Sketchfab

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Sketchfab
200px
200px
Web address sketchfab.com
Commercial? Yes
Type of site
 3D models platform
Registration free
Available in English
Users 300,000[1]
Launched 2012
Alexa rank
 16,145 (May 2016)[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, desktop webpage or VR headset. Sketchfab took part in the Spring 2013 TechStars New York City startup accelerator program,[3] raised $2 million in December 2013 and $7 million in June 2015.

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. Sketchfab supports the WebVR specification in order to provide Virtual Reality experiences on the web.

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.

Growth

Users

Date Users (claimed)
August 2013 50,000[19]
December 2013 100,000[20]
January 2016 300,000[1]

3D models

Date 3D models (claimed)
April 2014 100,000[21]
November 2014 200,000[6]
January 2016 500,000[1]
May 2016 750,000[22]

Startup accelerators

The startup was part of the third batch of the French startup accelerator Le Camping in June 2012.[23] It was later selected into Mozilla’s WebFWD accelerator program during that same year.[24] 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.[25][26] 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.[27][28][29] In June 2015, Sketchfab raised a $7 Million Series A led by FirstMark Capital.[30][31][32]

Awards

  • Top 8 at Pioneers Festival 2012[33]
  • Best “Lightweight” Startup, the Europas Awards 2013[34]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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