboration and improving project quality while reducing costs. 

Newforma serves thousands of firms in over 40 countries and our customers are partnering with our platforms to manage 4.6 million projects! With a team of dedicated professionals numbering in the hundreds, we’re committed to continuing our growth and development. It’s an exciting time at Newforma as we embark on our next chapter and use leading-edge technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) to advance our mission even further. 

This month we kicked off our year-long celebration of our 20th anniversary and we look back at a two-decade period of innovation and growth including strategic acquisitions and investments that have positioned Newforma to transform the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner-operated (AECO) industry by enabling project teams to connect, collaborate, access and control their project information. 

It was May 2003 from the offices in Concord, New Hampshire where the ideas were being put into action. The six Newforma co-founders – Larry Nuttall, Bob Batcheler, Jim Forester, Todd Kozikowski, Allen Preger, and Dave Plunkett ‒ were ready to introduce a new way of managing project delivery to the AECO space. By May 2004, Newforma’s first office was open, and the innovations began. The six visionaries were driven by a vision inspired by customer research and technology innovation, to introduce a new model for managing project delivery and reducing project risk in the AECO space. 

When we started Newforma, our goal was clear: to empower the world of architects, engineers, contractors and owners to ‘Get It Done Better’ when it comes to delivering projects. Even our company name ties into our leitmotiv: it is derived from the Latin root of the word ‘forma’ (meaning ‘model’ as in a ‘new model’ for managing project delivery). 

The founders first spoke with nearly 130 companies about how things were working and not working for them. We asked our contacts at these firms to tell us about current pain points and critical business issues that weren’t being addressed – we wanted to develop a product and technology that the customer wanted. 

It was relentless questioning that took us there – open-ended questions – and the same sort of questioning led to the solutions. We listened to what the customer wanted, what problems the customer faced, and we went to the drawing board to solve the problem.  

Construction today creates an unprecedented digital trail – 3D models, digital photographs, project schedules, field reports, change requests, RFIs, submittals, product data, drone video, and millions of emails, between architects and engineers, contractors, and sub-contractors, permitting agencies, building departments and so on. And because time-saving features of digital tools allow firms to change drawings on a wing and a prayer, share images from the field in real time, and update the entire project team instantaneously, project owners are demanding more and more.  

They’re squeezing more and more efficiency from a project team that is being asked to deliver buildings faster and faster.  

In February 2021, Newforma took a significant step forward by acquiring BIM One, including its BIM Track SaaS BIM coordination, collaboration, workflows, and analytics product. This acquisition was not just about expanding our capabilities but also about embracing a shared vision of interconnectedness and open standards that promise to revolutionize the AECO industry’s design and delivery processes. BIM One brought unparalleled BIM expertise and the industry-leading BIM Track software product into the Newforma family, further solidifying our commitment to connecting people to technology and fostering better project collaboration. 

In 2023, we launched Newforma Konekt, a groundbreaking cloud-hosed, web-based solution that combines the best-in-class features of Project Information Management and Building Information Modeling. Newforma Konekt is designed to give AECO project teams worldwide access to their complete project data, unifying conversations, project files, action items, and contractual workflows into a single cloud-hosted platform. 

Since Brock Philp’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer in 2017, Newforma has continued to expand its technology offerings and its reach within the AECO ecosystem. Under his leadership, the company has not only navigated the challenges of digital disruption but has also kept a trajectory of strategic growth.  

Innovation 

Innovation remains at the core of Newforma’s strategy. The launch of Newforma Konekt in 2023, which merged the capabilities of BIM Track and Newforma Cloud, exemplifies our commitment to developing solutions that address the complex needs of the AECO industry. This platform is designed to streamline project information management, making it more intuitive and accessible, thereby enhancing productivity and project delivery. 

Our vision stands on our firm belief in the power of connected project teams. Our tools are designed to improve communication and collaboration across various stakeholders in the construction process, from architects and engineers to contractors and subcontractors. This interconnectedness is crucial for achieving better project outcomes and aligns with our goal to make project information easily accessible to all relevant parties. 

Commitment to Open Standards 

We stay steadfast in our dedication to fostering an open and interoperable environment within the AECO industry. By supporting open standards, we ensure that our solutions are flexible and compatible with a wide range of other technologies and platforms, which is essential for the seamless integration of new tools and processes. 

The past 12 months have been particularly transformative with key releases for our cloud product, Newforma Konekt, which include: 

These innovations underscore our commitment to providing leading-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of the AECO industry. 

Looking ahead, we are excited about the upcoming launches that will further enhance our offerings:

We’re also developing more “secret weapons” for project information management that promise to revolutionize the industry further. 

Our focus will remain on leveraging technology to enhance user experience and project efficiency – while giving our customers the choice of on-premise or cloud-hosted platforms (or even a combination of both) to suit their needs. This includes exploring advancements in AI and other emerging technologies that can further automate and improve project management tasks. 

Newforma’s vision for the future is deeply rooted in the principles of innovation, collaboration, and openness. These principles guide our product development and strategic decisions, ensuring that we continue to provide value to our customers and lead the industry towards a more integrated and efficient future. 

Under the continued leadership of Brock Philp and the collective efforts of our dedicated leadership team, Newforma is committed to redefining project delivery and achieving new heights in the AECO industry.  

Two decades after we introduced the world to the concept of connecting people to information, the possibilities are amazing. Here’s to the next 100 years of going and growing. We’re excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. 

Thank you to our customers, partners and the Newforma team who have been by our side to create Chapter One of this story, and who are standing with us to build a future where our information is fully used to collaborate, work smarter and be more successful across all projects.