Autodesk Acquires Pixlr

Image Services to Strengthen Autodesk Consumer Product Portfolio

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Pixlr, a popular free* online and social image creating, collecting, editing and sharing service. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Combining image editing capabilities with sketching capabilities provides new avenues for rich visual expression. We also intend to marry the Pixlr team’s web development experience with our expertise in mobile app development to help people everywhere be creative on the devices of their choice.”

The Pixlr service was started in Sweden in August 2008 and provides accessible tools for non-professionals to create, edit, and share images online and socially via platforms like Facebook. The acquisition enhances Autodesk’s ability to provide image editing for its consumer products, such as the SketchBook product line. As a result of the acquisition, SketchBook Pro desktop users will gain the ability to read and write image file formats such as PXD and to easily exchange files while maintaining deep data such as layers. Current Pixlr users will immediately be able to add more freehand sketching to their projects through file compatibility with Autodesk SketchBook Pro desktop application.

“Lots of people–not just creative professionals—want to express themselves visually,” said Samir Hanna, vice president of Consumer Products at Autodesk. “Combining image editing capabilities with sketching capabilities provides new avenues for rich visual expression. We also intend to marry the Pixlr team’s web development experience with our expertise in mobile app development to help people everywhere be creative on the devices of their choice.”

Pixlr’s founders are now part of Autodesk.

Business Outlook

This transaction is expected to have no impact on guidance issued on June 29, 2011.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including the impact of the acquisition on Autodesk's financial results, and statements regarding product and service offerings, file compatibility and Autodesk's commitment to Pixlr users. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include the following: difficulties integrating and further developing Pixlr’s technology; whether certain market segments grow as anticipated; the competitive environment in the software industry and competitive responses to the acquisition; and whether Autodesk can successfully develop new products and services or modify existing products and services and the degree to which these gain market acceptance.

Further information on potential factors that could affect the financial results of Autodesk are included in the company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2011, and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 30, 2011, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Autodesk does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries – including the last 16 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects – use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

* Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement of the software.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, Pixlr and SketchBook are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

© 2011 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.