OmniQuest

What OmniQuest does

OmniQuest, Inc. is a private US-based engineering software firm headquartered in Novi, Michigan, with a second office in Colorado Springs. The company develops and markets structural analysis and design optimization software for engineering-intensive industries. It was founded in 1984 by Dr. Garret N. Vanderplaats as Vanderplaats Research & Development, Inc., and rebranded to OmniQuest following the founder's passing in December 2021; the company is now led by CEO Stewart A. Skomra. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range.

The product portfolio is anchored by two flagship platforms. Genesis is a structural analysis and optimization software that fully integrates finite element analysis (statics, normal modes, frequency response, heat transfer, buckling, acoustics, fatigue) with multiple optimization modalities (topology, sizing, shape, topometry, topography, freeform). It includes proprietary capabilities such as the BIGDOT optimizer for very large design spaces and the Equivalent Static Loads (ESL) method for large-scale nonlinear optimization. Extensions include GSAM/GTAM (tight integration with ANSYS Mechanical/Workbench) and ESLDYNA (coupling with LS-DYNA nonlinear analysis). Iliad is a general-purpose, GUI-based multidiscipline design exploration and automation studio (originally released in 1998 as VisualDOC) that unifies DOE, gradient and non-gradient optimization, response surface optimization, probabilistic and robust optimization, and integration of third-party solvers into a single workflow via Python/Lua scripting and APIs. Supporting tools include Design Studio (pre/post FEA UI) and Odyssey (system-level integration for HIL/SIL).

OmniQuest generates revenue primarily through licensing of Genesis and Iliad, supplemented by engineering consulting, custom software development, training, and technical support services. It pursues a sales-led go-to-market with direct enterprise outreach, complimentary test cases and evaluations, webinars, and a global channel partner network (GRM in the UK, ShareFEA, TSNE in Korea). Primary customer segments are automotive OEMs and motorsports teams (including most Formula 1 teams), automotive tier suppliers, aerospace, heavy industry, engineering consultants, and additive manufacturing users.

Name

OmniQuest

Legal name

OmniQuest, Inc.

Website

https://omniquest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OmniQuest is a private US engineering software firm (founded 1984, Novi, MI) that develops structural analysis and design optimization software, anchored by Genesis (FEA + topology/shape/sizing optimization) and Iliad (multidiscipline design exploration automation), serving automotive, motorsports, aerospace, and additive manufacturing customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Simulation / Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) Software

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (541420), Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Generative Design & Topology Optimization for AM (IMAAACAI)

Keywords

• Structural optimization software
• Finite element analysis
• Topology optimization
• Design exploration software
• Engineering simulation tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Novi

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: OmniQuest generates revenue primarily through licensing of their Genesis and Iliad software products. Software is sold to engineering firms for structural analysis and optimization purposes.
2. Engineering Consulting Services: The company provides optimization consulting services where their experts help engineers in any industry make the most of design optimization challenges.
3. Software Development Services: Custom software development services including writing custom applications and designing plug-ins for existing software.
4. Training Services: Training services that provide design engineers with the know-how to make the most of OmniQuest's design optimization software.
5. Technical Support: Technical and installation support provided virtually or on-site, described as unmatched in the industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

OmniQuest develops and markets engineering design optimization software, with two flagship products: Genesis (structural analysis and optimization software integrating finite element analysis with topology, sizing, shape, topometry, topography, and freeform optimization) and Iliad (GUI-based multidiscipline design exploration and process integration software). The company also offers extensions that couple Genesis with ANSYS Mechanical (GSAM/GTAM) and LS-DYNA (ESLDYNA), a Design Studio pre/post-processing UI, and complementary engineering consulting, custom software development, training, and technical support services.

Product overview

OmniQuest offers a unified design optimization platform built around two flagship products: Genesis (structural analysis and optimization software) and Iliad (multidiscipline design exploration and automation studio). Genesis provides finite element analysis and optimization capabilities including topology, sizing, shape, topometry, topography, and freeform optimization, used by automotive OEMs and Formula 1 teams. Iliad enables design space exploration and integrates multiple analysis tools into a single workflow. The Genesis product family includes specialized extensions: Genesis for Ansys Mechanical (GSAM/GTAM) for ANSYS Workbench integration, and Genesis for Ansys LS-Dyna (ESLDYNA) for nonlinear analysis optimization. Supporting tools include Design Studio (pre/post FEA GUI) and Odyssey (system-level process integration). The company also provides engineering consulting, custom software development, training, and technical support services. Founded by Dr. Garret N. Vanderplaats, OmniQuest maintains headquarters in Novi, Michigan and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Genesis®: Structural Analysis and Optimization Software - a powerful design tool enabling engineers to efficiently improve product performance while reducing total product lifecycle cost. Used by major Automotive OEMs as well as most all Formula 1 teams.
• Iliad™
• GSAM
• GTAM
• ESLDYNA
• Design Studio

Products and services

• Genesis

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% weight reduction in Corvette prototype tail frame while surpassing Pratt Miller stiffness and strength requirements
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GRMcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRM is a UK-based channel partner providing local sales, service, and support for OmniQuest products in the United Kingdom market.
• ShareFEAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChannel partner for OmniQuest software distribution and support services.
• TSNEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean channel partner providing OmniQuest software distribution and support in the Korea market.
• ANSYScoreTechnology or IntegrationOmniQuest's Genesis software integrates tightly with ANSYS Workbench environment. GSAM and GTAM are Genesis Structural Optimization extensions for ANSYS Mechanical that allow users to set up structural optimization problems, optimize, post-process, and export optimized geometry within the ANSYS environment.
• Livermore Software Technology Corporation (LS-DYNA)coreTechnology or IntegrationESLDYNA software couples Genesis optimization with LS-DYNA nonlinear analysis using the Equivalent Static Loads (ESL) method. LS-DYNA is a general-purpose finite element program capable of simulating highly nonlinear, transient dynamic problems.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Altair Engineering: Altair's OptiStruct and Inspire are the most direct competitors to Genesis in commercial topology, sizing, and shape optimization, serving the same automotive, aerospace, and motorsports customers with overlapping FEA-driven design optimization capability.

Broad incumbents

• ANSYS: ANSYS is the dominant multiphysics CAE platform; ANSYS Mechanical already ships topology optimization and is the platform OmniQuest's GSAM/GTAM extensions plug into, making ANSYS both the largest integration partner and the principal competitive threat.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software: Simcenter (including NX Nastran, STAR-CCM+, and Femap) competes broadly with OmniQuest in structural simulation and design exploration for automotive and aerospace, while offering a much wider multiphysics portfolio.
• Dassault Systèmes: SIMULIA (Abaqus, fe-safe, CST Studio Suite) and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform provide structural simulation and topology/generative design capabilities that overlap with OmniQuest's Genesis and Iliad offerings for global automotive and aerospace customers.
• Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (MSC Software): MSC Software's Adams, Marc, and MSC Nastran serve automotive and aerospace structural and multibody simulation, competing with OmniQuest in CAE-driven design optimization and lightweighting.

Emerging players

• nTopology: nTopology offers engineering software focused on generative design and topology optimization for additive manufacturing, overlapping with Genesis's AM-specific lattice and overhang features but targeting a more design-engineer persona.
• Autodesk (Generative Design in Fusion 360): Autodesk's cloud-based generative design in Fusion 360 and within Netfabb competes with OmniQuest's topology optimization for AM, particularly for design engineers in automotive and consumer products who already use Autodesk tools.
• COMSOL: COMSOL's multiphysics simulation platform with its Optimization Module overlaps with Iliad's multidisciplinary design exploration capabilities, though COMSOL is stronger in coupled physics than structural-only optimization.

Others

• BETA CAE Systems: BETA CAE's ANSA pre-processor and META post-processor are referenced as seamless Iliad integration partners; while primarily a CAE pre/post tooling vendor, it sits in the same automotive/aerospace design workflow and is a complementary ecosystem participant.
• Materialise: Materialise provides software (Magics, Streamics) and services for additive manufacturing workflows, including lattice and support generation that intersects with Genesis's AM-focused topology optimization, making it an adjacent ecosystem player rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OurOmniQuest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRkMTQMaTtr4_EXZhc_GXEQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/OmniQuestInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vanderplaats-r&d

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OmniQuest