Catalytic Funding for Design and Engineering Solutions Grant

Catalytic Funding for Design and Engineering Solutions Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Autodesk Foundation
Amount: US $100,000 - US $1,000,000
Last Updated: April 14, 2025

Summary

The Autodesk Foundation offers Catalytic Funding for Design and Engineering Solutions, providing nonprofits and startups with essential capital to develop innovative, sustainable solutions across key areas including Energy, Health, and Work. By leveraging Autodesk's unique expertise, the funding aims to support initiatives that reduce emissions, enhance community resilience, and prepare workers for a changing job market. Grant sizes range from $100,000 to $1,000,000, focusing on impactful, scalable projects.

Overview

NOTE: The first step to be considered for Autodesk Foundation funding is to complete our Discovery Form. We review every Discovery Form submission and aim to get back to organizations within three weeks.See Letter of Inquiry Deadline above.We schedule introductory calls with those organizations that work in our impact opportunity areas and meet our general selection criteria.Each year we invite a small selection of organizations to fill out our Application for Funding.See Full Proposal Deadline above. Catalytic Funding for Design and Engineering Solutions We provide nonprofits and startups with catalytic capital to scale solutions that transform Autodesk industries to be more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. Impact Opportunity Areas We fund organizations for whom Autodesk’s unique expertise, technology, talent, and position within industry can accelerate growth across three impact opportunity areas. Energy & Materials We invest in innovators scaling early‑stage technologies that have the potential to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to a decarbonized economy. We focus our investments on sectors where Autodesk’s design and engineering expertise is particularly beneficial, such as renewable energy, electrification of transportation, building and industrial energy efficiency, materials innovation, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Health & Resilience We invest in innovators scaling technology‑based solutions that improve resilience in low-resource communities most vulnerable to climate change. We focus our investments on the built environment, agriculture, energy access, and water and sanitation, where design and engineering based solutions are critical levers for building community well-being and economic prosperity. Work & Prosperity We invest in innovators preparing workers to thrive in the era of automation. We focus our investment on programs, research, and technologies that consider access and inclusion, deliver in demand skills, and lead to quality jobs, especially in the manufacturing and construction sectors. Funding Criteria We evaluate funding opportunities based on the impact potential of the solution, the viability of the organization, model and market, and the value of the Autodesk Foundation’s additionality. Impact Alignment with impact goalsWe take a thesis-driven approach and therefore only consider organizations working within one of our impact opportunity areas.ScalabilityWe fund organizations that have a viable, resource-efficient pathway to scale and an intention to do so on a meaningful timeline.Impact measurementWe fund organizations that commit to measuring impact to establish accountability, inform decision-making, and evidence impact. Viability TeamWe look for teams that demonstrate technical and sector expertise, and share our commitment to building a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for all.TechnologyWe aim to catalyze innovation, scalability, and accessibility of technology for good. We emphasize solutions relevant to our expertise in design and engineering.Market and business modelWe look for evidence that the solution is valued by the target customer, and that there is a cost-effective and scalable model for delivering impact. Autodesk Additionality Financial AdditionalityWe focus on solutions where our flexible, risk-tolerant, and patient capital can be most catalytic at the organization-level and in the innovation ecosystem.In-kind ResourcesWe fund organizations for whom we can add significant value beyond financial capital, most commonly through our Autodesk technology and talent programs.Ecosystem EngagementAs a corporate philanthropy, we evaluate how our position within industry can spark connections to key stakeholders and accelerate large-scale adoption of innovation. Funding Our funding ranges from $100,000 to $1,000,000, with most commitments falling between $250,000 and $500,000.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. For nonprofits, we generally provide unrestricted grants and evaluate renewals at the end of each funding period.For startups, we initially invest at the seed or Series A. We participate in follow-on rounds dependent on the progress of the company.