Fundraising Fox

Autodesk Foundation

Foundationoperating company · company profile

San Francisco · Pre-Seed–Growth · 29 people tracked

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Investment thesis

The Autodesk Foundation aligns its philanthropy with design and engineering, investing in nonprofits and startups to de-risk innovation and scale industry-transforming solutions. It focuses on three impact areas: decarbonization (avoiding, reducing, and removing greenhouse gas emissions), climate resilience and adaptation in low-resource communities, and workforce development that prepares workers for the era of automation and creates quality jobs. The Foundation blends funding, technical training, and Autodesk expertise to bring early-stage innovations to market, supported by a rigorous impact measurement and management practice that guides investment decisions and tracks outcomes toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 7, 2026.

Stage
Pre-Seed–Growth
HQ
San Francisco, US
Instruments
Equity · Grants
Tracked investments
120

Team · 29 people

from the firm's website
Akinyi Ochieng· Senior Foundation Operations Managerin
Joe Speicher· Presidentin
Rebecca Pearce· Chief People Officer, Autodesk, Inc.; Board Secretary, Autodesk Foundationin
Ruth Ann Keene· Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Autodesk, Inc.; Board Treasurer, Autodesk Foundation
Steve Blum· Chief Operating Officer, Autodesk, Inc.; Board Chair, Autodesk Foundation
Christine Stoner· Executive Director
Jean Shia· Managing Directorin
Beth Foster-Chao· Investment Lead, Climate Adaptation & Resiliencein
Ishita Jain· Impact Measurement & Management Lead
Kate Buchanan· Workforce Innovation & Investment Leadin
Ade Jimoh· Portfolio Associatein
Akashraj Murthy· Senior Associate
Alli O’Connell Dooley· Head of Marketing & Communications
Bobbie Casey· Partner Success Managerin
Chelsea Bruno· Head of Customer Engagement
Damiana Pacheco· AEC Technology Success Lead
Danielle Gagnon· Partner Success Manager, Work & Prosperity
Haresh Khoobchandani· Vice President, Sales, APAC, Autodesk, Inc.in
Janesh Moorjani· Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Autodesk, Inc.in
Kevin Iraheta Sousa· Senior Portfolio Associatein
Ky Begley· Employee Impact Project Leadin
Laura Bolaños· D&M Technology Success Specialistin
Liz Baird· Employee Impact Project Lead
Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg· Managing Director, Africa, Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT

What they invest in

from 73 of 120 portfolio companies

Impact & Social Good ×50Climate Tech ×23Cleantech ×21EdTech ×17Energy ×13AgTech ×11Construction Tech ×10Future of Work ×10

HQs:United States×47Kenya×3United Kingdom×2Canada×1Haiti×1Mali×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 41 portfolio companies
51%
solo founders
21 of 41 mapped founding teams
46%
repeat founders
of 13 founders with career history

Founding team size:solo founder×212 founders×133 founders×54+ founders×2

Where their founders worked beforefrom 13 founders with career history

University of Colorado Boulder ×3

Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program

Techstars ×3

Investments · 120 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2024 · 22023 · 12020 · 12018 · 15 dated

Activate Fellowshipactivate.orgin𝕏

Activate builds community and programs to help scientists and engineers commercialize breakthrough research into real-world solutions.

AgTechAI & Machine LearningDeep TechEdTechImpact & Social GoodNew MaterialsBerkeley, US

Leila Madrone(Executive Vice President, New Founder Pathways)Sarah Morrill(Executive Vice President, Innovation Lab)Steven Tran(Executive Vice President, Finance & Contracts)

Co-investorsGrantham FoundationEcho River Capital

Acumenacumen.orgin𝕏

Acumen is a global venture philanthropy organization that deploys capital to high-innovation enterprises addressing poverty in agriculture, energy, education, healthcare, and employment across Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the United States.

AgTechCleantechImpact & Social Good

Jacqueline NovagratzJacqueline Novogratz(Founder and CEO)

AiiM Partners Visit AiiM Partnersaiimpartners.com

AiiM Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in commercialization-stage technology companies focused on resource efficiency across digital transformation, energy and power, and supply chain and logistics markets.

CleantechClimate TechImpact & Social Good

Co-investorsFarvatn Venture

Alumni
Ampaireampaire.comin𝕏Jul 2018

Ampaire develops hybrid-electric propulsion systems for aircraft, with the AmpDrive technology deployed across multiple aircraft types to reduce fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and noise emissions.

CleantechClimate TechEnergyHardwareSpace TechLos Angeles, US

Kevin Noertker(Executive Officer, Director)Cory Combs(Executive Officer, Director)Ryan Bilton(Executive Officer, Director)

Co-investors1955 CapitalHemisphere Ventures LLCTechstarsMassive

Amped Innovationampedinnovation.comin𝕏

Amped Innovation designs and manufactures off-grid solar systems and appliances for solar-rich environments, building its own circuits, software, and mechanical components.

CleantechEnergyHardwarePalo Alto, US

Kurt Kuhlmann(Executive Officer, Director)inWhitney Goodwin(Executive Officer, Director)Andrea Kleissner(Executive Officer, Director)

Co-investorsFINCA VenturesGlobal PartnershipsSilicon Valley

Applied Carbonappliedcarbon.comin

Applied Carbon develops technologies to regenerate soil and sequester atmospheric carbon for climate change mitigation and soil health improvement.

AgTechCleantechClimate Tech

Jason Aramburu(CEO + Co-Founder)inMorgan M. Williams(COO + Co-Founder)in

Co-investorsCongruent VenturesS2G InvestmentsTO VCWireframe VenturesZag CapitalOverture Climate+1 more

Autodeskautodesk.com

Autodesk is a publicly traded developer of design, engineering, and entertainment software, best known for AutoCAD.

San Rafael, US

Andrew Anagnost(Executive Officer, Director)inRichard Scott Herren(Executive Officer)Steven M. Blum(Executive Officer)Pascal W. Di Fronzo(Executive Officer)Carmel Galvin(Executive Officer)

BoardBetsy Rafael(Director)

Co-investorsAccess Venture PartnersBaseline VenturesBuilding VenturesDesignXHomebrewKarista+9 more

Avalanche Energy

Pursuing nuclear fusion through modular micro-reactors for clean energy production.

Awe Funds
Balloon Tech Co.

High-altitude balloon platform capturing Earth observation data for wildfire detection and public interest purposes.

BamCore

Advanced ManufacturingWindsor, US

William Harold Hinkle(Manager of LLC)William D. McDonald(Director)Kevan Kurt(Director)

Beyond The Domebeyondthedome.com

Beyond The Dome builds a modular, automated system for wastewater treatment facilities that destroys biosolids and treats sludge, eliminating organics including PFAS, microplastics, and pharmaceuticals while recovering water, minerals, and energy.

Circular EconomyCleantechEnergy

Co-investorsAccelr8ACVC PartnersMuirwoods Ventures

Billionbricksbillionbricks.org
Bioliteenergybioliteenergy.comin𝕏

BioLite sells off-grid energy products including solar-powered string lights that double as a portable USB charger, designed for camping, backyards, and other outdoor use without access to an outlet.

CleantechConsumerDirect to ConsumerEnergyHardware

Jonathan Cedar(Founder)in

Co-investorsBuilders FundRRE Ventures

BluLever Education

Vocational education organization empowering Africa's artisans with future skills.

Bridges to Prosperity

Nonprofit working on infrastructure and resilient communities.

Co-investorsCeniarth

Build Changebuildchange.orgin

Build Change is a nonprofit organization focused on disaster-resilient housing and preventing housing loss caused by disasters worldwide.

Climate TechConstruction TechImpact & Social Good

Elizabeth Hausler

Build Health Internationalbuildhealthinternational.orgin

Build Health International designs, builds, and maintains healthcare facilities in Haiti, Latin America, and Africa.

Construction TechHealthtechImpact & Social GoodPort-au-Prince, HT

David Walton(Co-founder)Jim Ansara(Co-founder and Managing Director)

Buildx Studio
Calacademycalacademy.org

The California Academy of Sciences is a natural history museum and research institution in San Francisco that generates scientific knowledge about ecosystems, develops educational resources, and builds collaborations to regenerate the natural world and deepen humanity's connection with nature.

Climate TechEdTechImpact & Social GoodMedia & EntertainmentSan Francisco, US

CarbonBuiltcarbonbuilt.comin

CarbonBuilt makes low-carbon concrete masonry and hardscape products by replacing up to half the cement with its proprietary upcycled binder, reducing the carbon footprint of concrete production.

CleantechConstruction TechNew MaterialsTorrance, US

Gaurav Sant(Director)Rahul Shendure(Executive Officer, Director)in

BoardEdward Muller(Executive Officer, Director)Neil Renninger(Director)

Co-investorsConnecticut InnovationsFoundamental

Catapultdesigncatapultdesign.orgin

Catapult Design is a design consultancy that assembles multidisciplinary teams of designers, engineers, and strategists to work on social change projects.

Impact & Social GoodSector Agnostic

BoardEmily Poler

ChargerHelpchargerhelp.cominApr 2023

ChargerHelp provides a managed reliability service for EV charging stations, powered by its EMPWR technology platform that offers remote diagnostics, unified data analysis, and reporting on charger uptime.

EnergyMobility & TransportationSaaS

Kameale C. Terry(Founder & CEO)inEvette Ellis(Founder)

Co-investorsAligned Climate CapitalAvesta FundBlue Bear Capital PartnersEnergy Impact PartnersEverywhere VenturesHigh Street Equity Partners+9 more

Closed Loop Partners

Invests in early-stage companies supporting the circular economy.

Closed Loop Venturesclosedlooppartners.comin𝕏

Closed Loop Partners is an investment and operations firm focused on building the circular economy through investments in companies and innovations that advance waste reduction and resource efficiency.

Circular EconomyCleantechImpact & Social Good

Co-investorsAtento CapitalCircular Innovation FundClean Energy Ventures

Coalfield Developmentcoalfield-development.orgin𝕏

Coalfield Development provides workforce training, community revitalization, and social enterprise development to address economic and social challenges in central Appalachia.

EdTechFuture of WorkGovTechHR TechImpact & Social GoodWest Virginia, US

Brandon Dennison(Founder)Jacob Hannah(CEO)

Delta40

Venture studio investing in energy, agriculture, and mobility ventures in Africa.

Designingjusticedesigningjustice.orgin

Designing Justice, Designing Spaces (DJDS) works with community organizations to design and build physical spaces that promote restorative justice and equity, including restorative justice hubs and supportive housing.

Construction TechImpact & Social GoodBay Area, US

Designmattersatartcenterdesignmattersatartcenter.org𝕏

Designmatters is a non-degree educational department within ArtCenter College of Design focused on social impact design and design education.

EdTechImpact & Social GoodLos Angeles, US

Jennifer May(Executive Director, Designmatters Department)

Designthatmattersdesignthatmatters.org
EarthEnable

Trains masons to sell and install high-quality earthen floors from natural materials.

Gayatri Datar(Cofounder)

Ebb Carbonebbcarbon.comin

Ebb develops electrochemical water treatment technology that recovers freshwater from desalination brine while removing carbon dioxide and producing industrial chemicals.

CleantechClimate TechSan Carlos, US

Ben Tarbell(Executive Officer, Director)Matthew Eisaman(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardKevin Tidwell(Director)Mike Biddle(Director)inGabriel Kra(Director)in

Co-investorsCongruent VenturesEvok InnovationsPrelude VenturesPropeller VC

Eddesignlabeddesignlab.orgin𝕏

A national nonprofit organization that designs, tests, and scales education-to-workforce models through human-centered design to address equity gaps and connect learners to economic mobility.

EdTechFuture of WorkHR TechImpact & Social GoodWashington, US

Co-investorsCarnegie Corporation of New York

Enablecommunityfoundationenablecommunityfoundation.org
Engineering for Changeengineeringforchange.orgin𝕏

Engineering for Change is a global community platform connecting engineers, designers, and technology professionals with impact-driven projects, fellowships, and job opportunities focused on sustainability and social good.

EdTechImpact & Social Good

Enterprisecommunityenterprisecommunity.orgin𝕏

Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit that invests in and supports community development to address housing affordability and affordability shortages across the United States.

FintechImpact & Social GoodPropTech

Factor E Ventures
FAME USAfame-usa.comin

FAME provides apprenticeship-style manufacturing skills training through an earn-while-you-learn model, partnering with manufacturers to deliver 1,800+ hours of hands-on technical training combined with academic instruction leading to an associate degree.

Advanced ManufacturingEdTechFuture of WorkHR TechKentucky, US

Fikafika.orgin𝕏

Fika designs, evaluates, and scales rural trail and transport infrastructure programs — such as bridge construction and AI-based transport planning — to improve connectivity for isolated rural communities.

Construction TechGovTechImpact & Social GoodMobility & Transportation

Flariin𝕏

University of Colorado Boulder is an academic and research institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs across arts, sciences, business, and technology, with research focus on water treatment, infectious disease, planetary defense, and quantum technology.

CleantechEdTechQuantum ComputingBoulder, US

Found Energyfound.energyinAug 2024

Found Energy develops rechargeable metal fuels, specifically aluminum-based fuels, for industrial applications that cannot be reached by electrification, offering cost-parity alternatives to fossil fuels for heat and power generation.

CleantechClimate TechEnergyBoston, US

Peter Godart(Executive Officer, Director)in

BoardTulay Farra(Director)Gadi Ruschin(Director)

Co-investorsCollaborative FundGiTV, Inc.Good Growth CapitalJ-ImpactSur VenturesMunich Re Ventures

FreeWorldjoinfreeworld.comin

FreeWorld is a tech-enabled nonprofit that helps people with criminal histories build careers in trucking, guiding them from earning a CDL-A permit through trucking school to job placement.

EdTechFuture of WorkImpact & Social Good

Co-investorsMoai Capital

Generationgeneration.orgin𝕏

Generation is a global nonprofit that prepares and places people into career training and employment services, with a focus on enabling economic mobility for underserved populations.

EdTechFuture of WorkImpact & Social Good

Girlsgaragegirlsgarage.org

Girls Garage offers hands-on building and design classes for youth and adults, focusing on carpentry, power tools, and construction skills.

Construction TechEdTechOakland, US

Emily Pilloton-Lam(Founder)

Gradient

Builds efficient heat-pump AC units to replace conventional window units.

Heirloom

Engineering cost-effective Direct Air Capture using natural processes to remove carbon dioxide.

Co-investorsAhren Innovation CapitalLowercarbon CapitalPrelude Ventures

Hometeam Ventureshometeam.vcin𝕏

Hometeam Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments in technology companies modernizing the construction industry.

Climate TechConstruction TechImpact & Social GoodPropTech

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez(Founder)

Hope Street Group
Industrial Sewing And Innovation Center
ISAICisaic.orgin

ISAIC is a Detroit-based nonprofit institute that develops advanced manufacturing methods and educational programs for the textile and apparel industry.

Advanced ManufacturingEdTechFuture of WorkImpact & Social GoodDetroit, US

Jen Guarino(President, CEO, Co-Founder)

Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC)

Promotes strong communities and businesses so working people do not live in poverty.

JARC Rhode Island

Organization referenced in the foundation's workforce development work.

JFF Venturesjff.orgin𝕏

Jobs for the Future (JFF) is a national nonprofit that works to transform U.S. education and workforce systems to advance economic success for people, businesses, and communities.

EdTechFuture of WorkImpact & Social GoodBoston, US

Maria Flynn(President & CEO)

Kenyacickenyacic.orgin𝕏

Kenya Climate Innovation Centre is a climate innovation hub that supports the development and scaling of locally relevant climate technologies through entrepreneurship and strategic partnerships.

AgTechClimate TechImpact & Social GoodKenya, KE

Kheytikheyti.org

Kheyti provides climate-smart agriculture technologies to smallholder farmers, aiming to increase their incomes and climate resilience.

AgTechClimate TechImpact & Social GoodShort Hills, US

Saumya .(Founder)inAyush Sharma(Founder)in

Co-investorsCeniarthMulago Foundation

Kickstartkickstart.orgin

KickStart is a nonprofit social enterprise that designs and distributes affordable irrigation pumps to enable smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa to irrigate fields year-round, grow high-value crops during dry seasons, and increase incomes.

AgTechClimate TechHardwareImpact & Social Good

Last Energylastenergy.comin

Last Energy develops modular micro nuclear power plants designed to reduce deployment time and cost.

CleantechClimate TechDeep TechEnergyHardware

Bret Kugelmass(Founder)

Co-investorsArmada Investment AGFloodgateGigafundWestern Technology Investment

Lavoutenubiennelavoutenubienne.org

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Autodesk Foundation made?
Autodesk Foundation has 118 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
What stage does Autodesk Foundation invest at?
Autodesk Foundation invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
What sectors does Autodesk Foundation focus on?
Autodesk Foundation focuses on AgTech, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Construction Tech, Energy, Future of Work, Impact & Social Good, New Materials.
Where is Autodesk Foundation located?
Autodesk Foundation is headquartered in San Francisco, US.
Who does Autodesk Foundation co-invest with?
Autodesk Foundation most often shares deals with Ceniarth, Congruent Ventures, Mulago Foundation, among 97 tracked co-investors.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

The Case for Aligning Future of Work with Impact│Joe Speicher (Autodesk Foundation)

World Knowledge Forum · Joe Speicher

Prosa Talks - Joe Speicher (Autodesk Foundation)

Prosa Press · Joe Speicher

Images

Autodesk Foundation photoAutodesk Foundation photoAutodesk Foundation photo

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