Program Development Company

What Program Development Company does

Program Development Company (PDC), founded in 1989 by Dr. Peter Eiseman out of a NASA SBIR contract with the Glenn Research Center, is a privately held Florida LLC that develops and licenses the GridPro structured multi-block hexahedral mesh generation platform used in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The company is headquartered at 777 Brickell Avenue, Miami, with a branch office in Bengaluru, India, and operates with 11-50 employees. GridPro's core architecture is a topology-based blocking strategy in which users define a logical blocking topology that is then automatically meshed using the proprietary Dynamic Boundary Conforming (DBC) algorithm, producing structured grids with high orthogonality, smooth transitions, and multiscale support from kilometers to millimeters. Adjacent product features include semi-automatic blocking, periodic surface shaping, smart boundary layer clustering, local enrichment, grid smoothing, higher-order mesh generation (quadratic, cubic, quartic in CGNS/HOMusic formats), and a Python-based API implemented as the Topology Input Language (TIL) for batch and script-driven automation.

The product portfolio is organized around the core GridPro platform and an Xpress Series of automated vertical add-ons (Xpress Volute, Xpress Propeller, Xpress Blade, Xpress Fuel Rod, and Xpress PDM) that target component-specific meshing in compressors, turbines, propellers, nuclear fuel rods, and positive displacement machines. PDC monetizes the software through term-limited, single-computer licenses (running on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Red Hat) plus a complementary consulting practice that delivers custom meshing projects. Distribution combines a self-serve trial download with enterprise field sales via a 'Request a Demo' channel and inbound consulting leads at [email protected], augmented by event presence at ASME Turbo Expo, AIAA SciTech, ISimT, and other CFD-focused conferences.

Customers span aerospace (NASA legacy SBIR lineage, Flexcompute for Flow360 integration, UPC Space Program), turbomachinery (Flowthermolab with CAESES and Ansys CFX), marine (ReFRESCO solver interoperability), automotive, biomedical, chemical, and energy. Strategic integrations with Ansys (CFX/Fluent), Friendship Systems (CAESES), CF turbo, Catia, Flexcompute (Flow360), and high-order solver formats (OpenFOAM, STARCD, CGNS, HOMusic) form the technical ecosystem around GridPro. As of February 2026, the latest release is GridPro Version 10.1, continuing an annual major-release cadence since at least Version 9.0 in May 2024; PDC remains founder-led with no disclosed parent, investor, or acquisition activity.

Name

Program Development Company

Legal name

Program Development Company LLC

Website

https://gridpro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Program Development Company (GridPro) is a privately held Miami-based software firm that develops and licenses structured multi-block hexahedral mesh generation tools for CFD and FEA applications, serving engineers in aerospace, turbomachinery, marine, automotive, biomedical, chemical, and energy industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing - GridPro: GridPro is sold as a licensed software product. PDC grants a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to install and use the Software on a single computer for the period specified in purchase terms. The software runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and Red Hat systems.
2. GridPro Xpress Series: Vertical automated meshing products including GridPro Xpress Volute, GridPro Xpress Propeller, GridPro Xpress Blade, GridPro Xpress Fuel Rod, and GridPro Xpress PDM are sold as part of the software licensing portfolio.
3. Consulting Services: PDC offers consulting services focused on structured hexahedral meshing for CFD and FEA, including automated hex mesh generation, custom mesh optimization, structured meshing for FEA, and tailored solutions for complex geometries and multiphysics simulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Program Development Company (PDC) develops and licenses GridPro, a topology-based structured multi-block hexahedral mesh generation software for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The core product delivers automated, high-orthogonality structured grids used by engineering teams in aerospace, turbomachinery, marine, automotive, biomedical, chemical, and energy industries. The offering is complemented by the GridPro Xpress Series of automated meshing add-on modules, a Python-based API, and expert consulting services.

Product overview

Program Development Company (PDC) offers GridPro as a unified, topology-based structured mesh generation platform for CFD simulations. The core GridPro product delivers high-quality, geometry-aligned multi-block hexahedral meshes enhanced by automated features and specialized capabilities. The portfolio consists of the main GridPro platform complemented by the Xpress Series suite of automated add-on modules (Xpress Volute, Xpress Propeller, Xpress Blade, Xpress Fuel Rod, Xpress PDM) that provide specialized automation for specific component types. Additional capabilities include the Python-based GridPro API for programmatic automation, scripting features, grid smoothing algorithms, batch processing mode, shape optimization tools, higher-order mesh generation, flow physics capturing features, and support for exporting meshes to major CFD solver formats including Fluent, CFX, OpenFOAM, STARCD, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GridPro Xpress Series: Automated meshing product line including GridPro Xpress Volute, GridPro Xpress Propeller, GridPro Xpress Blade, GridPro Xpress Fuel Rod, and GridPro Xpress PDM for specialized automatic mesh generation workflows
• GridPro Xpress Volute
• GridPro Xpress Propeller
• GridPro Xpress Blade
• GridPro Xpress Fuel Rod
• GridPro Xpress PDM
• GridPro API

Products and services

• GridPro A topology-based structured multi-block hexahedral mesh generation software for CFD simulations that delivers high-quality, geometry-aligned grids for aerospace, turbomachinery, marine, automotive, biomedical, chemical, and energy applications. The core platform automates much of the blocking process while retaining user control.
• GridPro Xpress Series A suite of automated meshing solutions that enhance GridPro with automatic blocking and meshing for specific component types including volutes, propellers, blades, fuel rods, and positive displacement machines.
• GridPro API Python-based API platform enabling programmatic mesh creation and manipulation, integration with CAD/CFD software, and automation of meshing workflows via command line or scripts.
• GridPro Xpress Volute Automated blocking and meshing product specifically designed for compressor, turbine, and pump volutes, delivering high-fidelity meshes that capture intricate flow fields including tongue region dynamics.
• GridPro Xpress Propeller Automated blocking solution for ducted and open water propeller blades with high rake and pitch, enabling accurate predictions of propeller performance, vortices, cavitation, and boundary layer effects.
• GridPro Xpress Blade Automated topology generation and meshing for axial and radial compressor blades, turbine blades, and pump impeller geometries with features including 1-1 connected meshing at blade tips, editable blocking, and secondary flow path meshing.
• GridPro Xpress Fuel Rod Automated mesh generation for nuclear fuel rod bundles with wrapped wires, offering template-based automation, scalability across varying rod counts, and localized grid refinement at wire-rod contacts.
• GridPro Xpress PDM Automated hexahedral mesh generation for rotary positive displacement machines including screw and scroll compressors, lobe, gerotor, vane, and hook and claw pumps with precise leakage gap capture.
• Structured Meshing Consulting Services Expert consulting services focused on structured hexahedral meshing for CFD and FEA, including automated hex mesh generation, custom mesh optimization, structured meshing for FEA, and tailored solutions for complex geometries and multiphysics simulations. Delivered by GridPro's structured meshing specialists.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% reduction in CFD meshing and solving time
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature16 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• UPC Space ProgramstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2025UPC Space Program partners with PDC's GridPro to advance student-led aerospace innovation. This partnership supports educational and research initiatives in aerospace engineering using GridPro's meshing capabilities.
• FlexcomputecoreTechnology or Integration · 3 June 2025Flexcompute, producers of the GPU-native CFD solver Flow360, partnered with GridPro on an integrated solution aimed at accelerating CFD simulations for aerospace and defense applications. GridPro provides structured mesh generation while Flexcompute's Flow360 solver runs on GPU for faster computation.
• Friendship Systems AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationFriendship Systems AG, based in Potsdam, Germany, is a technology partner providing CAESES geometry optimization software that integrates with GridPro for automated shape optimization workflows. The CAESES-GridPro integration enables fully automated parametric design studies from geometry generation through CFD meshing and simulation.
• AnsyscoreTechnology or IntegrationAnsys, headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, is a technology partner providing CFD solver integration (Ansys CFX) with GridPro meshing software. GridPro exports meshes to Ansys solver formats and joint webinars with Ansys CFX demonstrate integrated optimization workflows.
• University of Texas at Dallas - Dr. Kianoosh YousefiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDC collaborates with Dr. Kianoosh Yousefi, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas, to support hypersonic vehicle simulation research. PDC provides GridPro software and expertise for the research collaboration.
• FlowthermolabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlowthermolab uses GridPro in conjunction with CAESES parametric CAD and Ansys CFX solver for a fully automated, simulation-driven design loop. Flowthermolab conducted webinars demonstrating the integrated optimization workflow for compressor volute optimization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Numeca (HEXPRESS/OMEGA): Direct peer in automated hexahedral meshing for CFD. Numeca's HEXPRESS/OMEGA is explicitly cited by GridPro as a benchmark alternative, competing for turbomachinery and external aerodynamics mesh generation budgets.
• Pointwise (Cadence Design Systems): Direct competitor in structured/unstructured CFD mesh generation. Pointwise is explicitly named by GridPro as a comparable alternative and was acquired by Cadence, making it the closest head-to-head rival for hex-dominant meshing workflows.

Others

• Friendship Systems (CAESES): CAESES is a GridPro technology partner providing parametric geometry optimization that feeds directly into GridPro meshing. It is adjacent rather than directly competitive; they are co-marketed for shape optimization workflows.
• Flexcompute (Flow360): Flexcompute produces the GPU-native Flow360 CFD solver and is a core GridPro partner integrating structured meshes with accelerated solvers. Adjacent ecosystem partner rather than meshing competitor; together they offer an integrated aerospace simulation stack.

Broad incumbents

• Cadence (parent of Pointwise): Cadence acquired Pointwise and is building out CFD/EDA capability through Fidelity CFD. As Pointwise's parent, Cadence represents the consolidated incumbent threat GridPro faces when enterprise customers look for single-vendor CAE stacks.
• Altair HyperWorks / HyperMesh: Altair's HyperMesh provides meshing for FE/CFD workflows within a broader CAE platform. Comparable as a larger incumbent offering meshing capability as part of a simulation/optimization suite rather than as a standalone specialized tool.
• Siemens Star-CCM+: Siemens Star-CCM+ includes automated surface and volume meshing as part of an end-to-end multiphysics CAE platform. It competes against specialized meshing tools by bundling meshing into a broader simulation, design, and PLM suite.
• Ansys ICEM CFD / Ansys Meshing: GridPro explicitly positions itself as an alternative to ICEM Hexa. Ansys is a technology integration partner via CFX/Fluent formats, but ICEM remains a key competitor; Ansys is the broad CAE incumbent with meshing bundled into larger simulation stacks.

Emerging players

• Coreform Cubit: Coreform Cubit provides advanced meshing, including hex meshing via sweeping and OMF format, focused on high-fidelity simulations. Comparable as a niche/specialized meshing tool serving FEA/CFD analysts with mesh-quality emphasis similar to GridPro.
• Convergent Science (CONVERGE): CONVERGE's geometry-independent meshing is positioned as an alternative to labor-intensive structured meshing for IC engine and reacting flows. Competes indirectly on automating meshing away from the manual structured workflow GridPro specializes in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GridPromesh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GridProHexa
• Facebookfacebook.com/GridProCFD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1808124

Compliance3 records

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 Program Development Company