Successful year for the Innoptus Solar Team shines even brighter with the extension of the main sponsorship by the 4ITEGO Group

Leuven, September 25th, 2024 – The 4ITEGO Group, which includes the companies Innoptus and Infinite Simulation Systems, is pleased to announce that it will continue as the main sponsor of the Innoptus Solar Team for another two years. Following the successes of the past year, the 4ITEGO Group will also support the new Solar Team in their pursuit score a hattrick by becoming world champions again in Australia. To achieve this goal, a brand-new solar car will be developed entirely from scratch. The team looks forward to once again pushing the boundaries of what is possible and competing with the best teams in the world.

Third world title

The Innoptus Solar Team has won all major titles within a single year. After their second consecutive world title in October 2023 at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, their victory in the SASOL Solar Challenge last week and the European title at the iLumen European Solar Challenge last weekend, the Innoptus Solar Team now sets its sights on a third consecutive world title in Australia. The students from KU Leuven can once again count on the support of their main partner, the 4ITEGO Group. Its subsidiaries Innoptus and Infinite support the team with world-class software from PTC and Ansys. PTC CAD software is used for designing car concepts, while Ansys is used for various simulations. Additionally, they provide training and guidance to the students to ensure optimal use of these software tools. PTC Windchill PLM software is also employed, helping the students manage product data and improve team collaboration. With this support, the students will design and simulate thousands of car concepts to create yet another championship-winning car.

“With this extension, we continue our partnership with only one goal in mind: the hat trick, achieving a third consecutive title in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.”

– Wout Rubbrecht (23, Leuven), Team Manager of the Innoptus Solar Team

New challenges

The 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge will bring new, significant challenges for the students. Unlike before, the 3021 km challenge will no longer take place in October but will now begin on August 24, 2025. This means the construction time for their solar car is significantly shorter, forcing the team to innovate faster than ever and maximize their efficiency.

Moreover, the rules have been tightened: although the solar panel can now be larger, increasing from 4 m² to 6 m², the battery capacity has been drastically reduced to just 3 kWh, about one-third of what was previously allowed. These limitations, combined with the race taking place during the Australian winter, compel the engineering students to be more creative and strategic, pushing their technical skills to the limit.

Close collaboration

The 4ITEGO Group, which includes the companies Innoptus and Infinite, has supported the team of engineering students for many years. This led to the main sponsorship in 2023, with the decision to associate the name Innoptus with the team, while the car is named after Infinite. The contract extension emphasizes the mutual trust and shared vision of sustainability and technological progress. The team looks forward to achieving further successes together in the coming years and breaking new boundaries.

“The collaboration over the past two years has been highly beneficial for both parties, with the team achieving exceptionally good results. As a company, we are delighted to continue this partnership and contribute to the development of the next generation of engineers who are essential to the innovative capacity of our industry.”

– Xavier Werbrouck (CEO of 4ITEGO Group, Innoptus, and Infinite)