Autodesk Launches European Clean Tech Partner Program

By DE Editors

Autodesk,  Inc. is expanding the Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program to European clean technology companies working to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. The Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program grants Digital Prototyping software to clean technology companies to help them innovate more rapidly.

“Europe is at the forefront of many exciting alternative energy advances, together with some of the world’s most ambitious clean energy policies, so it’s a natural evolution for Autodesk to partner with innovative clean tech companies in the region,” says Erwin Burth, director, industry development at Autodesk. “Regardless of where they are in their product development lifecycle, Autodesk recognizes the imperative that all clean tech companies face to bring their products to market faster and more cost-effectively.”

According to a 2010 survey conducted by KPMG LLP, three-quarters of the venture capital community believe clean tech investments will increase in 2010 compared with last year. In 2008, Europe invested an estimated US$49.7 billion in renewable energy.

Autodesk counts more than 600 clean tech industry companies in Europe among its customers. The Clean Tech Partner Program is designed to provide further opportunity for emerging companies, in particular, to jump-start their product development by reducing the number of costly physical prototypes in the design-to-manufacture process.

“Technology has a vital role to play in driving down the cost of clean energy,” said Michael Liebreich, chief executive of Bloomberg New Energy Finance. “So it is very positive to see a software leader such as Autodesk stepping up with its expertise in sustainable design to help Europe’s emerging clean energy firms realize their R&D vision. Making clean energy technology more competitive with fossil fuels — with no subsidies on either side — would be the single best way to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program grants Digital Prototyping software to clean technology companies. Each Autodesk Clean Tech Grant recipient receives up to US $150,000 of design software, including up to five licenses of AutoCAD Inventor Professional Suite, Autodesk Showcase Professional, Autodesk Vault Manufacturing, Autodesk Navisworks Manage, Autodesk Revit Architecture, and Autodesk Alias Design.

For more information, visit www.autodesk.de/cleantech.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.