Fabra Raises $2.8 M to Democratise 3D Product Design for Creators and Small Brands

Sydney-based startup Fabra has raised $2.8 million in pre-seed funding to launch its browser-based 3D design platform that lets anyone (from solo creators to small brands) design manufacturer-ready products without needing CAD expertise.

Why 3D Design Has Remained Out of Reach for Most Creators ?

For decades, the process of designing a physical product (whether a T-shirt, sneaker or backpack) has required professional 3D software, trained designers and technical production expertise. Traditional computer-aided design (CAD) tools are powerful but notoriously difficult to learn, often demanding years of experience and expensive software licenses.

This has left millions of small creators, fashion founders and product makers locked out of the process. Even in today’s digital-first economy, bridging the gap between creative concept and manufacturable design remains a costly bottleneck.

That’s the challenge Sydney-based startup Fabra set out to solve.

Mission, Founders and Platform Vision of the Aussie startup: FABRA

Founded in 2023 by Luke Grana, Gloria Yu and Nick Manks (a former Canva engineer), Fabra is on a mission to make product creation “radically accessible.” The platform lets users design high-fidelity, production-ready 3D products directly in a web browser, without needing to install software or possess technical skills.

At its core, Fabra aims to be a browser-based creative operating system for physical goods, a single environment where designers and entrepreneurs can move seamlessly from concept to commerce. As CEO Luke Grana explained during the platform’s beta launch:

“For too long, product design has been locked behind complex software and steep learning curves, only accessible to trained professionals. With new web-based 3D technology, fast GPUs and cloud rendering, designing physical products in the browser is no longer futuristic. No downloads, no training, just creativity.”

That vision reflects a broader trend in creative technology, the democratisation of professional tools, much like how Canva changed graphic design or Figma reshaped interface design. Fabra wants to bring that same accessibility to the world of product design and manufacturing. 

Funding Round & What It Signals for Product Creation Tech ?

Fabra has raised $2.8 million in pre-seed funding, led by January Capital, Side Stage Ventures, Concept Ventures and Li & Fung, ahead of its public beta launch. The round will help the company refine its 3D design engine, expand its asset library and prepare for a full release early next year.

Investors say Fabra represents the next wave of web-based creative infrastructure, merging the speed and accessibility of SaaS tools with the depth and precision of 3D modeling. Ben Grabiner, Partner at Side Stage Ventures, called the platform “a foundational layer in the emerging creative stack.” He added that Fabra is “not just making 3D design more accessible, it’s unlocking an entirely new workflow for modern product teams: collaborative, generative and browser-based.”

Meanwhile, January Capital’s Alex Rankin described the investment as a natural fit for the firm’s focus on tools that shorten the distance between creativity and production. For a sector still dominated by legacy software, that’s a meaningful endorsement.

Fabra Features: Browser-Based, Collaborative, From Concept to Commerce

At launch, Fabra’s public beta brings 3D design into an intuitive, browser-based interface that anyone can use. The system allows users to:

• Design in 3D using real-time rendering,
• Access thousands of pre-built assets and templates, and
• Automatically generate tech packs, the detailed manufacturing specifications required for production.

These tech packs bridge the gap between digital design and factory execution, helping creators move from idea to manufacturable product faster than ever. Unlike traditional CAD programs, Fabra’s workflow is collaborative and cloud-based, allowing multiple users to work together simultaneously, much like Google Docs or Figma. It also supports real-time iteration, meaning creators can see changes instantly, test variations and export files ready for production.

The company’s first vertical focus is fashion, where the barriers to entry are high but the creative potential is massive. Its library includes base products, remixable templates and materials across categories like streetwear, athleisure, sportswear and merchandise.

For independent designers, small labels and emerging creators, this is a huge step forward, turning what was once a specialist-only task into something that can be done in a few clicks.

Fabra Focus on Creators and Small Brands. The Beta and Category Strategy

Fabra’s decision to start with fashion makes strategic sense. The fashion industry is both one of the most creative and one of the most technically constrained, with design and production workflows still dominated by legacy systems.

Fabra’s platform changes that by giving small teams and independent designers tools that were once reserved for enterprise brands, enabling faster prototyping, seamless collaboration and affordable access to high-quality 3D design.

The startup’s “concept to commerce” model means users can move from sketch to ready-to-produce product in one continuous digital environment. By removing the need for specialist training or external design support, Fabra is betting that accessibility and simplicity will unlock a new generation of physical product innovation.

What’s Next for Fabra? Growth, Expansion and the Seed Round Ahead

Following the success of its public beta, Fabra plans to expand beyond fashion and into other product categories, from accessories and lifestyle goods to potentially homeware and consumer electronics. The company is also preparing to open a seed funding round to accelerate its roadmap and scale its design infrastructure.

Its longer-term ambition: to evolve into a “product operating system” that connects design, production and commerce: effectively unifying the entire creation pipeline.

As co-founder Luke Grana put it, “We want to unlock everyone who has ideas but never had the tools to bring them to life.”

If Fabra can continue to build on this early momentum, it could help redefine how physical products are designed and produced, not just in Australia, but globally.