MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Hawk Ridge Systems has launched a strategic partnership with StartProto, an AI-powered cloud manufacturing software provider, to “help manufacturers connect engineering, planning, and production in one enhanced digital workflow,” the company said in a release.
StartProto is a manufacturing operating system that replaces manual workflows and legacy ERP tools with a unified platform for quoting, planning, scheduling, purchasing, and shop-floor execution.
“Built on a graph-based data model, StartProto provides full operational context and embeds agentic AI that can generate work plans, create jobs, draft purchase orders, and monitor KPIs automatically,” the release stated. “The result is greater predictability, measurable efficiency gains, and modern production management for today’s manufacturers.”
Through its partnership with StartProto, Hawk Ridge Systems said in a company release, it is extending the digital thread with additional AI tools to help customers connect more of the product lifecycle, from concept through production, with a single trusted partner.
As manufacturers continue to embrace digital transformation, this partnership is said to expand Hawk Ridge Systems’ design-to-manufacturing portfolio by giving customers access to an AI-enabled manufacturing platform. The cloud-based platform integrates quoting, bill of materials (BOM) management, scheduling, and shop floor execution in a single ITAR-compliant environment.
“StartProto’s AI cloud platform gives our customers the real-time insights they need to make smarter decisions on the shop floor,” said Dale Ford, CEO of Hawk Ridge Systems, in the release. “This tool gives customers the power of AI manufacturing today, so they can scale production with confidence as demand grows.”
Beyond real-time visibility, StartProto’s AI platform analyzes production data to forecast risks, delays, and bottlenecks before they happen, helping manufacturers make proactive decisions. The end-to-end workflow coverage also supports secure, ITAR-compliant manufacturing operations for highly regulated industries, the company said in the release.
“We’re excited to partner with Hawk Ridge Systems because both our organizations share a commitment to helping manufacturers simplify complex processes and adopt new technology that delivers measurable results,” said Tim Felbinger, founder and CEO of StartProto, in the release. “Together, we can help engineering and manufacturing teams leverage manufacturing AI to respond faster and build more resilient operations.”
Hawk Ridge Systems also offers manufacturing solutions such as 3DEXPERIENCE DELMIA and CAMWorks, and manufacturing-as-a-service (MaaS) capabilities. Based in Silicon Valley, it has offices across the U.S. and Canada.