Design Software Leader Pledges 100 Additional Grants to Clean Tech Companies That Are Accelerating Innovation

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — January 21, 2010 — Autodesk Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), a world leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets, today announced at the Clean-Tech Investors Summit, a renewed commitment to providing clean tech companies with software grants through the Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program. Launched in July, the program was formed to help clean tech companies design and manufacture more sustainably.

“With Autodesk solutions, clean tech companies can use Digital Prototyping software to better understand the things they are going to build, allowing them to get their products to market faster, cheaper and with less risk,” said Carl Bass, CEO of Autodesk. “In addition, Digital Prototyping helps companies gain valuable insights into critical information such as total lifecycle costs and performance, return on energy, and other sustainability parameters.”

The following are recent examples of new Autodesk clean tech partners benefitting from the program:

• Micromidas is using Autodesk Inventor software to see the big picture and work more sustainably. The company uses bacteria to convert the waste from water treatment plants into biodegradable plastics. “Autodesk plays a key role in our development, allowing us to digitally prototype the dynamic flow processes central to the technology we are bringing to market,” said John Bissell, CEO of Micromidas. “Visualizing new products and complex ideas allows prospective investors and customers to better understand what they are getting.”
• Springboard Biodiesel is using Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD Electrical software to save time and money. The company manufactures small-scale, biodiesel processors that enable local, profitable biodiesel production. “Interoperability between applications, quick generation of parts lists, the ability to create flat patterns, and intuitive file management features are among the many benefits helping us work more efficiently and effectively,” said Mark Roberts, CEO of Springboard Biodiesel.
• Fiberforge develops lightweight technologies to improve the fuel efficiency of automobiles, aircraft and other transportation vehicles. The company uses Autodesk’s suite of 3D modeling applications to take their ideas from design through engineering, manufacturing and marketing. “Autodesk allows us to speed up and improve our product development, machine design, plant design, and electrical engineering,” said David Cramer, COO of Fiberforge.
• Utility Scale Solar, Inc. (USS) develops next-generation trackers, heliostats and drives for solar power plants. The USS product team uses Autodesk Inventor Professional to design their core standard products, as well as rapid prototyping to adapt specific drive versions for different solar plant requirements. "Autodesk Inventor has made it possible to make our core product lines ready for mass manufacturing in far less time than would otherwise have been possible. The Inventor suite also enables creation of custom OEM drive and tracker solutions, including great visualization and accurate BOM costs, within days instead of weeks," said Jonathan Blitz, CTO of USS. "Our customers cannot obtain that kind of turnaround anywhere else."

Additionally, Autodesk told investors at the Clean-Tech Investors Summit that as part of the company’s renewed commitment to the partner program, it would begin working with more established clean tech companies such as Enerdel and Tesla Motors. Enerdel is an advanced lithium-ion battery maker currently working with the U.S. Army and other major contractors. Tesla is a provider of high-performance electric vehicles. Enerdel will utilize Autodesk software solutions to create a Digital Prototyping process for the development of its next-generation lithium-ion batteries, while Tesla Motors will use Autodesk’s 2D & 3D design software to design and style all-electric vehicles.

“Tesla Motors has been using Autodesk Alias to optimize and visualize our vehicle designs for some time,” said Franz von Holzhausen, chief designer. “We look forward to expanding our partnership with Autodesk to rapidly accelerate our innovation, performance and time to market as we expand our all-electric portfolio.”

Bass also said that beyond extending the program to 100 more grantees in North America this year, Autodesk will also be rolling out versions of the program worldwide to China and Europe later this spring.

About The Clean Tech Partner Program