Autodesk Foundation

Supporting innovators to design and make a better world for all

The Autodesk Foundation’s mission is to support innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.


Image courtesy of MASS Design Group

Bringing innovation to scale

The Autodesk Foundation aligns its philanthropic offerings with design and engineering. We invest in nonprofits and startups helping to de-risk innovation and bring industry-transforming solutions to scale. By facilitating a blend of funding, technical training, and expertise, we can bring early-stage innovations to market to advance a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.

Impact opportunity areas

We focus our funding on three impact areas guided by strategic investment theses that drive impact outcomes across our industries. 

A Prometheus Materials employee wearing blue latex gloves passing a bio-cement block to another employee.

Energy & Materials

Avoiding, reducing, and removing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to accelerate the transition to a decarbonized economy.


Image courtesy of Prometheus Materials

Arial view of four workers installing solar panels on rust-colored metal roof.

Health & Resilience

Improving resilience in low-resource communities with climate adaptation technologies.


Image courtesy of Okra Solar

A person wearing a welding mask and gloves welding a metal object.

Work & Prosperity

Preparing workers to thrive in the era of automation by creating opportunities for quality employment for all.


Image courtesy of JARC Rhode Island

A group of a few dozen South African artisan apprentices participating in a BluLever Education training exercise , all holding hands to form a large circle on a grassy field on a sunny day, with a facilitator in the center. Background: young trees and shrubs on a sloped, rocky hillside.
Image courtesy of BluLever Education

Innovators and entrepreneurs leading the change

By championing inclusive innovation and backing leaders with diverse backgrounds and proximity to impacted communities, we advance a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world for all. Through our commitment to expanding equal access to capital, we have made significant progress in supporting underfunded leaders—increasing the gender, racial, and geographic representation of leadership teams across our portfolio. We work alongside Autodesk’s Diversity & Belonging team to build a culture of belonging where all employees have opportunities to shape the world and their future—advancing programs like Employee Resource Group grantmaking.

Our investments

Funding

More than fifty organizations receive grants and impact investments to scale innovative solutions to climate change and inequality.

Image courtesy of FreeWorld

Technology

Thousands of entrepreneurs and innovators use Autodesk design and make software and technical training for positive impact.

Talent

Hundreds of Autodesk employees work alongside nonprofits and startups to imagine, design, and make a better world.

Image courtesy of Bridges to Prosperity

A brightly lit, landscape, side-angle view of a Bridges to Prosperity trail bridge on a partly cloudy day. A person on a bicycle is crossing the bridge. Background: A mountain extends upward to the left in the far distance; the area is surrounded by tall trees with large green canopies. Foreground: tall grasses, partly covered by shadows from surrounding trees.
Image courtesy of Robb Hohmann, Bridges to Prosperity

Impact measurement and management

The Autodesk Foundation’s impact measurement and management (IMM) practice is central to our work—informing how we invest and adapt to optimize impact. We invest in our portfolio’s impact outcomes through a rigorous IMM practice that establishes accountability, informs decision-making, and generates evidence of success.

Portfolio impact*

110 million

 individuals reached with resilient solutions in housing and infrastructure, energy access, agricultural productivity, and workforce development


2.2 million

metric tons CO2e of GHG emissions reduced in 2023


12,900

individuals obtained new or improved jobs in 2023



*View data source
*Hide data source

* These impact metrics rely on data aggregated and sourced from financial reports, annual reports, organizational key performance indicators, and self-reported data from the Autodesk Foundation portfolio.

Cumulative data from organizations, since their inception, that were a part of the Autodesk Foundation portfolio during 2023.

Crisis response

When crises strike, urgent solutions are needed. We deliver philanthropic support, Autodesk technology, and Autodesk expertise to address the negative impacts of natural and human-made disasters, social unrest, and pandemics that negatively affect our communities, customers, and employees globally. 

Connect with us