SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 12, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The COFES Institute today welcomes attendees to the opening of the 19th annual Congress On the Future of Engineering Software (COFES). COFES runs from April 12-15 and is held at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort.

Widely recognized as a think-tank event, COFES gathers vendors, users, press, and analysts to discuss the most important issues facing both customers and providers of design and engineering technologies. The three-day event provides a relaxed and informal atmosphere designed to foster thoughtful conversation. Key to the success of COFES is its briefings and roundtable discussions, where participants explore trends and technologies of engineering software that will drive future innovation.

The theme for COFES 2018 is "Human-Aided Design: Changing the Relationship between Our Tools and Us." For the past 18 years, COFES has provided an ideal environment for busy engineers and business leaders to lift their heads from the daily grind and consider their work in a broader context.

"With the rate of change accelerating, COFES is more relevant than ever," said Brad Holtz, co-founder of COFES. "Autonomous automobiles, electric vehicles, private space travel, the Internet of Things, the list goes on…what makes these things possible is the creativity, knowledge, and motivation of the design community at large. Creating an environment for this to happen is what COFES is all about."

Three COFES keynote speakers will challenge attendees to imagine and explore new futures and possibilities for themselves, their businesses, and their communities:

• Ping Fu will discuss the theme for COFES with a focus on machine learning and resilient design.
• Keith Schubert will discuss his collaboration with NASA researchers to develop a system to detect life forms in outer space.
• George Gilder will be speaking about his forthcoming book, Life After Google.

To view the full agenda of COFES 2018, please visit: http://cofes.com/Events/COFES-2018/Agenda.

About COFES
Now in its 19th year, COFES is the annual, invitation-only event for the design and engineering software industry. Widely recognized as a think-tank event, COFES gathers design and engineering software leaders (vendors, users, press, and analysts) together to discuss the role engineering technology will play in the future survival and success of business. COFES is renowned for hosting leading keynote visionaries that provide a new perspective to the future of the industry. COFES is hosted by the COFES Institute. Learn more at http://www.cofes.com/.

About The COFES Institute
The COFES Institute is leading a conversation and building a community that understands that the convergence of advanced enabling technologies fosters new forms of engineering and design. The focus of the conversation of the Institute is built around the theme of converging emerging technologies that enable the solutions of tomorrow.

Since 1999 the COFES Event has brought together technology innovators and thought leaders from around the world to lead important transformative conversations. The COFES Institute builds on this rich heritage with a dynamic membership community consisting of technology developers, business leaders, investors, analysts, academics, media, and users of the technologies. Collectively, these agents help enable new forms of engineering and design that, in turn, fosters the development of new products, enterprises, and industries.

The COFES Institute is a non-profit 501c3 governed by a Board of Directors led by Vincent Caprio. Other members of the board are (in order of last name): Jim Brown: President – TechClarity, Jim Doxey: Enterprise Product Manager, PLM & Supply Chain Applications, Facebook, Nathanael Miller: Aerospace Engineer – NASA Langley Research Center, Jason Preston: Co-Founder – Parnassus Group (DENT), and Rebecca Yeh: Event Director & Secretary – COFES. In addition, the COFES Advisory Board was established to provide industry input to the COFES Board, see the COFES website for a listing of the Advisory Board participants.

Learn more about The COFES Institute and how to become a member at https://www.cofesinstitute.org/.

SOURCE Smart2Market Inc