The new Altair Startup Program, exclusively for startup companies, includes full-featured access to the software developer’s applications, including simulation-driven design, computer-aided engineering (CAE), cloud computing and Internet-of-Things (IoT)software at costs up to 80 percent less than traditional pricing.
Also included are more than 150 Altair Partner Alliance software applications, as well as instructor-led, online and self-paced training courses; and numerous co-marketing opportunities to build startup brand awareness.
Along with that access comes up to 16 hours of free consulting services that users can take advantage of to get started with Altair HyperWorks, the company’s design optimization and multi-physics platform.
“Startups are key for us as we’re interested in their innovation and in helping them,” Zamler said. “We think this will help them build better products in terms of performance and enable them to cost-effectively scale to grow and successfully exit from startup status.”
Altair’s cloud-computing solution, Altair PBS Works, is a comprehensive, secure, workload management tool for high-performance computing and cloud environments. The Altair solidThinking package is focused on simulation-driven design solutions applied early and throughout the design process for industrial design, photorealistic rendering, model-based development, generative design, concept engineering and manufacturing feasibility.
Meanwhile, Altair Carriots offers an end-to-end IoT platform. Altair HyperWorks is an open architecture CAE simulation platform that includes applications to design and optimize high performance, weight efficient and innovative products.
The Altair Startup Program launched in May. Altair worked with several startups to ensure the software and consulting hours met all their needs before it rolled the program out to a wider audience.
The geometry is fixed because changing it can significantly alter the way the bike handles and otherwise behaves, according to Adam Wais, Rolo Bikes owner and co-founder.
What is customized, however, is the way the carbon fiber is laid within the frame molds. Riders specify the weight and stiffness of the frame within a range of parameters. They can choose from two levels of carbon to meet their desired level of bike performance. In that way, the frame is created individually for each customer’s needs, Wais said.
A fixed-geometry frame meant, of course, it needed to be exactly designed.
“My business couldn’t exist if it not for Altair,” Wais said. “We chose HyperWorks because it offers us the most powerful tools for our optimization and development tasks all within onesuite. I’m not sure we’d have been able to take what we had to market without Altair.”
Altair does have requirements a company must meet to qualify as a startup. It must be a privately held business founded less than four years ago with annual revenues of less than $10 million.
Business incubators and accelerators can also take advantage of the program to expand their resources available to startups working within the incubator or accelerator.
Small- and medium-sized companies falling outside of the Altair Startup Program qualification criteria can still apply for incentivized offers to get started with Altair solutions, Zamler said.
“Any startup that meets criteria can apply through our website, but companies that don’t qualify are also encouraged to apply because we can do a tailored, custom offering for them,” he said.
The application process is quick and straightforward and can be done in three steps. First, potential users select their engineering domains of interest. They then fill out an application form. Following that, Altair representatives will contact the companies to build a custom program to fit their needs.
Other startups that have used the program before its formal rollout include Morf3D, Griiip and Taiga Motors.
Morf3D, based in El Segundo, Calif., provides additive design and manufacturing services including conceptualization, parameter optimization, metallic 3D printing and finishing, and metallurgical examination and certification. The partnership with Altair aims to offer a start-to-finish service primarily to the aerospace industry for additive manufacturing including space, propulsion, aircraft interior and airframe applications.
Israel-based Griiip is working to design a smart, connected race car built on the company’s G1 Series platform.Altair’s technology will help with race car design and layout.
Taiga Motors of Montreal makes TS2, an electric snowmobile that features a 62-mile of range and a 20-minute charging time. The company has used Altair for analysis, including mechanical, fluid and multi-physics analysis.
“We know startups can use our software, and we can help them be successful,” Zamler said. “We want to enable other companies to improve in a short time. We think we have the tools to enable that process.”
Altair has sponsored this post. They have had no editorial input to this post. All opinions are mine. —Jean Thilmany