Sketchfab

Sketchfab
Web address sketchfab.com
Commercial? Yes
Type of site
 3D models platform
Registration free
Available in English
Users 100,000[1]
Launched 2012
Alexa rank
 28,520 (January 2014)[2]
Current status Active

Sketchfab is a website used to display and share 3D content online. The company behind it was launched in France and is today based in Paris and New York City. It provides a 3D model viewer based on the WebGL technology that allows to display 3D models on any mobile or desktop webpage. Sketchfab took part in the Spring 2013 TechStars New York City startup accelerator program[3] and raised $2 million in December 2013.

Service

The main product of Sketchfab is a 3D model viewer. It is used on the Sketchfab website but can also be embedded on external websites, and notably on Facebook.[4][5] Sketchfab additionally provides a community portal, where visitors can browse, rate and download[6] public and user generated 3D models. Users of Sketchfab have profile pages and premium users have a dedicated online portfolio featuring their creations.[7] They can upload 3D models from the Sketchfab website or directly from various 3D software, using plugins[8] (for example for 3ds Max[9] or SketchUp[10]) or natively (from Blender[11][12][13] or Adobe Photoshop[14]). Since late 2014, Sketchfab users can choose to make their 3D model files available for download under Creative Commons licenses,[6] this feature places Sketchfab as a 3D printing marketplace since some downloadable models are compatible with 3D printing.

Technology

The Sketchfab 3D viewer is using the WebGL JavaScript API to display 3D models and is built using the open-source OSG.JS JavaScript library. This allows the display of 3D models on webpages without the need of third-party plugins if the browser supports WebGL. Rendering is achieved using classic real-time rendering or physically based rendering.[15][16] On browsers that don't support the WebGL technology, the Sketchfab viewer uses a 2D fallback displaying a pre-rendered 3D model.

History

Sketchfab was initially created by entrepreneur and 3D developer Cédric Pinson under the domain name ShowWebGL in early 2011.[17] He was joined in early 2012 by Alban Denoyel, and they relaunched the site under the name Sketchfab in March 2012.[18] Pierre-Antoine Passet joined as CPO in September 2012.

Sketchfab claimed 50,000 users in August 2013[19] and almost 100,000 users in December 2013.[1] In April 2014, the company claimed to host 100,000 3D models.[20] In November 2014, it reached 200,000 models.[6]

Startup accelerators

The startup was part of the third batch of the French startup accelerator Le Camping in June 2012.[21] It was later selected into Mozilla’s WebFWD accelerator program during that same year.[22] The year after, Sketchfab was selected in the Spring 2013 TechStars class in New York City.[3]

Fundraising

In February 2013, Sketchfab raised an angel round of 370,000 euros.[23][24] Less than one year after, in December 2013, Sketchfab raised $2 million from Balderton Capital with Partech Ventures, Borealis Ventures, David Cohen and existing angel investors also participated in the funding.[25][26][27]

Awards

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Sketchfab raises $2m to scale its "YouTube for 3D files"". Sketchfab. November 29, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Sketchfab.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2015-01-25.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Eugene Chung (April 2, 2013). "TechStars NYC 2013 Class". TechStars.
  4. ↑ Alban (February 26, 2015). "Facebook now supports Sketchfab 3D embeds! - Sketchfab Blog". Sketchfab.
  5. ↑ Stott, Rory (March 2, 2015). "Embed Your 3D Sketchfab Models on Facebook". ArchDaily.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Sketchfab launches a Download Option and reaches 200k 3D files". Sketchfab. October 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ "sketchfab.me, your pro 3D portfolio website". Sketchfab. March 25, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Sketchfab Exporters". Sketchfab.
  9. ↑ Klaas Nienhuis. "Sketchfab - Autodesk 3ds Max - Autodesk Exchange Apps".
  10. ↑ Alexander Schreyer. "SketchUp to Sketchfab.com Uploader - SketchUp Extension Warehouse".
  11. ↑ Bart (March 24, 2014). "Sketchfab is the first ‘Commercial’ Add-on Bundled with Blender". BlenderNation.
  12. ↑ "We now ship with Blender!". Sketchfab. March 24, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Blender 2.70: Addons". Blender Wiki.
  14. ↑ "Major Update to Adobe Photoshop CC Brings 3D Printing to the Design World" (Press release). Adobe. January 16, 2014.
  15. ↑ Bart (March 4, 2015). "Sketchfab releases Physically Based Rendering". BlenderNation.
  16. ↑ "Physically Based Rendering".
  17. ↑ "ShowWebGl.com Whois Record".
  18. ↑ "SketchFab.com Whois Record".
  19. ↑ "50k Strong!". Sketchfab. August 19, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Thank you 100k times". Sketchfab. April 8, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Le Camping Season 3".
  22. ↑ "Portfolio WebFWD".
  23. ↑ Liam Boogar (February 25, 2013). "With 20,000+ users on board, Sketchfab raises a 370K€ Angel round for its YouTube of 3D". Rude Baguette.
  24. ↑ "Sketchfab on AngelList". 2013.
  25. ↑ John Biggs (December 6, 2013). "3D Model Sharing Service Sketchfab Raises $2 Million". Techcrunch.
  26. ↑ "Sketchfab raises $2m to scale its "YouTube for 3D files"". Balderton Capital. December 5, 2013.
  27. ↑ Ricardo Bilton (December 5, 2013). "Sketchfab raises $2M to make itself the ‘YouTube for 3D design’". VentureBeat.
  28. ↑ "Finalists 2012, Pioneers Festival". Pioneers Festival. 2012.
  29. ↑ Mike Butcher (January 22, 2013). "The Europas – Europe’s Tech Startup Oscars – Showcases A Booming European Scene". TechCrunch.

External links