Sketchfab

The main product of Sketchfab is a 3D, Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented reality (AR) model viewer. It enables users to move freely around or inside the 3D scene using mouse, touch manipulation, VR or AR. In addition to static 3D models, the viewer is able to play and control 3D animations. Viewers can enable the VR mode to see the model in Virtual Reality headsets or the AR mode to insert the model within the real world via a mobile device.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The 3D viewer is used on the Sketchfab website and mobile apps,{{Cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1201268000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807151259/https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1201268000|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 7, 2017|title=Sketchfab on the App Store|website=App Store|language=en|access-date=2017-07-14}}{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sketchfab.sketchfab|title=Sketchfab - Android Apps on Google Play|website=play.google.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-07-14}} but can also be embedded on external websites, notably on Facebook,{{cite news |url=http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/112153509704/facebook-now-supports-sketchfab-3d-embeds |title=Facebook now supports Sketchfab 3D embeds! - Sketchfab Blog |publisher=Sketchfab |author=Alban |date=February 26, 2015 |access-date=March 10, 2015 |archive-date=May 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504014052/http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/112153509704/facebook-now-supports-sketchfab-3d-embeds |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=http://www.archdaily.com/604217/embed-your-3d-sketchfab-models-on-facebook/ |title=Embed Your 3D Sketchfab Models on Facebook |publisher=ArchDaily |author=Stott, Rory |date=March 2, 2015}} Twitter{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/albn/status/776776663568879616|title=alban denoyel on Twitter|date=2016-09-16|website=Twitter|access-date=2016-09-16}} or Wordpress.{{Cite news|url=https://en.support.wordpress.com/sketchfab/|title=Sketchfab 3D and VR Content|date=2016-02-27|work=Support|access-date=2017-03-04|language=en-US}}

Sketchfab provides online and mobile community portals, where visitors can browse, rate, download or buy{{cite news|url=http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/100773163909/sketchfab-launches-a-download-option-and-reaches-200k|title=Sketchfab launches a Download Option and reaches 200k 3D files|date=October 30, 2014|publisher=Sketchfab|access-date=November 5, 2014|archive-date=November 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106003547/http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/100773163909/sketchfab-launches-a-download-option-and-reaches-200k|url-status=dead}} user generated 3D models.

Users of Sketchfab have profile pages, premium users can customize and share their models privately.{{Cite web|url=https://sketchfab.com/plans|title=Plans & Pricing - Sketchfab|website=Sketchfab|access-date=2016-09-16}} Sketchfab users can choose to make their 3D model files available for download under Creative Commons licenses or to sell them in the Sketchfab store.{{Cite news|url=https://blog.sketchfab.com/launching-sketchfab-store-beta/|title=We're launching the Sketchfab Store in Beta - Sketchfab Blog|date=2018-01-17|work=Sketchfab Blog|access-date=2018-02-18|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/17/sketchfab-launches-a-store-to-become-a-stock-photo-site-for-3d-models/|title=Sketchfab launches a store to become a stock photo site for 3D models|last=Dillet|first=Romain|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2018-02-18|language=en}} With content available for sale or download, Sketchfab is positioned as a 3D model marketplace and as a 3D printing marketplace since some models are compatible with 3D printing.

Sketchfab offers to paying enterprise customers a dedicated platform to share, manage and collaborate on 3D assets.{{Cite web|title=Sketchfab for Teams|url=https://sketchfab.com/features/teams|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Sketchfab|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Sketchfab launches team platform to share and collaborate on 3D models|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/12/sketchfab-launches-team-platform-to-share-and-collaborate-on-3d-models/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=TechCrunch|date=May 12, 2020 |language=en-US}}

A selection of Sketchfab models are available within a native application for the following VR headsets: Google Cardboard,{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sketchfab.sketchfabvr|title=Sketchfab VR for Cardboard - Android Apps on Google Play|website=play.google.com|language=en-us|access-date=2017-03-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchfab-vr/id1106608669?mt=8|title=Sketchfab VR on the App Store|website=App Store|language=en|access-date=2017-03-04}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Samsung Gear VR,{{Cite web|url=https://www2.oculus.com/experiences/gear-vr/957887340986022/|title=Sketchfab VR|website=Experiences {{!}} Oculus|language=en|access-date=2017-03-04}} HTC Vive{{Cite web|url=http://store.steampowered.com/app/464940/|title=Sketchfab VR on Steam|website=store.steampowered.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-04}} and Oculus Rift.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1120256171368197/|title=Sketchfab VR|website=Experiences {{!}} Oculus|language=en|access-date=2017-03-04}}

The mobile application can be used to view the 3D models in Augmented Reality leveraging the ARKit APIs{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/26/sketchfabs-app-might-be-the-best-way-to-try-arkit/|title=Sketchfab's app might be the best way to try ARKit|last=Dillet|first=Romain|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2017-09-26|language=en}} on iOS and ARCore{{Cite news|url=https://blog.sketchfab.com/announcing-sketchfab-ar-android/|title=Announcing Sketchfab AR on Android - Sketchfab Blog|date=2017-11-09|work=Sketchfab Blog|access-date=2017-11-11|language=en-US}} on Android.

3D models can be uploaded to Sketchfab from its website or directly from various 3D software, using plugins{{cite web |url=https://sketchfab.com/exporters |title=Sketchfab Exporters |publisher=Sketchfab}} (for example for 3ds Max{{cite web |title= Sketchfab - Autodesk 3ds Max - Autodesk Exchange Apps |url= http://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/en/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3asketchfab%3aen |author= Klaas Nienhuis |access-date= January 19, 2014 |archive-date= July 20, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140720081540/http://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/en/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3asketchfab%3aen |url-status= dead }} or SketchUp{{cite web | title=SketchUp to Sketchfab.com Uploader - SketchUp Extension Warehouse | url=http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/sketchup-sketchfabcom-uploader | author=Alexander Schreyer}}) or natively (from Blender{{cite news |url=http://www.blendernation.com/2014/03/24/sketchfab-is-the-first-commercial-add-on-bundled-with-blender/ |title=Sketchfab is the first 'Commercial' Add-on Bundled with Blender |publisher=BlenderNation |author=Bart |date=March 24, 2014}}{{cite news |url=http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/80595403767/we-now-ship-with-blender |title=We now ship with Blender! |publisher=Sketchfab |date=March 24, 2014 |access-date=March 25, 2014 |archive-date=December 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230012636/http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/80595403767/we-now-ship-with-blender |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.70/Addons |title=Blender 2.70: Addons |publisher=Blender Wiki |access-date=March 25, 2014 |archive-date=May 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150516095824/http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.70/Addons |url-status=dead }} or Adobe Photoshop{{cite press release | title=Major Update to Adobe Photoshop CC Brings 3D Printing to the Design World | url=http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/news-room/pdfs/201401/011614Photoshop3DPrinting.pdf | date=January 16, 2014 | publisher=Adobe | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201203447/http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/news-room/pdfs/201401/011614Photoshop3DPrinting.pdf | archive-date=February 1, 2014 }}).

Sketchfab offers an API allowing developers to integrate functionality for searching and downloading Sketchfab's Creative Commons licensed 3D models into their applications.{{cite web|last1=Chin|first1=Monica|title=3D creators now have access to a massive new object library|url=https://mashable.com/2018/03/20/sketchfab-releases-download-api/|website=Mashable|date=March 20, 2018 |accessdate=29 March 2018|language=en}}

Sketchfab relies on the WebGL JavaScript API to display 3D on web pages in all major modern web browsers. It does not rely on third-party plugins.

Sketchfab implements the WebVR JavaScript API{{Cite news|url=https://blog.google/products/chrome/experience-virtual-reality-web-chrome/|title=Experience Virtual Reality on the web with Chrome|date=2017-02-09|work=Google|access-date=2017-03-06|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://webvr.info/|title=WebVR - Bringing Virtual Reality to the Web|website=webvr.info|access-date=2017-03-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://help.sketchfab.com/hc/en-us/articles/204777439-Desktop-WebVR-Vive-Oculus-|title=Desktop WebVR (Vive, Oculus)|website=Sketchfab Help Center|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-04}} to provide a Virtual Reality mode of its viewer on compatible VR headsets.

The 3D viewer uses the open-source OSG.JS JavaScript library,{{Cite web|url=http://osgjs.org/#examples|title=OSG.JS|website=osgjs.org|language=en|access-date=2017-03-04|archive-date=March 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329031635/http://osgjs.org/#examples|url-status=dead}} a library created and largely maintained by Sketchfab employees.{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/cedricpinson/osgjs/graphs/contributors|title=cedricpinson/osgjs|website=GitHub|language=en|access-date=2017-03-04}} Rendering is achieved using classic real-time rendering or physically based rendering.{{cite news |url=http://www.blendernation.com/2015/03/04/sketchfab-releases-physically-based-rendering/ |title=Sketchfab releases Physically Based Rendering |publisher=BlenderNation |author=Bart |date=March 4, 2015}}{{cite web | title=Physically Based Rendering | url=https://sketchfab.com/pbr}}

Sketchfab was initially created by entrepreneur and 3D developer Cédric Pinson under the domain name ShowWebGL in early 2011.{{cite web | url= http://whois.domaintools.com/showwebgl.com | title=ShowWebGl.com Whois Record}}{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@albn/how-sketchfab-got-started-521a83c14dca|title=How Sketchfab got started|last=denoyel|first=alban|date=2019-01-12|website=alban denoyel|access-date=2019-01-14}}

He was joined in early 2012 by Alban Denoyel, and they relaunched the site under the name Sketchfab in March 2012.{{cite web | url= http://whois.domaintools.com/sketchfab.com | title=SketchFab.com Whois Record}} Pierre-Antoine Passet joined as CPO{{what|date=March 2021}} in September 2012.

The startup was part of the third batch of the French startup accelerator Le Camping in June 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.lecamping.org/startups/season-3/ |title=Le Camping Season 3 |access-date=March 4, 2013 |archive-date=February 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211041409/http://www.lecamping.org/startups/season-3/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=Online Shop |url=https://www.projektmensa.de |access-date=16 February 2024}} It was later selected into Mozilla's WebFWD accelerator program during that same year.{{cite web |url=https://webfwd.org/portfolio/ |title=Portfolio WebFWD |date=January 6, 2018 }}

The year after, Sketchfab was selected in the Spring 2013 TechStars class in New York City.{{cite news |url=http://www.techstars.com/techstars-nyc-2013-class/ |title=TechStars NYC 2013 Class |publisher=TechStars |author=Eugene Chung |date=April 2, 2013 |access-date=April 3, 2013 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924113812/http://www.techstars.com/techstars-nyc-2013-class/ |url-status=dead }}

In February 2013, Sketchfab raised an angel round of 370,000 euros.{{cite news |url=http://www.rudebaguette.com/2013/02/25/sketchfab-raises-370ke/ |title=With 20,000+ users on board, Sketchfab raises a 370K€ Angel round for its YouTube of 3D |publisher=Rude Baguette |author=Liam Boogar |date=February 25, 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://angel.co/sketchfab |title=Sketchfab on AngelList |year=2013}}

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.{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/12/06/3d-model-sharing-service-sketchfab-raises-2-million/ |title=3D Model Sharing Service Sketchfab Raises $2 Million |publisher=Techcrunch |author=John Biggs |date=December 6, 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.balderton.com/news/sketchfab-raises-2m-to-scale-its-youtube-for-3d-files-592 |title=Sketchfab raises $2m to scale its "YouTube for 3D files" |publisher=Balderton Capital |date=December 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312002913/http://www.balderton.com/news/sketchfab-raises-2m-to-scale-its-youtube-for-3d-files-592 |archive-date=March 12, 2014 }}{{cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2013/12/05/sketchfab-raises-2m-to-make-itself-the-youtube-for-3d-design/ |title=Sketchfab raises $2M to make itself the 'YouTube for 3D design' |publisher=VentureBeat |author=Ricardo Bilton |date=December 5, 2013}} In June 2015, Sketchfab raised a $7 million Series A led by FirstMark Capital.{{Cite web|title = Sketchfab raises $7 Million to build the place for 3D, VR and AR on the web|url = http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/121198889434/sketchfab-raises-7-million-to-build-the-place-for|accessdate = 2015-06-16|last = Alban Denoyel|archive-date = March 13, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160313132011/http://blog.sketchfab.com/post/121198889434/sketchfab-raises-7-million-to-build-the-place-for|url-status = dead}}{{Cite web|title = Get your 3D printers ready: Sketchfab raises $7 million to be the world's 3D file hub|url = https://venturebeat.com/2015/06/16/get-your-3d-printers-ready-sketchfab-raises-7-million-to-be-the-worlds-3d-file-hub/|website = VentureBeat| date=June 16, 2015 |accessdate = 2015-06-16}}{{Cite web|title = Welcoming Sketchfab to the FirstMark Family! {{!}} FirstMark Capital - New York City Venture Capital|url = http://firstmarkcap.com/welcoming-sketchfab-to-the-firstmark-family/|website = firstmarkcap.com|accessdate = 2015-06-16|archive-date = June 11, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170611162633/http://firstmarkcap.com/welcoming-sketchfab-to-the-firstmark-family/|url-status = dead}} In December 2018, Brendan Iribe, the original CEO and co-founder of Oculus invested in Sketchfab.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/albn/status/1074727265748029440|title=Happy to share @brendaniribe (co-founder and former CEO of @oculus) recently joined the @Sketchfab journey as an investor. Great to have you on board, Brendan!|last=denoyel|first=alban|date=2018-12-17|website=@albn|language=en|access-date=2019-01-14}}

• Top 8 at Pioneers Festival 2012{{cite news |url=http://pioneersfestival.com/startups/finalists-2012/ |title=Finalists 2012, Pioneers Festival |publisher=Pioneers Festival |year=2012}}
• Best “Lightweight” Startup, the Europas Awards 2013{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/01/22/the-europas-europes-tech-startup-oscars-showcases-a-booming-european-scene/ |title=The Europas – Europe's Tech Startup Oscars – Showcases A Booming European Scene |publisher=TechCrunch |author=Mike Butcher |date=January 22, 2013}}

• List of WebGL frameworks
• 3D printing marketplace

{{Reflist}}

{{Epic Games}}

Category:3D graphics software

Category:Free 3D graphics software

Category:Online marketplaces of France

Category:Internet properties established in 2012

Category:WebGL

Category:3D graphics art

Category:2021 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Epic Games