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Fabra, a Sydney-based startup reimagining how physical products are created, has raised $2.8 million in pre-seed funding ahead of launching the public beta version of a first-of-its-kind, web-based tool that integrates high-fidelity 3D design into one intuitive platform.
The pre-seed round has been backed by local and global investors, including January Capital, Side Stage Ventures, Concept Ventures and LFX Digital.
Founded in 2023 by Luke Grana, Gloria Yu and former Canva engineer Nick Manks, Fabra aims to democratise 3D product design as its platform is said to allow users to easily design manufacturer-ready products online.
Fabra says while legacy 3D design software is complex, costly and built for specialists, its platform will appeal to a growing wave of designers, creators, brand founders and product teams with an intuitive platform that “seamlessly moves users from concept to commerce”, including the tech pack needed for manufacturing.
The platform is built for solo creators, small brands and entrepreneurs who “want to make something real without learning CAD or hiring a technical designer”.
Fabra is said to offers real-time, collaborative design capabilities to streamline the product design process.
Starting with fashion, the public beta has debuted with an extensive library of base products, remixable templates and materials across diverse categories including streetwear, merchandise, athleisure and sportswear, among other categories.
Fabra says its robust design infrastructure is also built for expansion into other verticals, ultimately aiming to unlock a future where anyone can design anything with ease.
“For too long, product design has been locked behind complex software and steep learning curves, only accessible to trained professionals,” says Luke Grana, co-founder and CEO at Fabra.
“With new web-based 3D technology, fast GPUs (graphics processing units), and cloud rendering, designing physical products in the browser is no longer futuristic.
“At Fabra, we’re building the platform to make it possible. No downloads, no training, just creativity. We want to unlock everyone who has ideas but never had the tools to bring them to life.”
Fabra says with the alpha and community phases of its platform starting to build momentum, the startup is preparing for general availability early next year with expanded capabilities and categories.
Fabra also plans to open a seed funding round to further accelerate its product development.
“We believe the next generation of tools will lower the barrier between idea and execution, and Fabra is a perfect example of that shift,” says Ben Grabiner, partner at Side Stage Ventures.
“Its platform isn’t just making 3D design more accessible - it’s unlocking an entirely new workflow for modern product teams: collaborative, generative and browser-based.
“As the lines blur between creator and consumer, and product development becomes more distributed, we see Fabra as a foundational layer in the emerging creative stack.”
Singapore-based January Capital says its rationale for investing in Fabra is supported by its mission to democratise the global supply chain.
“We imagine a future where creativity, design and production converge, where the distance between idea and execution is dramatically reduced,” says January Capital investor Alex Rankin.
“Fabra represents the next wave of web-based design, but ultimately, we believe it will truly unlock a new category of concept to commerce over time. We're thrilled to be part of the journey.”
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