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DesignSpark

Full company profile

uuid000y25b

Namestring
DesignSpark
Legal namestring
RS Components Ltd.
Websiteurl
rs-online.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2010
Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
11–50
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersBirchington, United Kingdom
HQ citystring
Birchington
HQ countrystring
United Kingdom
HQ regionstring
Europe
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
engineering design software, CAD libraries, maker community, electronics design tools, technical resources
Industry1 code
1Developer Portals, SDKs & Documentation Platforms
CodeBPAMADAGPrimaryYes
NAICS code1 code
  • Industrial Design Services54142
SIC code1 code
  • Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management8700
Product category
Engineering Design Software
Marketing channels2 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components4 values
Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeSoftware
Software
Core offering1 text field

DesignSpark is an online engineering and maker community created by RS Components that provides free CAD software, downloadable component libraries, technical design resources, and community forums for engineers, designers, and makers. It is operated as a free engagement and design-support platform tied to RS Group's industrial product distribution business across 32 countries.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product and service2 records
1DesignSpark Community Platform
CategoryEngineering Design Software
Description

Online engineering and maker community providing free CAD software tools, downloadable component libraries, technical resources, and community forums for engineers, designers, and makers worldwide. Operated by RS Components Ltd. as part of the RS Group industrial distribution platform.

2DesignSpark Free CAD Software
CategoryCAD / ECAD Software
Description

Free downloadable CAD tools for electronics (PCB) and mechanical design, provided to engineers, makers, and designers at no cost as part of the DesignSpark platform.

Scale indicator1 record

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move1 record

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight3 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
1GrabCAD
TypeDirect peer
Description

Engineer community and free CAD model library serving mechanical designers and manufacturers. Most direct competitor to DesignSpark's CAD library and community model, both targeting professional engineers for component and design reuse.

2Arduino Project Hub
TypeEmerging player
Description

Open community for sharing Arduino-based electronics and embedded projects and tutorials. Adjacent maker/embedded-design community that overlaps with DesignSpark's electronics-and-embedded design content niche.

3TraceParts
TypeDirect peer
Description

Free 3D CAD model library and component data platform for engineers and designers. Directly comparable to DesignSpark's free CAD/engineering content offering, with similar industrial component-search use cases.

4Onshape (PTC)
TypeDirect peer
Description

Cloud-native CAD platform with a free education-tier and a community of mechanical engineers and makers. Competes head-on with DesignSpark's free CAD software positioning for engineer/maker audiences.

5Thingiverse (Stratasys / MakerBot)
TypeEmerging player
Description

Open community for sharing user-created 3D design files targeting makers and 3D-printing enthusiasts. Comparable in the maker-community and free-design-content layer that DesignSpark also serves.

6Mouser Electronics
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Global authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components with extensive technical resources, reference designs, and an engineer-facing platform. Direct competitive analog to RS Group/DesignSpark on the industrial electronic-design buyer.

7Tinkercad (Autodesk)
TypeDirect peer
Description

Free browser-based 3D CAD and electronics-design tool from Autodesk aimed at makers, students, and hobbyists. Overlaps with DesignSpark's maker community and free-tool value proposition.

8Digi-Key Electronics
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Major global electronic components distributor with a broad e-commerce platform, design resources, and reference designs. Comparable to RS Group in industrial distribution scale and overlap with DesignSpark's electronic-design audience.

93D ContentCentral (Dassault Systèmes)
TypeDirect peer
Description

Free downloadable 2D/3D CAD models and part libraries from Dassault Systèmes for SOLIDWORKS and other CAD users. Directly analogous to DesignSpark's free CAD library offering for industrial designers.

10Autodesk Fusion 360
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Autodesk's flagship 3D CAD/CAM/CAE platform with a free-tier for makers and startups. A well-funded incumbent that DesignSpark's free CAD community effectively competes against for engineering mindshare.

Market position
Strengths4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat3 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile2 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
Yes
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

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

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

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

DesignSpark

Engineering Design Softwarers-online.com

DesignSpark firmographics

Firmographics
Name
DesignSpark
Legal name
RS Components Ltd.
Website
https://rs-online.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2010
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
11–50 employees
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

DesignSpark industry classification

Industry
Product category
Engineering Design Software
NAICS
Industrial Design Services (54142)
SIC
Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
akta.pro primary industry
Developer Portals, SDKs & Documentation Platforms (BPAMADAG)

Keywords

  • Engineering design software
  • CAD libraries
  • Maker community
  • Electronics design tools
  • Technical resources

Where DesignSpark is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Birchington
HQ country
United Kingdom
HQ region
Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

DesignSpark business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Software
Cost components
Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

DesignSpark product offering

Product offering

Core offering

DesignSpark is an online engineering and maker community created by RS Components that provides free CAD software, downloadable component libraries, technical design resources, and community forums for engineers, designers, and makers. It is operated as a free engagement and design-support platform tied to RS Group's industrial product distribution business across 32 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • DesignSpark Community Platform Online engineering and maker community providing free CAD software tools, downloadable component libraries, technical resources, and community forums for engineers, designers, and makers worldwide. Operated by RS Components Ltd. as part of the RS Group industrial distribution platform.
  • DesignSpark Free CAD Software Free downloadable CAD tools for electronics (PCB) and mechanical design, provided to engineers, makers, and designers at no cost as part of the DesignSpark platform.

Companies that use DesignSpark

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

DesignSpark technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

DesignSpark partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights3 records

DesignSpark competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

  • GrabCAD: Engineer community and free CAD model library serving mechanical designers and manufacturers. Most direct competitor to DesignSpark's CAD library and community model, both targeting professional engineers for component and design reuse.
  • TraceParts: Free 3D CAD model library and component data platform for engineers and designers. Directly comparable to DesignSpark's free CAD/engineering content offering, with similar industrial component-search use cases.
  • Onshape (PTC): Cloud-native CAD platform with a free education-tier and a community of mechanical engineers and makers. Competes head-on with DesignSpark's free CAD software positioning for engineer/maker audiences.
  • Tinkercad (Autodesk): Free browser-based 3D CAD and electronics-design tool from Autodesk aimed at makers, students, and hobbyists. Overlaps with DesignSpark's maker community and free-tool value proposition.
  • 3D ContentCentral (Dassault Systèmes): Free downloadable 2D/3D CAD models and part libraries from Dassault Systèmes for SOLIDWORKS and other CAD users. Directly analogous to DesignSpark's free CAD library offering for industrial designers.

Emerging players

  • Arduino Project Hub: Open community for sharing Arduino-based electronics and embedded projects and tutorials. Adjacent maker/embedded-design community that overlaps with DesignSpark's electronics-and-embedded design content niche.
  • Thingiverse (Stratasys / MakerBot): Open community for sharing user-created 3D design files targeting makers and 3D-printing enthusiasts. Comparable in the maker-community and free-design-content layer that DesignSpark also serves.

Broad incumbents

  • Mouser Electronics: Global authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components with extensive technical resources, reference designs, and an engineer-facing platform. Direct competitive analog to RS Group/DesignSpark on the industrial electronic-design buyer.
  • Digi-Key Electronics: Major global electronic components distributor with a broad e-commerce platform, design resources, and reference designs. Comparable to RS Group in industrial distribution scale and overlap with DesignSpark's electronic-design audience.
  • Autodesk Fusion 360: Autodesk's flagship 3D CAD/CAM/CAE platform with a free-tier for makers and startups. A well-funded incumbent that DesignSpark's free CAD community effectively competes against for engineering mindshare.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

DesignSpark social profiles

Digital presence

DesignSpark financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

DesignSpark leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

DesignSpark funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

DesignSpark M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about DesignSpark

What does DesignSpark do?

DesignSpark is an online engineering and maker community created by RS Components that provides free CAD software, downloadable component libraries, technical design resources, and community forums for engineers, designers, and makers. It is operated as a free engagement and design-support platform tied to RS Group's industrial product distribution business across 32 countries.

Is DesignSpark a public or private company?

DesignSpark is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.

When was DesignSpark founded?

DesignSpark was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is DesignSpark based?

DesignSpark is headquartered in Birchington, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.

Who are DesignSpark's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are GrabCAD, TraceParts, Onshape (PTC), Tinkercad (Autodesk) and 3D ContentCentral (Dassault Systèmes). Emerging players are Arduino Project Hub and Thingiverse (Stratasys / MakerBot). Broad incumbents are Mouser Electronics, Digi-Key Electronics and Autodesk Fusion 360.

Does DesignSpark have an API?

No public API is recorded for DesignSpark.

What industry is DesignSpark in?

DesignSpark's product category is Engineering Design Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMADAG, Developer Portals, SDKs & Documentation Platforms. Its NAICS code is 54142 and its SIC code is 8700.

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