Autodesk, an American multinational software corporation is launching an ‘Entrepreneur Impact Program’ in India, for startups developing new solutions to cleantech, environmental or social challenges with focus on hardware.
Under the program, startups will be provided software worth $150,000 ( about INR 1 crore) as well as training for a period of three years. It will also help these firms to take their products to the market. The startups will also receive free upgrades for those three years and there will be no upper limit for the number of startups to be included, as long as they qualify for the program, they can be enrolled.
“First, we equip them with our products, as and when training is available, training would be provided. And finally, we will do co-marketing activities with the startups to highlight/showcase their positive solution which they have created. We don’t take any equity unlike others and the intellectual property belongs to the startups,” said Navin Kumar, entrepreneur impact programme manager at Autodesk.
Since it’s a worldwide program, there are more than 200 startups in the program to date. From India, Bangalore-based FiasTech, Pune-based Arcatron Mobility, Enviro Tech, and Chennai-based Kabadiwalla Connect has been selected to join the program.
FiasTech has built an external kit which when installed in any fuel nozzle, will save oil drops that usually fall on the ground during refueling of vehicles at gas stations. “It is not a loss for the oil companies, they don’t care about it. But on a global level, it is a huge waste. About 22 crore litres of fuel worth Rs.1,300 crore is being wasted in India per year.” said Fazle-Imdad Shirpurwala, founder at FiasTech.
Founded by Ganesh Sonawane, Arcatron Mobility is using Autodesk’s software to improve the product design by modelling and testing it in a virtual environment and is building products like shower wheelchair and smart care robot. It aims to improve lives of elderly and mobility impaired individuals. In the same city, Autodesk has also enrolled Cerulean Enviro Tech which recycles used water from places such as bathroom sinks.
On the other hand, Kabadiwalla Connect has plans to build products like storage units made out of recycled material, as said by Siddharth Hande, founder.
Other startups connected with Autodesk include Agrilution, Biolite, Bombora, FreeWire, LIM Innovations, Loowatt, NBD Nano, Planetary Power, RESA, Uncharted Play, Vantage Power, and WindPax.
AutoDesk is known for making software used to build New York’s Freedom Tower, Tesla cars, and for providing special effects in Hollywood blockbuster ‘Avatar’. It provides its services in the field of architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment industries.
