Editing Alias Systems Corporation (section)

== History ==
Alias Systems Corporation was founded by Stephen Bingham, Nigel McGrath, Susan McKenna, and David Springer in 1983. The company was initially funded by a $61,000 grant from the [[National Research Council Canada|National Research Council]], scientific research tax credits, and the founders personal funds.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url= https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/graphicshistory/chapter/8-3-alias-research/ |title= Computer Graphics and Computer Animation: A Retrospective Overview |publisher= The Ohio State University |author= Wayne E. Carlson |date= June 20, 2017  }}</ref>

In 1984, while sitting in a Detroit restaurant during the [[SIGGRAPH]] conference, the founders decided to name the company Alias because its only revenue came from Springer's work on an anti-aliasing program for [[Silicon Graphics, Inc.]]<ref name=":0" />
In 1985, at SIGGRAPH, the company released Alias 1, which used [[cardinal spline]]s instead of [[polygon mesh]]es with straight lines.<ref name=":0" />
In 1989, Alias 2 was used to produce ''[[The Abyss]]'' which would later win the 1990 [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects]].<ref name=":0" />
In 1990, Alias raised about $35 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|CA|35|1990|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|CA}}) through an [[initial public offering]]. That year, Alias also released new products named Studio, [[PowerAnimator]], and [[UpFront]]. The company purchased Spacemaker, separate and distinct to Spacemaker AI which was purchased by [[Autodesk]] in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Autodesk Acquires Spacemaker: Offers Architects AI-powered Generative Design to Explore Best Urban Design Options |url=https://adsknews.autodesk.com/en/pressrelease/autodesk-aquires-spacemaker/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Autodesk News}}</ref> PowerAnimator was used to produce ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'' (1991), which won the 1992 [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects]].<ref name=":0" />

In October 1990, the company purchased Full Color Computing, Inc., a provider of high-end photo retouch and color prepress software.

In 1995, Alias begins developing [[Autodesk Maya|Maya]]. Maya would later become the world's premier 3D animation software.<ref name=":0" />
{{plain image with caption|File:Alias Wavefront wordmark.svg|Alias Wavefront wordmark}}
On February 7, 1995, [[Wavefront Technologies|Wavefront]], SGI, and Alias merged to become Alias|Wavefront as a division of SGI. What partially motivated this merger was [[Microsoft]]'s purchase of Alias and Wavefront's competitor [[Softimage (company)|Softimage]]. SGI saw Microsoft's entrance into the market as a threat and merged Alias and Wavefront to compete with Microsoft. <ref name=":0" /> In 1998, Alias|Wavefront released Maya 1.0.<ref name=":0" />

On March 1, 2003, the company was honored by the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] with an [[Academy Award]] (Oscar) for scientific and technical achievement for their development of Maya software. [[Wavefront Technologies]] founders [[Bill Kovacs]] and Roy A. Hall previously received a 1997 Academy Award for the creative leadership (Kovacs) and the principal engineering (Hall) efforts which led to the [[The Advanced Visualizer|Wavefront Advanced Visualizer]] computer graphics system.

Later, in July 2003, the company's name was changed from ''Alias|Wavefront'' to ''Alias Systems Corporation''.<ref>{{cite press release |last1=Teggart |first1=Donna |last2=Kernahan |first2=Heather |date=July 17, 2003 |title=Alias/Wavefront Celebrates 20th Anniversary and Announces Name Change to Alias |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20030717005381/en/AliasWavefront-Celebrates-20th-Anniversary-Announces-Change-Alias#.VS04lPAYGDw |location=Toronto |publisher=Alias |agency=Business Wire |access-date=14 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214072752/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20030717005381/en/AliasWavefront-Celebrates-20th-Anniversary-Announces-Change-Alias#.VS04lPAYGDw |archive-date=14 February 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2004, Silicon Graphics sold Alias to 
the [[Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan]] and Accel-[[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts|KKR]], a technology-focused private equity investment firm, for [[United States dollar|US$]]57.1 million.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Transaction Increases Focus on SGI Core Systems Business, Boosts Liquidity |date= April 15, 2004 |work= Press release |url= http://www.sgi.com/newsroom/press_releases/2004/april/alias.html |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040502054955/http://www.sgi.com/newsroom/press_releases/2004/april/alias.html |archive-date= May 2, 2004 |access-date= September 1, 2013 }}</ref>

In September 2004, Alias acquired Kaydara, adding the company's character animation and motion editing products to Alias' line of software.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Alias to Acquire Kaydara|work= The Globe and Mail|date= August 9, 2004 |access-date= November 12, 2024|first= |last= |url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/alias-to-acquire-kaydara/article20434321/}}</ref> 

On October 4, 2005, [[Autodesk]], announced plans to acquire Alias.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Autodesk acquires Alias |work= PC World |date= October 4, 2005 |first= Peter |last= Cohen |url= http://www.macworld.com/article/1047264/alias.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?linkID=14271593&id=5983502&siteID=123112 |work= Press Release |title= Autodesk Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Alias |publisher= Autodesk |date= October 4, 2005 |access-date= September 7, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131004223743/http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?linkID=14271593&id=5983502&siteID=123112 |archive-date= 2013-10-04 |url-status= dead }}</ref>  On January 10, 2006, Autodesk completed the acquisition for US$197 million in cash.<ref>{{Cite web|last=January 2006|first=TVTechnology 13|title=Autodesk completes acquisition of Alias|url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/autodesk-completes-acquisition-of-alias|access-date=2021-03-18|website=TVTechnology|date=13 January 2006 |language=en}}</ref>