Startup Program Supports Smart Product Development

This is the first article of a 6-part series about the way simulation software can enable startups to innovate with agility and speed. The series includes case studies and deep dives into simulation technology and application. 

When your company is just getting started and you have only a small number of core engineering staff but still want to be agile and successful, they require design tools that will help them develop, optimize, and manufacture products just as well as larger organizations. Without an established structure or a massive workforce, simulation software can assist engineers responsible for the entire design cycle.  

This article will cover how simulation software is a key piece of technology for startups by reviewing three scenarios. We will also cover the specifics of the Altair Startup Program and the benefits of entering your company into the program. Finally, we will provide details on how to apply for the program.

How Cutting-edge Simulation Software Supports Startups

Startups need design tools that will help a small workforce do more. In essence, cutting-edge simulation software can level the playing field between your startup and larger enterprises by providing valuable design insight efficiently throughout the development cycle. For example, an engineer may gather years of experience by designing and testing structural components. But if you don’t have this extensive know-how yet, engineers can use simulation software to tap into that knowledge any time by allowing the software to assist them in creating lighter, stronger, more efficient products in a shorter timeframe.

Three Examples of Simulation Assisting Startup Teams

To better understand how simulation software assists teams in a startup, we have crafted three potential startup scenarios. Each will present a smart product development use case and briefly describe how simulation software can be invaluable to project success.

1. Simulation Supporting New Product Development

Let’s start with an example about developing a new smart energy monitor used by teams who install solar panels. Your design team has come up with a handheld concept that maximizes sustainable energy usage by helping to monitor and optimize installation processes. Now, the team is looking for the most efficient way to execute design, testing, and production. Your team uses agile methods because there are only five full-time engineers on staff, and while they are very skilled, they are looking for a way to test the new product and ensure it is fit for purpose. Four out of the five engineers are focused purely on product design and development, and they would like some support in the mechanical design of the monitor.

 Instead of building costly prototypes and renting expensive equipment, the team can use simulation software to handle drop tests, view stresses on the product and do all other kinds of virtual testing. They can improve the design using the simulation results before committing to physical testing or production, thereby creating a more mature design earlier leading to significant savings in both time and money.

2. Simulation Tools Allow for Analysis of the Entire System

The product your company is creating could be subject to design conditions that require analysis across the entire system, including all types of physics. For example, if you are designing a new component in an aircraft wing, it will need to sustain aerodynamic loads. You can use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to determine the aerodynamic loads. But then you will also need to analyze the deformation of the wing given these loads.

Because of your startup’s agile approach to product development, you want to design and optimize quickly. You need simulation software that allows your team to easily determine aerodynamic loads using CFD and to then input that same information into a finite element analysis (FEA) to determine part deformation. It has to be a seamless process so that it doesn’t eat up valuable time. By using software all from one company, like Altair, a core team can use critical simulation tools that consider all physics of a complex product or system without the need to learn multiple pieces of software with different interfaces and workflows.

3. Optimization of a Product Made Easier with Simulation

Many products are optimizations or an enhancement of a current offering in the market. For startups, the faster the development and optimization process, the quicker the product can be released into the market in order to generate revenue. Let’s say your company is looking to optimize the cooling within an electrical component to make it more robust but still cost-effective. 

Engineers could take months trying different configurations and running physical tests on their ideas. They could even create a design of experiments (DOE) to find the optimum design, but that is a specialized skillset which your team might not have and could be expensive to outsource. Instead, you can support your team by giving them access to simulation tools that contain the code necessary to run optimization routines on any number of variables. You will speed up their ability to get to the best possible product, and you can be confident in the accuracy of the software being used to support your team.

What is the Altair Startup Program?

The Altair Startup Program is a way for companies to harness the power of simulation software at a reduced cost. Companies that are just starting up and startups younger than five years can apply for the Altair Startup Program. There are two packages that might be of interest. The first is the Smart Product Development Package, which includes:

• Discounted access to the Altair simulation tools for three years
• Free online training and up to 16 hours of support
• Up to three hours of consulting on product development
• Discounted support rates after credits have been used
• Marketing opportunities

The second package is the Altair Unlimited Appliance on Oracle Cloud Package, which in addition to discounted access to the Altair simulation tools, including modeling and visualization software, solvers, and post-processing tools, also offers robust HPC and cloud resources via discounted credits for the Oracle cloud. The Altair Unlimited Appliance on Oracle Cloud package is fully managed by the experts from Altair and Oracle and helps startups to expand their engineering and HPC capabilities.

The Benefits of the Altair Startup Program

As part of the Altair Startup Program, you will gain the benefits of using the type of simulation software that is also used by industry leaders. In addition, you will be supported by a trusted name in simulation. The Smart Product Development package is built around giving you access to software at a discounted rate for a period of three years. This means you can confidently commit to the software package without financial risk. 

 The Smart Product Development Package contains structural analysis, aerodynamic analysis, and electromagnetic simulation, heat transfer, crash simulation, and more, eliminating the needs for multiple software packages for different engineering teams. Some companies will have multiple software vendors for each part of the design process, which complicates file transfer, adds additional training, and requires more administration work to manage all the different tools. 

 The Altair Startup Program includes software that encompasses design, simulation, optimization, and results visualization. Each step of the process will easily transition to the next, and if any issues or questions arise, the program’s training or support hours can be used. Altair offers a significant amount of on-demand online training enabling your team to get up to speed quickly, no matter the software they require. The program is a streamlined approach to supporting your technical staff with the software they need. 

How to Enter the Altair Startup Program

In order to qualify for the Altair Startup Program, your company must be: 

• Privately held
• Bring in less than $5 million USD in annual revenue
• Have less than $2 million USD in external investment
• Be less than five years old

If you think your startup would benefit from discounted simulation software and free training, you can fill out a form and apply online. The entries occur on a rolling, ongoing basis. 

This is the first of 6-part series about the way simulation software can enable startups to innovate with agility and speed. 

Article Two shows how mobility startup, URWHAN Bikes, benefited from Advanced Computer Integrated Technology.

Article Three talks about the way simulation software can enable startups to innovate with agility and speed.

Article Four speaks about how simulation is helping startups set the direction of the e-mobility industry.

Article Five demonstrates how startups can accelerate growth and effectively use artificial intelligence for quality assurance, data analytics, and other critical engineering tasks.

Article Six explores how startup programs, including Altair's, can lower that access barrier for entrepreneurs.