The partnership includes distribution and a co-development programme to extend the NEOCAD solution to ECAD and CAE, bringing AI across the entire design workflow of customers in the Siemens ecosystem.
Legnano (Milan), 28 October 2026 – NEOCAD, a Milan-based deep-tech startup developing an artificial intelligence solution that integrates with the software already used in manufacturing engineering departments, and Var Industries, the Var Group business platform specialising in the digital transformation of engineering-intensive manufacturing companies, have signed an exclusive reseller agreement covering Siemens’ CAD software Designcenter NX and Designcenter Solid Edge, and Teamcenter (PLM). The agreement goes beyond distribution: it includes joint customer support and launches a co-development programme aimed at extending the NEOCAD solution to ECAD (Electronic Computer-Aided Design), or electronic design, and CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering).
An “AI mechanical engineer” for the engineering department
NEOCAD is a co-thinker that understands, reasons and acts on a company’s entire body of design knowledge, from CAD models and PLM data to technical documentation. The solution is an AI assistant for parametric CAD models: it enables users to modify them through natural-language requests, reuse previously validated components and designs, and supports the creation of 2D drawings. A patent application has been filed for the technology and is awaiting grant. The technology is based on an on-premises architecture combined with cloud-based LLMs. A recent update to the solution also introduces project memory, which retains projects, decisions and company standards, strengthening NEOCAD’s positioning as a true “AI mechanical engineer” serving the engineering department.
The reasons behind the agreement
Three elements underpin the partnership. The first is direct integration with Siemens’ design software and PLM software. Through dedicated connectors, NEOCAD operates within Designcenter NX and Designcenter Solid Edge, the CAD environments designers work in every day, and Teamcenter, the PLM system that manages product data throughout its lifecycle, from model versions and bills of materials to approved designs. All this without requiring file exports or a switch to new tools. Within CAD, artificial intelligence acts directly on the feature tree, the sequence of operations used to build a 3D model, modifying it as a designer would: the result remains a fully editable CAD file, consistent with the company’s standards. By drawing on Teamcenter, NEOCAD can also find components and solutions already validated by the company and suggest their reuse. For businesses, this means adopting AI without changing how the engineering department works, reorganising processes, modifying workflows or having to train people on new software. The second is intellectual property protection, ensured by an on-premises architecture that keeps design data within the company. The third is the complementary nature of their respective roadmaps. Co-development towards ECAD and CAE complements Var Industries’ offering across the Siemens portfolio, extending artificial intelligence from mechanical design to electronic design and virtual product verification, with the aim of covering the entire design cycle.
The advantages for NEOCAD and Var Industries
For NEOCAD, the partnership means being able to draw on Var Industries’ commercial presence, technical expertise and customer network in the Siemens ecosystem, accelerating the adoption of its technology among SMEs and large industrial groups. Joint support provides customers with structured guidance as they adopt the solution, while co-development with a leading partner in the design sector enables the platform to expand into new application areas.
“The agreement with Var Industries is a strategic step for us,” says Luca Licciulli, CEO and co-founder of NEOCAD. “We built our technology to free designers from the more hands-on, repetitive tasks: today, NEOCAD modifies parametric CAD models using natural language, makes the most of previously validated designs and supports the creation of 2D drawings. With Var Industries, we share a vision of artificial intelligence that does not replace designers but works alongside them, within the tools they already use every day and without data leaving the company. Through this partnership, we will be able to reach many more businesses in the Siemens ecosystem and, through co-development, bring AI to ECAD and CAE as well, supporting our customers throughout the design workflow.”
For Var Industries, the agreement is an opportunity to enhance its offering across the Siemens portfolio with a specialised artificial intelligence solution natively integrated with Designcenter NX, Designcenter Solid Edge and Teamcenter. Customers already using this software can adopt NEOCAD without changing any tools, achieving a tangible increase in engineering department productivity. Var Industries can thus differentiate its offering in a market where AI applied to engineering is becoming a competitive factor and, through the co-development programme, actively contribute to the solution’s evolution towards ECAD and CAE, in line with the needs of the manufacturing companies it serves.
“With NEOCAD, we are enhancing our offering across the Siemens portfolio with an artificial intelligence solution that customers can adopt immediately, without changing tools or processes,” says Claudio Neri, Sales Lead at Var Industries. “For an engineering department, the value lies in saving time on repetitive tasks and reusing validated know-how, while keeping data within the company. As a leading partner in the design sector, we are convinced that this agreement and the co-development programme towards ECAD and CAE will enable us to support manufacturing companies throughout the entire design and simulation workflow.”
The benefits for manufacturing companies
For engineering departments, the first advantage is the ability to modify parametric CAD models through natural-language requests. NEOCAD acts as an AI assistant that works directly on the model, reducing the time spent on the more hands-on, repetitive modelling tasks. Added to this are the reuse of approved components, assemblies and solutions instead of redesigning from scratch; support for creating 2D drawings; less time spent searching for technical documentation; the retention of company standards, decisions and know-how even when staff leave or change roles; and integration with CAD and PLM systems already in use.
About NEOCAD
NEOCAD is an innovative Italian startup founded in late 2024 that develops CAD design software solutions based on generative artificial intelligence. The company was established to make technical design faster, more efficient and more strategic, supporting engineers and designers in established companies with operational and repetitive tasks. The platform centralises and unlocks the value of a company’s CAD assets, turning its design history into a searchable knowledge base. It indexes models and technical know-how, enabling users to search for previously developed solutions, simulate alternatives and support technical decisions, reducing time and duplication. Serving manufacturing companies and design and R&D teams, the company positions itself at the intersection of traditional design and generative AI, introducing a new paradigm of assisted design, available in Cloud or On-Premise mode.
About Var Industries
Var Industries is the Var Group business platform dedicated to the digital transformation of engineering-intensive manufacturing companies, with a unique value proposition in terms of resources and technical expertise for electronic and mechanical design, simulation and production. As of 30 April 2026, Var Industries has over 2,500 customers and more than 200 people across Europe, with revenue of €65 million and EBITDA of €3.97 million.
