Gábor Bojár
{{short description|Hungarian entrepreneur}}
{{Hungarian name|Bojár Gábor}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gábor Bojár
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|03|27}}
| birth_place = Budapest, Hungary
| citizenship = Hungarian
| alma_mater = Eötvös Loránd University
| known_for = Founder of Graphisoft
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Gábor Bojár (born 27 March 1949) is a Hungarian entrepreneur and founder of Graphisoft, an AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) CAD company. Graphisoft was acquired by German Nemetschek AG in 2007.{{cite web|title=About Graphisoft|url=https://www.graphisoft.com/info/about_graphisoft/|publisher=Nemetschek AG|access-date=14 March 2019}}
In 1973 he received a degree in physics from Eötvös Loránd University. Bojár started his professional career at the state geophysics institute in the late 1970s. In 1980, when the institute stopped funding his modelling software, he left and began to work as a programmer abroad, together with his student colleague Ulrich Zimmer.{{cite web|title=Micro Capitalism: Eastern Europe’s Computer Future|url=https://hbr.org/1991/01/micro-capitalism-eastern-europes-computer-future|publisher=Harvard Business Review|date=January–February 1991|access-date=14 March 2019}}
Graphisoft
Between 1982 and 2007, Bojár served as founder{{cite web|title=European Institute of Innovation and Technology: Commission appoints 12 new board members|url=http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-828_en.htm|publisher=European Commission|date=24 July 2012|access-date=14 March 2019}} and president-CEO of Graphisoft.{{cite web|title=Steve Jobs: An icon struck in bronze|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/steve-jobs-an-icon-struck-in-bronze/article641272/|publisher=The Globe and Mail|date=30 April 2018|access-date=14 March 2019}} The company was launched in 1982, when Bojár and Zimmer developed software, assisting the Hungarian ministry of power in solving a major problem with the installation of a soviet nuclear power plant.{{cite web|title=‘High Performance’: The Ultimate BIM Feature|url=https://www.architosh.com/2016/03/high-performance-the-ultimate-bim-feature/|publisher=Architosh|date=26 March 2016|access-date=15 March 2019}} They used the geophysics institute's computers at night, solved the problem and were awarded $30,000 for their software's 300 engineering maps and drawings.
Subsequently, the company re-wrote their software for Apple Lisa, which didn't succeed economically, but kept the company alive throughout the 1980s. Bojár had to smuggle four Macintosh's into Hungary and was supported with cash by Steve Jobs, whom Bojár had first met in 1984.{{cite web|title=11 crazy off-the-wall tributes to Steve Jobs — from tattoos to edible statues|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/crazy-steve-jobs-tributes-from-haircuts-to-tattoos?IR=T#the-bronze-steve-jobs-6|publisher=BUSINESS INSIDER|date=15 July 2015|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{cite web|title=Four phases of industrial revolution: Phase three |url=https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/four-phases-of-industrial-revolution-phase-three|publisher=NBS|date=10 January 2018|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{cite web|title=Apple's Steve Jobs immortalized in bronze by Hungarian firm|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/apples-steve-jobs-immortalized-in-bronze-by-hungarian-firm|publisher=NATIONAL POST|date=21 December 2011|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{cite web|title=Steve Jobs statue unveiled in Hungary science park|url=http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/22/steve-jobs-statue-unveiled-in-hungary-science-park/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114122919/http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/22/steve-jobs-statue-unveiled-in-hungary-science-park/|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 January 2012|publisher=Global Public Square|date=22 December 2011|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{cite web|title=Where You Don’t Meet Tourists in Budapest |url=https://welovebudapest.com/en/toplists/where-you-dont-meet-tourists-in-budapest/|publisher=WE LOVE BUDAPEST|date=27 August 2013|access-date=15 March 2019}}
During the 1990s, Graphisoft continued to expand internationally and was eventually acquired by the sectors leading German company Nemetschek AG, in 2007.{{cite web|title=Graphisoft in China|url=https://www.graphisoft.com/info/news/press_releases/gsinchina.html|publisher=GRAPHISOFT|date=|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Under Bojár's leadership, Graphisoft developed from a small two-person venture into the worldwide market leader in the field of 3D building modeling software, with more than 300 employees and the firm's earnings growing from $30.000 in 1982 to an estimated $33 million in 2018.{{cite web|title=Ray Small Named CEO Of Graphisoft NV|url=https://www.graphisoft.com/info/news/press_releases/ceopr.html|publisher=GRAPHISOFT|date=|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|title=Former EIT Governing Board members|url=https://eit.europa.eu/eit-community/eit-governing-board/former-gb-members|publisher=European Institute of Innovation & Technology|date=|access-date=15 March 2019}}
In 2002, Bojár named Ray Small as new CEO, remaining active as chairman of the company, in charge of Graphisoft's overall strategy.
=Graphisoft Park=
Graphisoft Park SE is a real-estate enterprise, founded by Bojár.{{cite web|title=Gábor Bojár|url=https://www.arbeitgeber.de/www%5Carbeitgeber.nsf/res/6_Mr%20G%C3%A1bor%20Boj%C3%A1r.pdf/$file/6_Mr%20G%C3%A1bor%20Boj%C3%A1r.pdf|publisher=BDA DIE ARBEITGEBER|date=|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Aquincum Institute of Technology
Following the sale of Graphisoft in 2007, Bojár founded the Aquincum Institute of Technology (AIT), a school for information technology and entrepreneurship, in the same year.{{cite web|title=Overview|url=https://www.ait-budapest.com/about-ait/overview|publisher=AIT-Budapest|access-date=15 March 2019}} The school's curriculum offers design, entrepreneurship, and foundational courses in computer science. The subjects are combined with advanced applications in computational biology and computer vision for digital film post-production as well as humanities courses related to Hungary's cultural heritage.{{cite web|title=2nd Central and Eastern European ICT Cluster Conference|url=http://www.itcluster.hu/itcluster/conference2009.html|publisher=ICT Cluster|date=April 2009|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|title=Aquincum Institute of Technology|url=https://www.princeton.edu/oip/sap/programs/academic_year/europe/hungary/AITBudapest.pdf|publisher=PRINCETON UNIVERSITY|date=|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{cite web|title=AIT - Budapest|url=https://www.gooverseas.com/organization/ait-budapest-reviews|publisher=GO OVERSEAS|date=18 January 2014|access-date=15 March 2019}}
Additional memberships
Bojár serves on the board of Masterplast Group.{{cite web|title=Masterplast Group|url=http://www.masterplast.hu/investment|publisher=MASTERPLAST GRPOUP INTERNATIONAL|date=|access-date=15 March 2019}}
Awards and recognitions
Bojár has received different national and international awards and prizes.
He was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in 2007 and in 2014, he received the Iván Völgyes Award of AmCham Hungary.{{cite web|title=Iván Völgyes: An Intercultural Interpreter|url=http://gereportscee.com/post/124837326716/iv%C3%A1n-v%C3%B6lgyes-an-intercultural-interpreter|publisher=GE Reports CEE|date=8 January 2015|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{cite web|title=Letter from the founder|url=https://www.ait-budapest.com/people/letter-from-the-founder|publisher=AIT-BUDAPEST|date=|access-date=15 March 2019}}
Bojár was awarded the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary.
External links
- Bojár's [http://www.star.bme.hu/hirek/Bojar_G_eloadas/bojar_gabor_cv.htm CV].
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2522537.stm High hopes for hi-tech], BBC News.
References
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