What Su2 Foundation does

SU2 Foundation (legally Stichting SU2) is a Dutch nonprofit organization (ANBI-designated Public Benefit Foundation) headquartered in Delft, Netherlands, founded in 2019 to develop, maintain, and support open-source software for computational engineering sciences. Its core product, SU2 Code, is a C++ and Python-based suite for Partial Differential Equation (PDE) analysis and PDE-constrained optimization, covering computational fluid dynamics, aerodynamic shape optimization, heat transfer, fluid-structure interaction, and multidisciplinary design optimization. The codebase is freely distributed on GitHub (su2code) with documentation hosted on su2code.github.io, and is augmented by specialized modules including SU2-Turbo (turbomachinery), SU2-Nemo (hypersonics and non-equilibrium flows using Mutation++), and SU2-COOL (non-ideal compressible fluid dynamics).

The foundation operates as a community-governed, member-supported organization rather than a commercial vendor. Its executive board consists of 8 unpaid directors drawn from leading universities (TU Delft, Politecnico di Milano, Imperial College London, University of Twente) and industry (Bosch); revenue is generated entirely through a four-tier sponsorship program (Collaborator, Investigator, Innovator, Pioneer), conference registration fees (€500 for students/contributors, €1,000 for others; virtual participation free), and donations. The user community spans academic researchers, educators, and industry engineers in aerospace, automotive, energy, and manufacturing. Strategic partners include Bosch (Platinum sponsor), Cadence Design Systems, the National Institute of Aerospace, and several European and US universities; the foundation runs an annual conference series (2020–2026), developer meetings, and specialized training such as the Turbo Summer School.

Name

Su2 Foundation

Legal name

Stichting SU2

Website

https://su2foundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SU2 Foundation is a Dutch nonprofit that develops and maintains open-source multiphysics simulation and design optimization software (SU2 Code), serving academic researchers and industry engineers in aerospace, turbomachinery, and energy applications worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Delft

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships and Donations: The SU2 Foundation is a nonprofit that depends on financial support from individuals, industry, government agencies, and universities. They offer a four-tier sponsorship program: Collaborator, Investigator, Innovator, and Pioneer levels with escalating benefits including newsletter recognition, website logo placement, social media posts, co-authored success stories, press releases, and special recognition at meetings.
2. Conference Registration Fees: The foundation charges registration fees for in-person conference attendance: €500 for PhD students and code contributors, €1000 for all others. Virtual participation is free. Fees cover venue and catering costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SU2 Foundation develops, maintains, and supports SU2, a collection of open-source C++ and Python-based software tools for Partial Differential Equation (PDE) analysis and PDE-constrained optimization. The core suite is used primarily for computational fluid dynamics (CFD), aerodynamic design, and multidisciplinary optimization, with specialized modules for turbomachinery (SU2-Turbo), hypersonic flows (SU2-Nemo), and non-ideal compressible fluid dynamics (SU2-COOL). All software is freely available on GitHub without licensing restrictions.

Product overview

The SU2 Foundation develops and maintains SU2, a collection of open-source C++ and Python-based software tools for Partial Differential Equation (PDE) analysis and PDE-constrained optimization. The core product, SU2 Code, serves as a multiphysics simulation and design optimization suite for computational fluid dynamics and aerodynamic applications. The portfolio includes specialized modules: SU2-Turbo provides turbomachinery-specific flow analysis and optimization capabilities, while SU2-Nemo addresses hypersonic and non-equilibrium flow problems using the Mutation++ thermochemistry library. SU2-COOL extends the platform for non-ideal compressible fluid dynamics. All tools are freely available and hosted on GitHub, with documentation and tutorials provided through the dedicated SU2 homepage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SU2-Turbo: Turbomachinery Working Group - focused on development of SU2 for turbomachinery applications
• SU2-Nemo

Products and services

• SU2 Code Open-source, free, publicly available multiphysics simulation suite built on C++ and Python for researchers, educators, and engineers performing PDE-constrained analysis and design optimization, primarily in CFD and aerodynamic applications.
• SU2-Turbo Specialized SU2 module and working group for flow analysis and design optimization of turbomachinery applications such as compressors and turbines.
• SU2-Nemo SU2 module and working group enabling simulation of high-Mach nonequilibrium multi-species flows for hypersonic and non-equilibrium gas dynamics applications.
• SU2-COOL Open-source framework extending SU2 for non-ideal compressible fluid-dynamics flows, supporting applications involving real-gas effects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grown from a small open-source tool for aerodynamics to a large global community with annual conferences
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Delft is a Gold sponsor and active development partner. Dr. Matteo Pini (TU Delft) serves as Vice Chairperson of the SU2 Foundation board and leads the SU2-Turbo working group. TU Delft contributes code development and organizes turbomachinery-related activities.
• Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitecnico di Milano is a Gold sponsor. Prof. Alberto Guardone serves as local organizer for SU2 conferences. The university contributes to SU2 development and hosts local organizing committees for conferences in Varenna.
• National Institute of Aerospace (NIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIA is a Gold sponsor and hosts an SU2 development center. Boris Diskin from NIA presented on the 'Vision and perspective of SU2 development center at NIA' at the 4th Developers Meeting.
• University of TwentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Twente is a Gold sponsor and contributes to SU2 development. Dr. Edwin van der Weide (University of Twente) serves as Events Officer on the SU2 Foundation board and contributes to verification and validation activities.
• Cadence Design SystemsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCadence Design Systems is a Gold sponsor of the SU2 Foundation, supporting the foundation's operations and activities.
• Stanford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStanford University is a Silver sponsor. Prof. Juan J. Alonso (Stanford) is a key member of the Advisory Board and Organizing Committee, contributing significantly to SU2 development and conference organization.
• TU KaiserslauternmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Kaiserslautern is a Silver sponsor and active contributor. Prof. Nico Gauger serves on the Advisory Board, and Tobias Kattmann (TU Kaiserslautern) is a board member and award winner.
• Imperial College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImperial College London is a Silver sponsor. Pedro Gomes (Imperial College) serves as Development Officer on the board. Imperial contributes to aero-structural optimization and SU2 development.
• University of StrathclydecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Strathclyde is a Silver sponsor. Dr. Marco Fossati leads the SU2-Nemo working group for hypersonics and non-equilibrium flows, and serves on conference organizing committees.
• Rafael Advanced Defense SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Eran Arad from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems serves on the SU2 Foundation board and Organizing Committee. Rafael contributes to SU2 development and uses the software for defense-related applications.
• preCICEmajorTechnology or IntegrationpreCICE library enables coupling of SU2 with other simulation software for co-simulation and multiphysics coupling. Featured in SU2 Conference presentations demonstrating fluid-structure interaction using SU2, MBDyn, and preCICE.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/su2code
• GitHubgithub.com/su2code
• Facebookfacebook.com/su2code
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/su2-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Su2 Foundation