How the SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program Works (2026 Guide)
The SOLIDWORKS for Startups program gives startups the full SOLIDWORKS portfolio for free for a full year, then 70% off in year two, 50% off in year three, before moving to standard pricing in year four.
Want to apply? Click here.
What is the SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program?
The SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program is a Dassault Systèmes initiative that gives early-stage hardware companies free access to SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD and the surrounding product development suite, plus training resources and co-marketing support.
It is not a trial, or a stripped-down student edition. Qualifying companies get the commercial toolset, the real support channel, and the ability to keep their data.
Thousands of hardware startups go through the program each year. Canoo used the 3DEXPERIENCE platform from the start to avoid standing up hardware infrastructure, and later scaled to collaboration across more than 150 users. Vertical Aerospace came through the program while developing eVTOL aircraft. Freedom One Life joined in 2019 and went on to build the Series 5 powered wheelchair. These are not small outcomes, and they started from the same application you are considering.
Who qualifies, and who gets rejected?
Understanding who qualifies for the Startup Program is important, so here is a high-level overview of who qualifies, and who doesn’t.
What makes a business qualify for SOLIDWORKS for Startups?
Businesses designing, building, and selling a phyical product
Businesses who do not currently have any SOLIDWORKS licenses
Privately-owned, early stage companies
Under the revenue, funding, and age caps (see below)
Startups affiliated with a sponsored accelerator or incubator get preferential consideration
What business do not qualify for SOLIDWORKS for Startups?
Existing SOLIDWORKS Customers
Engineering firms
Contract manufacturers
Service Providers
The program is closed to service providers, engineering and design firms, consultants, and contract manufacturers. If your revenue comes from designing other people’s products rather than selling your own, you won’t qualify for the program.
If this describes you, skip to the last section. There are still good options for you, they are just different ones.
Dassault also evaluates every application individually. Your funding status, the nature of your business, and the product itself all factor in, and they reserve the right to decline for any reason. Meeting the criteria on paper puts you in a strong position but it is not an automatic approval.
What are the two tracks for the SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program?
Most founders do not know there are two tracks. This matters, because failing to qualify for one does not mean you are out.
Early stage is designed for businesses with less than $1M in funding/revenue, and those who have been in business less than 3 years. The Scale Up stage is for more mature businesses, with up to $5M in funding/revenue, and who have been in business less than 5 years.
The Three-Year Discount Ladder
Year 1: Free. 100% discount, full access to the core portfolio.
Year 2: 70% off. Continue with the same tools, or downgrade.
Year 3: 50% off. Continue, downgrade, or exit.
Year 4 and beyond: Preferential pricing on perpetual and subscription offers. A standard commercial relationship.
Can you leave the Startup Program?
Yes. In years two and three you can downgrade your subscription or end it entirely. Your data stays confidential throughout, and if you decide not to continue you can export your files.
What does the SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program include?
The program covers the working portfolio, not a starter tier:
SOLIDWORKS Design for core 3D design
SOLIDWORKS Simulation for validating designs with FEA and CFD before you spend money on physical prototypes
SOLIDWORKS PDM for design data management and version control
SOLIDWORKS Visualize for photoreal renders, which matters more than founders expect when you are pitching investors or pre-selling
SOLIDWORKS Electrical, CAM, Composer, and MBD
Cloud services on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform
MySolidWorks on-demand training and certification prep
How does the application process work?
Check the criteria honestly. Physical product, new to SOLIDWORKS, within the funding, revenue, and age caps for one of the two tracks, not a service business. Five minutes of honesty here saves weeks.
Talk to a reseller first if you are unsure. This is the step most founders skip. We can tell you which track you land in and whether your application has a weak spot before you submit it, not after.
Submit the application. Your funding status, business model, and product all get evaluated. Applications are reviewed individually, not rubber-stamped. An application can be filled out here.
Get approved and provisioned. Once you are in, we determine how many licenses your team needs and get them issued.
Onboard. We walk through the first steps with your team, help you choose between desktop and 3DEXPERIENCE, and point you at the training that matters for your product type.
The program partners with leading accelerators and incubators, and startups affiliated with a sponsored organization receive preferential consideration. If you are in an accelerator, say so in the application. If you are in a Michigan or Midwest program, talk to us. We know the landscape here and whether your affiliation counts.
How should I decide between SOLIDWORKS, Fusion 360, OnShape as a startup?
Here’s how their programs stack up.
SOLIDWORKS for Startups
Cost at year 1: Free if you qualify
Runs on Mac: Yes, via browser-based roles
Simulation depth: Deep. FEA and CFD included in the program
Data management: PDM included
Manufacturing handoff: Widest shop and supplier familiarity
Hiring pool: Largest. Most mechanical engineers already know it
Best fit: Hardware companies heading toward manufacturing at volume
Fusion 360
Cost at year 1: Low-cost startup and hobbyist tiers
Runs on Mac: Yes
Simulation depth: Capable, some capabilities gated by tier
Data management: Cloud-native, built in
Manufacturing handoff: Strong integrated CAM
Hiring pool: Large and growing
Best fit: Solo founders and small teams wanting CAD and CAM in one place
Onshape
Cost at year 1: Free tier with public documents
Runs on Mac: Yes, browser native
Simulation depth: Capable, integrated
Data management: Cloud-native, strong version control
Manufacturing handoff: Improving, less universal
Hiring pool: Smaller
Best fit: Distributed teams who want browser-first collaboration
The honest tiebreaker is your supply chain and your hiring. If your contract manufacturer, your machine shop, and the next three engineers you hire all live in SOLIDWORKS, choosing something else means you pay a translation tax on every handoff for the life of the company.
What if you do not qualify?
Roughly half the founders who read the eligibility criteria find themselves outside them. That does not end the conversation.
If you are a consultancy or design firm: you are outside the startup program permanently, but you are inside normal commercial pricing, and there is more flexibility there than the list price suggests. Term licenses lower your entry cost significantly versus perpetual. It’s worth a call with us to see what we can do for you!
If you are over the revenue or funding caps: you have aged out of the startup program but you are buying from a position of strength. Multi-seat and multi-year structures can help make SOLIDWORKS more affordable.
If you are already a SOLIDWORKS customer: the program is closed to existing customers, but if you are running old perpetual seats without subscription, there are paths back onto current versions that are cheaper than you expect.
If you are pre-incorporation: incorporate first, then apply. The program evaluates a company, not an idea.
Frequently asked questions
Is SOLIDWORKS really free for startups?
Yes, for qualifying companies, for the first year, on the core portfolio. Dassault Systèmes funds the program. The cost is not hidden in year one. It appears in year two at a 70% discount and year three at 50%, which is the number you should model before you apply.
Can a solo founder qualify?
Yes, if you are building a physical product to sell and you meet the funding, revenue, and age criteria. Solo does not disqualify you. Being a consultant or service provider does.
What happens after year three?
You move to standard commercial pricing with preferential terms on both perpetual and rental offers.
Can I switch from Fusion 360 or Onshape?
Yes, and being a current user of another CAD tool does not disqualify you. Only being a current SOLIDWORKS customer does. We handle file migration during onboarding.
Do I keep my files if I leave?
Yes. Your data remains confidential and you can export your files if you choose not to continue.
How long does approval take?
Applications are individually evaluated. If you work with us and your paperwork is clean, we can usually move quickly. The delays that happen are almost always eligibility questions we could have resolved before submission.
Find out if you qualify
Send us your company age, funding, revenue, and what you are building here. We will tell you which track you land in, what year two costs for your configuration, and whether it is worth applying. If it is not, we’re happy to help you find a SOLIDWORKS plan that suits your budget and needs.