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1. Affinity Is Now Completely Free. And Architects Should Pay Attention

Yes, you read that right.
Affinity, the suite that rivals Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, is now 100% free.

No subscriptions.
No “lite” version.
No strings attached.

For years, Adobe has been the default for architectural visuals, reports, and diagrams. But the landscape has been shifting:

• Rising Creative Cloud subscription fees

• Limited web-based collaboration

• Slow development cycles

• Increasing pressure on practice budgets

And now, after Canva’s acquisition of Serif, Affinity has relaunched as a single all-in-one creative app designed to challenge the monopoly.

This is a genuinely disruptive moment for architects.

What this means for your practice

-Massive cost savings (often thousands per year across a team)

-A single creative environment for reports, presentations, and competition submissions

-Customisable workspaces your teams can standardise and share

-No more vendor lock-in or surprise subscription increases

But more importantly, this signals a broader industry shift:
High-quality, interoperable, affordable software is finally becoming the norm, not the exception. For small studios, independents, and cost-conscious practices, this is game-changing.

Quick question for you:
💬 How much is your practice spending on Adobe each year?

(You might be shocked when you add it up.)

2. BIM 2.0 is here but most practices are still working like it’s 2015.

This week I’m focusing (again, I know) on my BIM 2.0 and Generative Design Report, a resource built to help architects understand the emerging software challenging tools like Revit, Archicad, and Vectorworks.

These legacy platforms haven’t evolved fast enough. Meanwhile, a new wave of AI-assisted, data-driven, and generative design tools is reshaping how architects design, evaluate, and deliver projects.

I wanted to make it easier for architects to cut through the noise and see what’s really out there.

What’s inside

Over the past year, I’ve analysed 30+ of the most innovative tools driving this transformation. The report includes:

✅ A cheat sheet comparing all the main options with links, strengths, and summaries
✅ A detailed review of 20 key tools using my Future AEC Software Specification (FASS), a quantitative scoring framework showing each tool’s maturity
✅ A “Best For” guide to help you quickly find the right solution for your workflow
✅ Diagrams and visual comparisons to help you understand the emerging landscape

This is the first independent comparison of next-generation design tools shaping the BIM 2.0 era.

Why it matters

This type of consultancy would normally cost thousands to produce for an individual practice. But for Black Friday, you can get the full report for just £49 (normally £499), available for two weeks only.

This isn’t another trends piece. It’s a roadmap for architects ready to connect data, intelligence, and design into one seamless workflow.

What you’ll take away

-Know which tools actually deliver value in practice

-See which are still experimental

-Learn how to future-proof your digital strategy for the decade ahead

👉 Get the BIM 2.0 Landscape Report (£49 Black Friday Edition):

3. I reached 15,000 followers on LinkedIn!

I never followed a perfect career plan. I simply followed the problems no one else wanted to solve.

And somehow, that path has led to a community of more than 15,000 architects, BIM managers, digital design leads and ConTech founders reading, sharing and shaping the future of our industry together. That still feels surreal.

When I started as an architect, all I wanted was to design great buildings.
But I kept hitting the same roadblock. The tools, workflows and technology meant to support architects were holding practices back instead of pushing them forward.

So I went deeper into the world of technology.

Architect → BIM → BIM Manager → Head of Technology → Tech Advisor

Today, I help practices transform how they work, and save real money, through my 6 week Technology Blueprint. And through it all, from late nights to deadlines to hitting "Post" on my very first piece of content, Richard has been up by my side.

My career changed the moment I realised I could not be everything at once.
Architect and BIM Manager.
Designer and technologist.

Specialising changed everything.
Choosing one clear path allowed me to focus on what matters most, helping architects build a strong, affordable, future ready technology foundation.

That is where the opportunity is.
If you are an architect feeling pulled towards the technology side, here is what I would tell you.

Four lessons that changed my career

1. Document what is broken in your workflow, this becomes your roadmap.

2. Connect with the people building the tools you wish existed.

3. Follow your curiosity, it will take you further than any job title.

4. Share your knowledge, even when it feels like no one is watching. Someone always is.

Thank you to everyone in this community.
This milestone is not just mine, it is ours.
And Richard and I appreciate you being here more than you know.

4. 25 ConTech Startups and Design Firms Hiring Right Now

One of the questions I get asked most often is, "Which companies are hiring in ConTech and digital design?" So here is a snapshot of who is hiring right now, grouped by region, across both early stage startups and established design firms.

Europe

CONSIGLI-AI agents for real estate development.

Speckle-Collaborative data hub that connects with your favourite AEC tools.

VU.CITY-Creating better cities through powerful 3D modelling.

ANYbotics-Swiss robotics company developing autonomous robots for industrial inspections.

Treeconomy-Carbon removal, using technology to measure and unlock value from natural capital.

Newforma-Project information and management software.

Bricks & Bytes-Leading source of AEC technology content and insight.

Temelion-Bottleneck free pre construction workflows.

Broadway Malyan-Global urbanism practice shaping regions, cities and places.

Arup-Global built environment consultancy.

KPF-Designing cities with purpose and impact.

Asia

Attentive.ai-AI powered takeoff software for field service and construction.

United States

reer-AI partner inside your CAD tools to supercharge your design work.

Kroo-Unifying construction data to automate business intelligence.

FieldAI-Robotic AI for industrial operations and autonomous inspection.

Guardian for Revit-Automated quality and consistency control for Revit models.

Monograph-Project management designed specifically for architects and engineers.

Datagrid AI-An AI agent that gets work done for you.

SketchPro.ai-Your copilot for architecture and design.

Bobyard-AI landscaping takeoffs and estimating.

GreenLite-Streamlined, predictable construction permitting.

Unity-Real time 3D platform for large studios.

Pirros-Modern detail management for architecture firms.

HKS-Architecture and design practice focused on purpose driven work.

HDR-Global design firm specialising in engineering, architecture and environmental services.

If you want updates like this every week, do not waste time searching. AEC Tech Jobs is the only place that brings all of this together for you.

PS: We also help ConTech startups grow their brand. You are busy building the product. We will make sure the right people hear about it.

Thanks for reading!

Allister
Founder, ADDD & CoFounder AEC Tech Jobs

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Thanks for reading!

P.S. There are over 550 jobs on the AEC Tech Jobs website!