What ParticleWorks does

ParticleWorks is a particle-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software product developed by Prometech Software, Inc., a privately held Japanese company headquartered in Tokyo. The software implements the MPS (Moving Particle Semi-implicit) method, a meshfree particle technique originally developed by Prof. Seiichi Koshizuka at the University of Tokyo in the 1990s, which enables stable simulation of highly deformable free-surface fluids (water, oil) and fluid-structure interactions without requiring mesh generation. The product is targeted primarily at automotive and transportation engineering use cases (transmission oil distribution, motor cooling, fuel tank sloshing, gearbox analysis, aerodynamics, water splash) and secondarily at civil engineering, infrastructure, energy, and academic research.

The product portfolio extends beyond Particleworks to Granuleworks (DEM-based powder simulation) and an optional ecosystem of add-on modules: GPU Solver, 2D Analysis, Pre/Post processing licenses, and an SDK for customization. In 2024, Prometech launched Prometech Cloud, a browser-accessible, deposit-based simulation platform offering up to 8x NVIDIA A100 GPUs for large-scale compute, removing the upfront hardware investment previously required.

Revenue is generated through a combination of perpetual software licenses and annual rental licenses (floating licenses via FlexNet), optional add-on modules sold as one-time/perpetual licenses, annual maintenance and support contracts, academic licenses, and usage-based cloud computing deposits. The go-to-market is predominantly enterprise-focused, delivered through a multi-tier global channel partner network with regional distributors across Japan, the Americas, Europe, China, and India (e.g., KKE, FASOTEC, FunctionBay, Particleworks Europe, EnginSoft USA, PERA Global, DHIO Research & Engineering), supplemented by Prometech Cloud as a lower-friction self-serve channel.

Name

ParticleWorks

Legal name

Particleworks (Product of Prometech Software, Inc.)

Website

https://particleworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ParticleWorks is particle-based CFD simulation software developed by Japan's Prometech Software, using the meshfree MPS method to simulate highly deformable free-surface fluids for automotive, civil engineering, energy, and academic customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Riverside

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: Primary revenue from software licensing with two options: purchase (perpetual) licenses and annual rental licenses. Basic configuration includes CPU solver (4 cores) and Pre/Post (1 license). Floating licenses managed via Flexera Software FlexNet Licensing.
2. Optional Add-on Modules: Additional revenue from optional features including GPU solver, 2D analysis, additional Pre/Post licenses, additional CPU solver cores, and SDK (Software Development Kit).
3. Maintenance and Support Services: Annual maintenance contracts providing software upgrades, updates, and technical support from experienced engineers. Available to licensees and annual rental customers.
4. Academic Licenses: Special academic pricing for universities and research institutions with full feature set including CPU solver, GPU solver, and SDK.
5. Cloud Computing Services: Prometech Cloud provides deposit-based access to Particleworks and Granuleworks with no hardware investment required. Usage deducted from purchased deposits valid for one year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Particleworks is a particle-based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software built on the proprietary MPS (Moving Particle Semi-implicit) method. It enables meshless simulation of highly deformable free-surface fluids (water, oil, fuel, concrete) and their interaction with structures, supporting conjugate heat transfer, multiphysics, and GPU-accelerated computation. The product is sold via perpetual or annual licenses, with add-on modules and a cloud deployment option through Prometech Cloud.

Product overview

Particleworks is a unified CAE software product for particle-based fluid simulation using the MPS (Moving Particle Semi-implicit) method. The core Particleworks product provides meshless CFD simulation for free-surface fluids with GPU acceleration support. Related products under the Prometech Group include Granuleworks (DEM powder simulation software). The product ecosystem includes Prometech Cloud for cloud-based deployment, optional GPU Solver and Pre/Post modules, an SDK for customization, and 2D analysis capability. Academic licenses bundle CPU solver, Pre/Post, GPU solver, 2D analysis, and SDK into a comprehensive package.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Granuleworks: DEM (Discrete Element Method) software for powder simulation, developed by Prometech Software
• Prometech Cloud
• MPS Method
• SPH Method

Products and services

• Particleworks Particle-based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software using the MPS method for high-accuracy simulation of highly deformable free-surface fluids (water, oil, fuel, concrete) and their interaction with structures. Designed for design evaluation, product development, and academic research across automotive, civil, energy, and machinery industries. Sold via perpetual or annual licenses with optional add-ons.
• Granuleworks Discrete Element Method (DEM) software for powder and granular material simulation and analysis. Sold as a related Prometech Group product, addressable via the same Prometech Cloud platform.
• Prometech Cloud Browser-delivered cloud simulation service for Particleworks and Granuleworks, eliminating upfront hardware investment and local installation. Supports up to 8x NVIDIA A100 GPUs for large-scale, high-speed computation, with usage deducted from purchased deposits and one-stop technical support.
• Particleworks SDK (Software Development Kit) Software Development Kit that enables customization, scripting, and integration of the Particleworks MPS solver for advanced users and academic research teams. Sold as a separately licensed add-on.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prometech Software, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper, Main domestic/Overseas dealer for Particleworks. Founded by Prof. Koshizuka, the co-inventor of MPS method. Handles development, sales, marketing, and support globally.
• KOZO KEIKAKU ENGINEERING Inc. (KKE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor handling sales and marketing of Particleworks in Japan through SBD Marketing and Sales Department.
• FASOTEC Co., Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for Particleworks in Japan market.
• FunctionBay K.K. / FunctionBay, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal distributor for Particleworks with sub-distributors in India (Function Dynamics), China (FunctionBay CHINA, RecurDyn China).
• Particleworks Europe S.r.l.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor handling European markets for Particleworks.
• EnginSoft USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for North and South America handling sales and support of Particleworks in the region.
• PERA Global Holdings, Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for China market.
• DHIO Research & Engineering Pvt Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for India market.
• GDEP Solutions, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationHardware sales partner for GPU and HPC systems, AI and cloud infrastructure services supporting Particleworks deployments. Partner providing GPU solutions for simulation acceleration.
• The University of Tokyo - Koshizuka LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry-academia collaboration with Prof. Koshizuka's laboratory for state-of-the-art research, development and guidance of fluid simulation by MPS method. Prof. Koshizuka is co-inventor of MPS method and co-founder of Prometech Software.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ESI Group: ESI is a CAE vendor with virtual-prototyping and CFD capabilities serving automotive and industrial customers — competing for the same multiphysics simulation wallet share that Particleworks targets.
• Altair Engineering: HyperWorks/Altair CFD competes in CAE suites for automotive and industrial fluid-thermal simulation, overlapping with Particleworks' customer base in motors, gearboxes, and cooling.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software (STAR-CCM+): STAR-CCM+ is a leading enterprise CFD platform. Competes in the same automotive/aerospace multiphysics CFD buying cycle where Particleworks is used, and represents the suite consolidation risk to niche solvers.
• Cadence Design Systems (NUMECA): Cadence acquired NUMECA (ultra-efficient CFD for turbomachinery) and competes broadly in engineering simulation. Relevant as another broad-suite consolidator with overlapping CFD capabilities.
• Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA: SIMULIA (including XFlow, a Lattice-Boltzmann CFD) competes directly in particle-based CFD and multiphysics CAE. Most direct incumbent overlap with Particleworks' meshless approach.
• ANSYS: Largest independent CAE/CFD vendor (Fluent, CFX). Competes broadly in multiphysics and fluid simulation but uses mesh-based methods as its primary approach; relevant as the incumbent Particleworks is differentiated against.

Direct peers

• COMSOL: COMSOL Multiphysics is a comparable particle-capable multiphysics solver sold via perpetual/subscription licensing with an intuitive GUI. Direct competitor for fluid-thermal-structure coupled simulations with academic and enterprise channels.
• Nextflow Software: Developer of XFlow (now part of Dassault SIMULIA), a particle-based CFD solver using Lattice Boltzmann. Most direct peer in particle-method CFD targeting automotive aerodynamics and free-surface flows.
• Flow Science: FLOW-3D specializes in free-surface and transient fluid dynamics, historically the same meshfree/particle niche Particleworks occupies, with strong overlap in automotive sloshing, splashing, and civil engineering concrete flow applications.
• ESSS (Rocky DEM): Rocky DEM is a discrete element method solver for granular/powder flows — analogous to Prometech's Granuleworks product and competing in the same pharmaceutical, mining, and bulk-material handling accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/PrometechCoJp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prometech-software-inc-

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 ParticleWorks