In 2025, the CATIA Champions opened their workflows, taught live, mentored users, and showed how CATIA and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform can transform the way we design everything from race cars to buildings, composites and electrical systems.
Through real projects, they demonstrated the value of the CATIA portfolio, from Design & Styling and Mechanical Design to Systems Engineering and Construction.
This article celebrates the winners of the CATIA Champions Awards 2025 and the unique contribution each of them brings to the ecosystem.
Fabien Chancel – AI, MODSIM and Design Futures
Fabien stands at the crossroads of generative design, AI and simulation-driven engineering. His projects combine cutting-edge research, original motorsport projects and pragmatic MODSIM workflows using CATIA Structural Generative Designer, often including AI-assisted ideation and shape exploration.
He raises the ambition of the community, pushing the conversation toward what CATIA MODSIM can do when AI and human creativity are mixed intelligently.
Luigi Vanfretti – Systems & Simulation Pillar
Luigi represents the system-simulation domain of the CATIA Champions community. Through Dymola, Modelica and FMI, he trains students, advances open-source libraries and collaborates with transmission system operators on realistic grid-simulation projects, using CATIA No Magic systems engineering tools alongside Modelica-based simulation.
He also experiments with eFMI workflows, connecting physics-based models to embedded targets. Luigi is a cornerstone for anyone working at the intersection of CATIA, control, power systems and model-based engineering.
Denis Schmitz – EcoDesign & Sustainable Mobility Voice
Denis, EcoDesigner for Mobility, spends a lot of his time on stage and in conferences, explaining how to combine materials, structure and sustainability. From wood-based bike frames to composite automotive structures, he uses the CATIA Eco Designer Engineer to show that lightweight, renewable materials can meet demanding performance targets.
His talks and posts make EcoDesign feel concrete, not abstract, and illustrate how « Sustainable by Design » workflows help engineers balance performance, weight and environmental impact.
Angel Guerra – Hypercar Surface Designer of the Year
Senior transportation and surface designer, Angel has become one of the most visible ICEM and CATIA advocates in the community.
He regularly shares end-to-end vehicle projects that combine advanced surface quality with production-ready modeling, relying on Class-A surfacing tools such as ICEM Surf connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Angel also shows how to bring these surfaces into VR + Product Experience to run immersive design reviews, from VR sessions to remote customer presentations and internal team reviews.
Through CATIA Talks, user conferences and tutorials, Angel acts as a bridge between expert transportation studios and designers who want to reach the same Class-A standards while fully exploiting CATIA’s visualization and review capabilities.
Sébastien Lamour – Le Pinacle Storyteller
Founder of Lamour Technologies and creator of the Le Pinacle racing car concept, Sébastien showcases how a complete motorsport project can be developed with 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA for product design and engineering.
Through CATIA Talks, community events and detailed posts, he walks viewers from first design intent to refined surfaces and aero-driven details. His work is both an inspirational design story and a practical masterclass for aspiring motorsport designers.
Marcelo Spinetti – Learning Class-A in Public
Marcel has turned his personal journey of learning ICEM Design Experience into a shared resource. Instead of only posting finished images, he documents exercises, failures and breakthroughs in a dedicated learning playlist, built around CATIA.
By “learning in public,” he demystifies Class-A modeling and encourages others to start their own ICEM journey, proving that high-end surfacing is accessible with the right mindset and practice.
Sebastian Wilhelm – Speed-Modeling Teacher
Sebastian runs one of the most dynamic CATIA speed-modeling channels on YouTube. In short, focused videos he shows how to build real mechanical parts in seconds rather than minutes, while keeping models robust and parameterized with CATIA mechanical design tools.
His content has become a go-to training resource for designers and students who want to boost their modeling fluency and productivity.
Manuel Del Valle – Everyday 3DEXPERIENCE Coach
Manuel focuses on making 3DEXPERIENCE accessible for electrical and plastic-part designers. His LinkedIn tutorials and videos break down topics like harness routing, flattening, plastic features and “traditional vs new” ways of working in the platform, using CATIA Electrical & Fluids Systems discipline within 3DEXPERIENCE.
He plays a key role in helping teams move from V5 habits into 3DEXPERIENCE, turning advanced cable-and-harness workflows into something that feels natural in day-to-day projects.
Mark Lane – F1 2026, From Regulations to CFD
Mark brings real Formula 1 methodology to the CATIA world. His F1 2026 regulation car series covers everything: surfacing, regulation compliance, internal volumes, CFD-ready sealing and detailed sub-components, all modeled with CATIA Mechanical and Shape Designer.
He demonstrates how to go from text in the regulations to a consistent digital car that aero teams could actually analyze and iterate on. For anyone interested in race-car engineering, his work is a gold standard.
Luca Zarri – Aerodynamics & Modularity Advocate
Luca, a former F1 surface modeler, explores how modular, parametric design can accelerate aero development. He shares concepts for front and rear wings, outwash structures and futuristic sports cars, always tying the geometry back to aerodynamic intent.
Using the modular assemblies and parametric capabilities of 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA, his posts and videos show how engineers can swap configurations quickly while keeping the model organized and robust.
Sina Shahhosseini – From Scan to Production
Sina specializes in turning messy, real-world data into clean, manufacturable geometry. His projects span off-road bumpers, plastic parts, molds and roll cages, all starting from 3D scans and mesh data. He explains each step: scan capture, reverse engineering, design optimization and tooling.
His workflows are a perfect illustration of Reverse Engineering with 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA, and have become a reference for “from scan to steel/plastic” processes in the community.
Nikolay Salutski – AEC & Point-Cloud Innovator
Nikolay focuses on architecture and construction, showing how CATIA and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform can integrate drone scans, environment point clouds and complex building concepts. His EcoPod/EggPod projects mix creative design, structural logic and immersive navigation through rich 3D environments, leveraging generative building design workflows in CATIA.
In his CATIA Talk and community posts, he gives architects concrete techniques to bring reality capture directly into their design workflow.
Necmi Yildiz – 3DEXPERIENCE Guide
Necmi is a digital-transformation consultant and CATIA Champion who creates Turkish-language content on advanced 3DEXPERIENCE topics. On YouTube and LinkedIn he covers visual scripting, smart layout, live rendering and comparisons between 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA and V5, all based on the 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA portfolio.
For many Turkish engineers and students, Necmi is the person who makes cutting-edge CATIA capabilities understandable in their own language.
A community that keeps raising the bar
These champions are only a sample of the talent inside the CATIA ecosystem, but they illustrate what the program is about:
- Sharing real workflows, not just pretty pictures
- Connecting disciplines – design, simulation, systems, manufacturing
- Teaching openly, in many languages and formats
- Pushing the platform forward with new use cases and feedback
To all CATIA Champions award winners and active contributors alike: thank you for your energy, generosity and creativity. You’re helping thousands of engineers learn faster, design better and imagine what the next generation of products and experiences can be.
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