Scott Harris

Scott Harris spends his time mentoring startup companies and students as well as teaching, investing and serving on boards.

He is a Trustee and a Distinguished Partner in Engineering & Entrepreneurship at Olin College of Engineering (since 2010) and is a Mentor in Residence at WPI. 

In 1994 he co-founded SolidWorks Corp which quickly became a leader in the computer aided design industry. In 2012 he co-founded Onshape Inc which is leading the industry in full cloud implementation of CAD. At both companies Harris led the team which defined and developed products that improved workflow and design capabilities for millions of engineers.

Prior to SolidWorks and Onshape, Harris led product definition and geometry development teams for 10 years at Computervision, an early pioneer in the CAD industry. Harris started his career at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, designing, analyzing and testing jet engine components. During that time he developed innovative new computer techniques to define and evaluate aerodynamic surfaces for jet engines.

Mr. Harris is committed to community service and helped establish Gasabo3D, a Rwandan based technology company which gives a career path for students graduating from schools such as  Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and Management. Harris also helped establish the Rwandan Innovation Endowment Fund, a UN sponsored program that promotes and funds entrepreneurs in that country.

Domestically, Harris is a board emeritus and active member of the Central Massachusetts Search & Rescue Team and chairman of the Science and Technology Council for the Discovery Museum in Acton, MA. He is also a member of the Technology Advisory Network at WPI and is on the board of directors at Artisan’s Asylum in Boston and the Discovery Museum in Acton, MA.

Mr. Harris is also an advisor and investor in several technology startups around the Boston area.

Mr. Harris is a 2019 inductee to the WPI Hall of Luminaries, honoring individuals who have brought about extraordinary accomplishments to society and is the 2012 recipient of the Robert H. Goddard Alumni Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement, from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Mr. Harris holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from WPI and is an avid mountain biker, trail runner and mountain climber. His hobbies include digital fabrication and manual metal/woodworking.