Start-Up Spotlight: SolarSub

SolarSub is redefining the future of renewable energy by building some of the most efficient solar panels ever created. Its breakthrough passive cooling technology unlocks up to 20% more energy output. It also reduces degradation by 57% and extends panel lifespan, transforming both performance and project economics.

Initially SolarSub were focused on the floating solar market, where increased efficiency, improved durability and long-term returns are critical. It’s solutions empower developers and operators to extract more value from every installation.

Based in Edinburgh, SolarSub is a close-knit team of engineers and innovators driven by a shared mission. To push the boundaries of solar technology and accelerate the global transition to clean energy.

Aman Khan, Mechanical Engineer at SolarSub, spoke with Visiativ about their experience joining Visiativ’s SOLIDWORKS for Start-Ups Scheme.

The SOLIDWORKS for Start-Ups Scheme

Aman: “We discovered the startup programme through the Visiativ ecosystem while exploring tools to accelerate our product development. SOLIDWORKS stood out as a strong fit. It offered both technical support and a pathway to scale quickly, however the financial investment would have been difficult for our new and still small company. Thankfully, the Visiativ team found us on LinkedIn and managed the onboarding process to their SOLIDWORKS for Start-Up scheme for us.

“The application process was straightforward and well-structured, with clear criteria at each step. The Visiativ team was responsive and supportive, making the overall experience smooth and efficient.”

Would you recommend the SOLIDWORKS for Start-Ups Scheme?

Aman: “We’d highly recommend the SOLIDWORKS startup programme to other early-stage companies. The biggest benefit has been access to powerful design tools and a library that significantly accelerated our product development and reduced early-stage costs.”

SolarSub benefitted in year one with access to SOLIDWORKS Design Premium at no cost, and then enjoyed significant discounts in the second and third year. Following this, SolarSub then converted to full commercial licences.

Aman: “We continued using SOLIDWORKS Premium, SOLIDWORKS PDM, SOLIDWORKS CAM and SOLIDWORKS Visualize to support our ongoing design, manufacturing and marketing workflows.

“SOLIDWORKS was chosen for its robust, industry-proven design capabilities and seamless integration across the product development workflow.

“We would recommend SOLIDWORKS. It combines powerful design capability with ease of use, enabling engineers to move quickly from concept to manufacturable product. It’s a reliable, industry-proven tool that accelerates innovation and improves design confidence at every stage.”

SolarSub design process

Aman: “After initial design workshops and concept sketches, we use SOLIDWORKS to develop models and assess the feasibility of each concept. From there, we progress through preliminary and detailed design, using it to refine, validate and review our designs before moving into prototyping and testing.

“Weldments help us quickly build and modify structural frames using standard sections, which is critical for rapid iteration. Standard libraries streamline our workflow by enabling consistent, repeatable design practices and significantly reducing development time. Sheet metal tools allow us to design manufacturable components with accuracy and speed, ensuring designs are production-ready from the start.”

About a project

Aman: “Solar Panels overheating can reduce efficiency by up to 25%. SolarSub developed a cost-effective passive cooling system to extract and dissipate excess heat from panels without any moving parts. This ensures higher reliability, zero running costs and improved long-term performance. We used SOLIDWORKS extensively to model and iterate the design before moving toward prototyping and our test trials in Dubai under outdoor conditions.

“A passive cooling system was designed to extract and dissipate excess heat from solar panels without any moving parts and zero ongoing energy consumption.

“One of the key challenges was moving from controlled validation to real-world scalability while maintaining consistent thermal performance and manufacturability.

“Our initial development and testing at University of Edinburgh were critical in validating the passive cooling concept and refining the design. As we progressed, collaboration with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland helped us focus on scaling the technology toward TRL6 and ensuring it can be manufactured reliably at industrial scale.

“We also conducted pilot trials at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, where we demonstrated real-world performance and further validated commercial viability. The overarching challenge has been balancing performance, durability and manufacturability while preparing the system for seamless integration into existing solar infrastructure.

“SOLIDWORKS enabled us to rapidly iterate and validate designs before physical prototyping, significantly reducing development risk and time. It allowed us to move confidently from lab-scale testing to scalable, manufacturable designs

“Assembly modelling enabled system-level validation, allowing us to assess how components interact in real-world conditions. These features helped us optimise performance, ensure structural feasibility and design with manufacturing constraints.”

Working with Visiativ

Aman: “Technical support from Visiativ has been responsive and highly effective, quickly resolving issues and keeping our development on track.

“They’ve been supportive throughout, ensuring we get the right solutions and value from SOLIDWORKS to meet our immediate needs and as our needs evolve.

“We’ve been incredibly impressed with the support and expertise provided by the Visiativ team. It’s reassuring to know that whenever we need assistance, there’s a knowledgeable team ready to help us find the right solution. We’d have no hesitation in recommending Visiativ to any company, large or small, operating in the design and manufacturing sector.”

What’s next for SolarSub?

Aman: “SolarSub will make a quantum leap in the solar energy sector by producing the most efficient and durable solar panels. A key milestone will be successfully completing our pilot deployment and fully commercialising our passive cooling technology at scale.

“SOLIDWORKS will continue to play a crucial role in this journey. It will enable rapid innovation, scalable product development and the seamless transition from concept to global manufacturing.”

Find out more about SolarSub on their website.

Do you qualify for SOLIDWORKS for Start-ups?

Take the 5 question quiz to find out now!