Autodesk is moving to MaRS

The global 3D design company is taking over two floors plus a unique street-level experimental space focused on the future of making things.

TORONTO, November 18, 2015 – MaRS Discovery District announced today that Autodesk Inc. has chosen to move into its West Tower. Autodesk is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software and views the move as a strategic opportunity to relocate its offices to a centre that fosters a rapidly growing innovation ecosystem.

Autodesk will occupy the second and third floors of the West Tower, a total of more than 60,000 square feet and one of its biggest footprints globally. The company is also taking over the street-level space at the northwest corner of the building and will transform it into an event space and design sandbox for the community to explore and engage with new technologies that are shaping the future of making and manufacturing.

“I am delighted to welcome Autodesk to its new home at MaRS,” said Ilse Treurnicht, CEO of MaRS. “Autodesk’s 3D design leadership is evident in products and services around the world and across a broad range of industries, from advanced manufacturing to entertainment, from life sciences discovery to urban development. This capability is at the core of breakthrough innovation and will be incredibly valuable to our community. In addition, Autodesk has been an important partner of MaRS for many years. We know that amazing things will come from this expanded collaboration.”

Autodesk has had a strong presence in Canada for over 15 years and Toronto is home to one of its most diverse product teams internationally, focused on manufacturing, media and entertainment, consumer products and product lifecycle management. Toronto is also the headquarters of Autodesk Research. This award-winning team, dedicated to solving complex design challenges like the development of scalable smart infrastructure, has a long-standing relationship with innovators in Canada and around the world. Working alongside MaRS’ tenants and community, Autodesk will continue to leverage its unique span across industries, driving the future of making things, particularly in advanced manufacturing and design, the Internet of things and smartphone consumer products.

“We’re thrilled to be moving to MaRS to be in close proximity to leading research groups and incredible talent,” said Gordon Kurtenbach, senior director of research at Autodesk. “MaRS is the heart of Toronto’s innovation scene where discoveries are translated into practical application, from the first use of insulin in the early 20th century to advances in stem cells and regenerative medicine today.”

Autodesk is at the forefront of advancements in 3D printing, building information modelling and digital prototyping. Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Toronto working with Autodesk developed a new low-cost method of creating prosthetic limb sockets using 3D printing. Autodesk software was also used in the construction of Toronto’s Humber River Hospital, North America’s first fully digital hospital, which opened in October 2015. Autodesk’s Toronto office has also pioneered new consumer technologies such as SketchBook, an intuitive painting and drawing application designed for people of all skill levels who love to draw.

MaRS Cleantech and Autodesk are also collaborating to offer MaRS Cleantech companies access to Autodesk’s design and visualization tools, a value of over $100,000 per company. This partnership enables MaRS Cleantech innovators to create digital prototypes, explore and communicate ideas, test multiple concepts and get to market faster.

“Our new space will also be open to give creators in the community access to a collaborative environment,” said Gordon. “We intend to be a greater part of the community, enabling the next generation of makers and doers to push their crafts into new and unexpected directions with our design tools.”

About MaRS Discovery District
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS supports promising young ventures that are tackling key societal challenges in the health, cleantech and information and communications technology sectors. In the last three years, these ventures have raised $1.3 billion in capital and earned $640 million in revenue. In addition to helping startups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries and driving ideas to impact.

About Autodesk
Autodesk helps people imagine, design and create a better world. Everyone from design professionals, engineers and architects to digital artists, students and hobbyists uses Autodesk software to unlock their creativity and to solve important challenges. For more information, visit Autodesk.com or follow Autodesk on Twitter @Autodesk.

For media enquiries, contact:
Lara Torvi
MaRS Discovery District
416-673-8100
ltorvi@marsdd.com