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uMake

SoftwarePalo Alto, California, USAFounded 2014· One of 350 Software companies tracked by AMPulse

Develops an intuitive iPad/iPhone/Mac app for 3D CAD modeling and sketching, enabling designers to create printable 3D models on mobile devices with NURBS-based surface modeling.

CEO / Founder
Evi Meyer
Team Size
1-10
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$5.2M
Latest Round
Series A
Key Investors
BlueRun Ventures; UpWest Labs; Brian McClendon; Noam Bardin

Technology & Products

Key Products

uMake mobile app (iOS/iPadOS); uMake for Mac; Cloud-based 3D design platform; AI-driven design features; Educational licenses

Technological Advantage

Proprietary mobile CAD interface with Apple Pencil/touch controls reduces design time by 50% compared to desktop CAD for sketching phases; cloud sync enables cross-device workflow.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces 3D design barriers by providing mobile-first, touch-optimized CAD tools that cut learning curves and enable on-the-go creation, with export to STL/OBJ for 3D printing workflows.

How They Differentiate

3x more intuitive for mobile sketching vs. Fusion 360's desktop interface; 50% faster initial concept creation on iPad; targets casual designers/makers overlooked by enterprise CAD tools.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Designers, makers, CAD professionals, architects, interior designers, product designers, educators, and 3D modeling enthusiasts

Industry Verticals

Architecture; Interior Design; Product Design; Education; 3D Printing

Competitors

Autodesk Fusion 360; SOLIDWORKS; SketchUp

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

30,000+ designers and businesses worldwide use uMake; teams report 60% faster ideation and ability to explore 4x more design iterations

Major Milestones

Launched beta testing (2015); Awarded 'iPad Pro App of the Year' and Editor's Choice on App Store; Released AI-driven features (2024)

https://www.umake.xyz

Why this company matters

uMake occupies a niche between professional desktop CAD suites and consumer 3D modeling apps. Founded in 2014 and based in Palo Alto, the company built a mobile-first 3D sketching platform optimized for iPad and Apple Pencil, using a NURBS surface modeling engine. This approach targets designers, architects, and makers who need rapid concept creation on the go without the steep learning curve of tools like Autodesk Fusion 360 or SOLIDWORKS.

The core product is a touch-optimized CAD app for iOS and macOS that supports STL and OBJ export for 3D printing workflows. Cloud sync enables cross-device collaboration, and recent AI features include photo-to-3D conversion and style rendering. uMake claims its interface cuts initial concept creation time by 50% and lets users explore four times more design iterations compared to traditional desktop CAD during the sketching phase.

Primary users span architecture, interior design, product design, and education. The company reports 30,000+ designers and businesses using the platform, with teams citing 60% faster ideation. uMake has raised $5.2 million from BlueRun Ventures, UpWest Labs, and angel investors including former Autodesk and Waze executives. The CEO, Evi Meyer, previously led product management for Autodesk's AutoCAD mobile project.

uMake's strategic moat lies in its proprietary mobile CAD interface and early mover advantage in tablet-based 3D sketching. However, it faces competitive pressure as desktop vendors like Autodesk improve mobile offerings and as free tools like SketchUp expand. The company's reliance on the iPad ecosystem and relatively small team size (1-10 employees) may limit its ability to scale against well-funded enterprise competitors.