Schneider Electric nears $20B acquisition of PTC

PTC: PTC is a Boston-based provider of software for product design, manufacturing, lifecycle management, and connected operations, with a growing suite of AI-enhanced tools. The potential acquisition by Schneider Electric would integrate PTC's engineering software capabilities into Schneider's industrial and data center ecosystem. Sabrina Valle: Sabrina Valle is a New York-based Reuters correspondent specializing in major deals in healthcare and industrials sectors, with prior experience at Bloomberg, Washington Post, and coverage of global corporate operations. She reported on the Schneider Electric-PTC acquisition discussions for this story. Nick Zieminski: Nick Zieminski is an editor at Reuters specializing in business and markets coverage. He provided editing support for the Schneider Electric-PTC deal story. Cynthia Osterman: Cynthia Osterman is an editor at Reuters involved in business news oversight. She edited the reporting on the potential Schneider Electric acquisition of PTC. Harishankar Manoj: Harishankar Manoj is a Bengaluru-based journalist contributing to Reuters business reporting. He handled reporting duties for the Schneider Electric and PTC deal coverage in this article. Schneider Electric: Schneider Electric is a French multinational specializing in energy management, automation, and industrial software solutions, with increasing emphasis on data center infrastructure and AI-powered tools. The company is nearing a deal to acquire PTC, extending its recent software acquisition strategy that includes the Cognite transaction earlier this year and ongoing investments in digital power systems for AI data centers. AI Tool Integration: PTC has advanced AI capabilities in its product development and lifecycle management software through collaborations focused on software-defined products and intelligent engineering workflows. Data Center Technology: Schneider Electric recently piloted software-defined medium-voltage switchgear with Equinix to support faster deployment of AI data center power infrastructure. Software Ecosystem Expansion: Schneider Electric has continued its software push through recent acquisitions and partnerships, complementing its core hardware offerings in energy and automation.