Autodesk is going all out to push its Spark platform, and when I say ‘all-out’ the company is certainly putting its money where its mouth is, with the announcement today of “the Spark Investment Fund.” And we’re not talking about a few hundred, or even a few thousand bucks/quid/whatever the colloquial name for the Euro is, here. According to Autodesk, this is “a first-of-its-kind, $100 million fund that will invest in entrepreneurs, startups and researchers who push the boundaries of 3D printing technology and accelerate the new industrial revolution.”
If, like me, you needed to do a double, or even a triple take there to check the figures, your eyes do not deceive you. The software giant is setting aside ONE HUNDRED MILLION dollars to push 3D printing innovation via its Spark platform and accelerate uptake.
Autodesk states that the fund “comes on the heels of [its] launch of Spark, an open and free* software platform for 3D printing that will connect digital information to 3D printers in a new way.” The asterisk is clarify what “free” means in this case …. namely that “free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license and services agreement that accompanies the software.”
Autodesk is essentially looking to encourage “companies and individuals developing groundbreaking hardware, software, materials, marketplaces and maker spaces to apply for part of the Spark Investment Fund’s investment portfolio.”
The key being that, “in addition to the financial investment, Spark Investment Fund recipients become part of the Spark partner program and have access to marketing and other developer services available to Spark partners.”
The company is looking to dominate the 3D printing ecosystem, which as I pointed out this morning, is starting to become much more clearly defined, albeit with some fuzziness still existing. But $100 million might just help clarify things earlier. Although along with the real innovation, ideas and boundary pushing that undoubtedly exists, with this sort of offer on the table, Autodesk bean counters are also going to have to filter out some scammers, not to mention the delusional, who just as undoubtedly are out there, and will all be seeking a piece of this pie.
To find out more and to apply for a piece of the pie, you can go here.
