What M-Star Simulations does

M-Star Simulations, LLC is a GPU-native computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software company founded in 2014 in Maryland, USA, and acquired by Dotmatics in 2024. Its flagship product, M-Star CFD, uses Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) solvers optimized for NVIDIA GPU architectures, paired with Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence modeling, to run transient, time-accurate 3D multiphase fluid simulations on millions to billions of lattice grid points. Independent engineering literature cites 100-1000x speed advantages over traditional finite-volume CFD solvers, with a no-volume-meshing workflow enabling users to be productive in hours rather than weeks. The platform is structured around a core solver with integrated pre- and post-processing modules and a suite of vertical application modules covering biopharmaceutical bioreactors, agitated tanks, recirculation systems, CFD-DEM particle-laden flows, free-surface dynamics, droplet dispersion, and HVAC/climate control.

M-Star's primary customer base consists of large-cap pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, and chemical/agricultural companies, including AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Regeneron, Genentech, and Corteva Agriscience, with use cases centered on digital twins of stirred-tank bioreactors, scale-up validation, mass and oxygen transfer modeling, and process optimization. The company monetizes through annual subscription licensing on three tiers (Standard, Group, Enterprise), with Standard publicly listed at $63,600 per license per year and minimum 4-seat (Group) and 8-seat (Enterprise) commitments at higher tiers. Distribution is via direct enterprise sales in North America and a reseller partnership with CAD-IT Korea Co., Ltd. for the Asia-Pacific region, supported by peer-reviewed academic publications, industry conference presence (AIChE), webinars, and the CFD Mixtape podcast. Post-2024, the company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dotmatics, extending its commercial reach across the broader scientific R&D software platform.

Name

M-Star Simulations

Legal name

M-Star Simulations, LLC

Website

https://mstarcfd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

M-Star Simulations builds GPU-accelerated Lattice Boltzmann CFD software for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and chemical manufacturers, enabling 100-1000x faster multiphase fluid simulations and digital-twin bioreactor modeling. Acquired by Dotmatics in 2024, it sells annual subscriptions to enterprise customers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellicott City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software License Subscriptions: Annual subscription-based licensing model with tiered plans (Standard, Group, Enterprise). Customers pay per license per year with minimum seat requirements at higher tiers. The Standard tier is priced at $63,600 per license annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

M-Star Simulations develops and sells M-Star CFD, a GPU-native computational fluid dynamics software package based on the Lattice Boltzmann Method. It is sold on an annual subscription basis (Standard, Group, and Enterprise tiers) to scientists and engineers in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, chemical, and academic organizations for first-principles modeling of multiphase fluid mechanics, mixing, bioprocess scale-up, particle-laden flows, and HVAC/climate control.

Product overview

M-Star Simulations offers a single unified GPU-native CFD software platform called M-Star CFD, which combines Lattice Boltzmann algorithms with modern GPU architectures. The core product is delivered as a complete desktop application with integrated pre-processing, solving, and post-processing capabilities. Application-specific modules cover biopharmaceutical (bioreactors), chemical (agitated tanks, recirculation systems), particle-laden flows (CFD-DEM), free-surface dynamics, droplet dispersion, and HVAC/climate control. Supporting resources include a documentation portal, video library/webinars, peer-reviewed academic papers, and case studies. M-Star became part of Dotmatics in 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M-Star CFD GPU-native computational fluid dynamics software sold on annual subscription (Standard, Group, Enterprise tiers). Uses Lattice Boltzmann algorithms to simulate momentum, energy, and mass transport in engineering and biological systems, including multiphase flows, mixing, bioreactors, CFD-DEM particle-laden flows, free-surface dynamics, droplet dispersion, and HVAC/climate control. Targets scientists and engineers in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, chemical, and academic organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100-1000x faster simulation times compared to traditional FVM CFD solvers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• DotmaticscoreOthers · 1 January 2024In 2024, M-Star Simulations was acquired by Dotmatics, becoming part of the world's largest and most powerful scientific R&D software platform. Dotmatics offers an open data informatics framework with best-in-breed applications including GraphPad Prism, Geneious, SnapGene, and Protein Metrics, providing end-to-end solutions for biology, chemistry, formulations, and more.
• CAD-ITregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorM-Star and CAD-IT signed a reselling agreement for the Asia-Pacific region. CAD-IT Korea Co., Ltd. serves as the regional partner operating from Seoul, Korea, providing local sales and support for M-Star CFD products.
• Boehringer IngelheimcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim for validating Lattice Boltzmann LES for biopharma equipment characterization. Joint publication in Processes journal demonstrating transient LB LES applicability for reliable mixing time predictions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dassault Systèmes (SIMULIA): Dassault's SIMULIA portfolio (including XFlow and PowerFLOW LBM-based solvers) competes directly with M-Star's Lattice Boltzmann approach, particularly in automotive, aerospace, and life sciences. Strong comparable given shared LBM heritage and overlap in bioprocess and chemical customers.
• Altair Engineering: Altair provides simulation software (including AcuSolve CFD) covering structural, fluid, and multiphysics analysis. Comparable as a broader simulation portfolio with overlapping CFD capabilities, particularly in industrial and process engineering applications.
• ANSYS: ANSYS is the dominant commercial CFD platform (Fluent, CFX) used across aerospace, automotive, chemical, and bioprocess industries. Directly comparable to M-Star in multiphysics simulation for engineering customers, but with a much broader multiphysics portfolio and far larger installed base.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software (StarCCM+): Siemens StarCCM+ is a leading multiphysics CFD platform widely used in biopharmaceutical, chemical, and process industries. Comparable to M-Star in serving pharma process engineering use cases, but bundled into Siemens' broader Xcelerator PLM portfolio.
• Hexagon (MSC Software / Cradle): Hexagon's Cradle CFD and broader simulation portfolio serve industrial, automotive, and electronics customers. Comparable as an established CFD vendor with multi-physics breadth, though less specialized in the bioprocess/mixing focus that defines M-Star.

Emerging players

• OpenFOAM: OpenFOAM is the leading open-source CFD toolkit widely used in academia, research labs, and industrial R&D. Comparable as an alternative CFD platform serving process engineering and academic research, competing on cost/accessibility versus M-Star's premium subscription model.
• SimScale: SimScale is a cloud-native simulation platform offering CFD, FEA, and thermal analysis via browser-based access. Comparable as a modern CFD alternative targeting broader engineering audiences, with overlapping use cases in process and HVAC applications but lower specialization in biopharma.

Direct peers

• Cadence (Numeca): Numeca (now part of Cadence) offers specialized CFD tools (FINE/Open) for turbomachinery and process applications. Comparable as a specialized CFD vendor targeting engineering simulation, with overlap in chemical and process industry customers.
• COMSOL: COMSOL Multiphysics is a widely-used multiphysics simulation platform with strong adoption in academia, R&D labs, and process industries. Directly comparable to M-Star as a multiphysics simulation tool sold to research and engineering users, though COMSOL emphasizes broader physics breadth over M-Star's specialization in LBM-based fluid mechanics.

Regional players

• BETA CAE Systems: BETA CAE provides CAE pre/post-processing software (ANSA, META) used alongside major CFD solvers in industrial and automotive engineering. Comparable as an enabling tool in CFD workflows, though less specialized in fluid simulation itself.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MStarCFD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpPOOPJi-aHo-hZ0scSf0sA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/m-star-simulations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about M-Star Simulations