Sketchfab founders Alban Denoyel (CEO), Cédric Pinson (CTO), and Pierre-Antoine Passet (CPO)

Alban Denoyel is the cofounder and CEO of Sketchfab, the largest platform to publish and find 3D content on the web. Sketchfab completed the Techstars New York City Accelerator in 2013. 

Sketchfab recently announced that the company has been acquired by Epic Games.

01. Why did you found Sketchfab?

We founded Sketchfab to make 3D content accessible. Before Sketchfab, there was no easy way to show or share a 3D file online. We launched the first web-based 3D player on the market, making it easy for content creators to publish and showcase their work, and for people who needed 3D content to find it.

02. How did Techstars help Sketchfab grow? 

Techstars helped us enter the U.S. market to solidify our leadership position. It connected us with the best entrepreneurs and best investors in our space and our city (NYC). It also gave us a stamp of approval which is much needed for first time founders, especially in a foreign country.

03. What comes next for Sketchfab?

We are staying on the same mission to make 3D content accessible, but with much more resources to get there. We are going after three major opportunities: 

#1 be the market leader to embed 3D & AR content 

#2 be the market leader to manage 3D content internally. 

#3 be the market leader to find 3D content. 

More and more platforms are adding 3D & AR support, and we will be the ultimate content library for the 3D/AR/VR ecosystem.

Watch Sketchfab Cofounder and CEO Alban Denoyel explain how Techstars helped put them on the right path

04. What’s the best piece of advice you ever got? 

If you want something, ask for it. 

05. What has Sketchfab accomplished that makes you the most proud? 

I think Sketchfab has really helped democratize 3D, and one area I’m particularly proud of is how Sketchfab is used in the Cultural Heritage space. We now have thousands of museums using the platform, and we host 3D archives of hundreds of thousands of cultural artifacts, making us the largest virtual museum out there. It’s a great resource for people who can’t physically visit all museums, for future generations, for education, and for preserving our shared history.

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