SOLIDWORKS for Startups

If you build anything physical — robots, medical devices, consumer hardware, aerospace parts, EV components — your toolchain will eventually need a real parametric CAD seat. The retail price of that seat is famously painful. The SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program is Dassault Systèmes' answer to that pain point, and in 2026 it remains one of the most generous free CAD grants available to early-stage companies. Here's exactly what you get, who qualifies, and whether it's worth the application effort.

• Headline value: Free SOLIDWORKS Premium + Simulation Professional + PDM Professional for 1 year, renewable.
• Best for: Pre-seed to seed-stage hardware, robotics, medtech, EV, aerospace, and industrial startups.
• Eligibility: Privately held, early-stage, under a revenue cap, operating for a limited number of years.
• Stackability: Excellent — pairs with AWS Activate, GCP, and Azure for Startups without overlap.
• Watch-outs: Windows-only, single seat typical, renewal is not automatic, advanced Simulia tools are paid add-ons.

What is the SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program?

SOLIDWORKS is the de facto industry standard for 3D mechanical design in mid-market and enterprise hardware companies. A commercial seat of SOLIDWORKS Premium routinely costs thousands of dollars per year, and once you add Simulation Professional and PDM Professional the total easily clears five figures annually per engineer.

The SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program exists to put that same toolchain into the hands of early-stage companies that can't yet write that check. The program is run by Dassault Systèmes (the parent company of SOLIDWORKS) and administered in partnership with a global network of certified SOLIDWORKS resellers. In 2026 the core offer remains: one year of SOLIDWORKS Premium, SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional, and SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional — for free — for companies that meet the eligibility criteria.

Who qualifies?

Eligibility for the program targets a specific audience: small, privately held companies in the early stages of building a physical product. The typical criteria include:

• Privately held: Public companies, large subsidiaries, and most subsidiaries of larger corporations do not qualify.
• Early stage: The program is designed for companies that have been operating for a limited number of years (the exact cap can vary, but the spirit is pre-seed through seed, sometimes early Series A).
• Revenue cap: There is a defined annual revenue ceiling; companies above the cap are not eligible.
• Hardware/engineering product: The product or service should involve physical engineering — devices, machines, vehicles, instruments, robots, or industrial equipment. Pure-software startups typically do not qualify.
• Regional availability: The program is globally available, but eligibility specifics and reseller participation vary by country.

What's in the bundle?

What's not in the free bundle

The startup grant deliberately stops at the desktop line. The following are not included for free:

• SOLIDWORKS Visualize / Visualize Pro (rendering) — paid add-on.
• SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium / Flow Simulation (CFD) — paid add-on.
• Simulia Abaqus / CST Studio Suite — paid, separate Dassault product line.
• 3DEXPERIENCE Works roles — paid cloud platform add-on, available at standard commercial pricing.
• Electrical (SOLIDWORKS Electrical) packages — paid add-on.

How to apply

1. Confirm eligibility. Check that your company is privately held, early-stage, under the revenue cap, and that your product involves physical hardware or engineering. Verify current terms at signup.
2. Prepare your paperwork. Have your company registration / EIN equivalent, founder IDs, and a one-paragraph description of your product ready.
3. Apply on the program page. Submit the application at the official SOLIDWORKS for Startups page; you'll be routed to a regional reseller for review.
4. Work with your reseller. The reseller may ask follow-up questions about your product, headcount, and funding status. Respond promptly to keep the review moving.
5. Get provisioned, ship hardware. Once approved, you'll receive the license key and access to MySolidWorks. From there, install the suite, run your first simulation, and (typically) re-confirm eligibility at the end of the term to renew.

SOLIDWORKS for Startups vs other CAD / startup programs

The bottom line

The SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program is, in our 2026 review, the single highest-value free CAD grant available to early-stage hardware companies. The inclusion of Simulation Professional and PDM Professional — not just a barebones CAD viewer — is what separates it from a typical SaaS free trial. Combined with the fact that it's renewable, genuinely commercial, and stacks cleanly with AWS, GCP, and Azure credits, it's an obvious buy for any pre-seed or seed hardware founder who meets the criteria.

If you're a software-only startup, an established post-Series-B company, or a macOS-only shop that can't provision Windows, the program isn't aimed at you — and that's a fair boundary. For everyone else building a physical product in 2026, this is one of the easiest credit applications on the calendar.