About us
This group exists to support hardware startups with free CAD, including access to free SOLIDWORKS and related software.
It’s for hardware founders and teams who are actively building products and need proper CAD support.
At our events you’ll hear from hardware founders, people from the wider hardware startup ecosystem, and take part in practical CAD workshops focused on real product development.
Friendly, useful, and focused on helping hardware startups move forward.
Upcoming events
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![From Idea to Prototype: Founder Lessons + CAD Walkthrough [Live]](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/6/5/3/highres_533953907.jpeg)
From Idea to Prototype: Founder Lessons + CAD Walkthrough [Live]
·OnlineOnlineDate: Thursday, 7 May 2026
Time: 12:00 PM (UK time)
Duration: 75 minutes (Live)
Audience: UK & Ireland startups & Entrepreneurs
This live session is for early‑stage hardware founders working towards a first or early prototype who want practical CAD support and guidance that genuinely helps.
You’ll hear an honest founder story from Matthew Simmonds, Entocycle, learn how eligible startups can access SOLIDWORKS licences for free, see a practical CAD walkthrough focused on the prototype stage (SOLIDWORKS core with a light look at Simulation and Visualize), and take part in live Q&A to ask questions about your own product.
This session brings together free access to professional CAD tools, real hands‑on support beyond software (including people and startup connections), a hardware founder’s early‑stage lessons, and a focused walkthrough of how to approach CAD during prototyping.
This isn’t about selling tools. It’s about showing how the right support, used at the right time, can remove friction and help hardware teams move forward more confidently.
If you’re currently working through a CAD or prototype challenge, you’re encouraged to submit a question when you register and we’ll aim to cover a few live.
Agenda- SOLIDWORKS for Start-ups Overview: How eligible UK and Ireland start-ups can access SOLIDWORKS licences for free, plus community and connections.
- Founder Story with Matt Simmonds, Entocycle | From napkin sketches to a fully automated plant: the journey of building a high-tech sustainable insect factory. Matt will talk through his experience of building Entocycle from its infancy into a global leader in sustainable protein, sharing the highs and lows of building a deep-tech, mission-led startup in a brand new industry.
- Practical SOLIDWORKS Walkthrough: Core modelling workflow for fast iteration, plus a light look at Simulation and Visualize.
- Q&A: Ask anything! Whether it’s about CAD, prototyping, Simulation/Visualize, or to Matthew Simmonds**.**
Who is this for? Hardware start-ups (generally under 5 years old), founders, CTOs, and early engineers building physical products.
If you want to get started in advance:
Apply here: https://store.solidsolutions.co.uk/startups-apply/
Or, email: margaretha.samuels@solidsolutions.co.uk1 attendee