Early Life
James R. Scapa was born in New York to Greek immigrant Holocaust survivors. Growing up in New York, Scapa developed an interest in engineering, which led him to pursue a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University. He later earned an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Rise to Success
Scapa began his career as a computer engineering consultant. In 1985, he left his role at General Motors to co-found Altair Engineering with George Christ and Mark Kistner. Altair initially started as an engineering consulting firm, but Scapa's vision led the company to branch into product development and computer-aided engineering (CAE) software. Scapa has served as the CEO of Altair since its inception. Under his leadership, Altair developed its software products, including HyperWorks, OptiStruct, and HyperMesh, which became industry standards, particularly in the automotive sector.
Key Business Strategies
One of Scapa's key business strategies was fostering a culture of innovation. Altair consistently invested in research and development, leading to the creation of advanced software solutions in simulation, HPC, and AI. Another crucial strategy was the flexible units-based software licensing model. This approach provided customers with versatile access to a wide range of tools. Furthermore, strategic acquisitions, such as the 2024 acquisition of Cambridge Semantics, expanded Altair's capabilities in data analytics. Under Scapa's leadership, Altair went public in 2017. In March 2025, Siemens acquired Altair for approximately $10.6 billion.
Philanthropy
Information on specific philanthropic amounts could not be found.