Pixcap
Entrepreneur First '20Hong Kong, HK · Founded 2020 · 2 known investors
Pixcap is a browser-based 3D editor in which users start from imported models or a template library and adjust animations without specialized 3D software skills. Marketing and product teams work on files together and export stills or video for advertising, apps, and other digital projects.
Also known as PixCap · pixcap.com
Founders & leadership
Pixcap was founded in 2020 by Vincent Looi.
Investors · 2
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026PixCap operates a web-based 3D design platform that lets users find, edit, collaborate on and export static and animated 3D content without installing desktop 3D software or writing code. The editor is paired with a library of thousands of templates, icons, illustrations, characters and device mockups; users can also import their own models. Typical edits include recoloring, rotating, scaling, posing characters, adjusting lighting and effects, and swapping backgrounds, with real-time preview in the browser.
Outputs are aimed at marketing and product surfaces: social media ads, app banners, landing pages, pitch decks and UI design. Exports are available as PNG, GIF, MP4 and GLB, with 4K renders and GLTF/FBX/GLB downloads on paid tiers; the platform supports handoff to Unity, Maya, Cinema4D, Blender, After Effects, Figma and PowerPoint. Distribution extensions include a Figma community plugin that inserts customized 3D icons and posed characters into design files and a Webflow app that surfaces the asset library inside the Webflow designer. A later addition, Pixcap AI, applies text-prompt style transfer across a set of mix-and-match 3D elements.
Projects are shareable by a single link so distributed teams can work on the same file, and assets are licensed for commercial use, with attribution and watermarks required on the free tier.
Founding story
The company was founded in April 2020 by CJ Looi (Shi "CJ" Looi), CEO, and Cyril Nie, CTO. The founders cite a childhood interest in the animation and art of video games as inspiration. Looi studied finance before moving into computer engineering and worked on robotic vision, 3D vision, deep learning and computer graphics at robotics company Dorabot and other startups; Nie holds an MSc in Computer Science from University College London and previously worked as a technology consultant and software engineer at PA Consulting. Their combined robotics/computer-vision and full-stack/cloud backgrounds were the basis for building a browser-native 3D product.
Business model
Freemium software-as-a-service combining a 3D asset library with an online editor. A free plan offers limited assets, watermarked exports and a small monthly export quota; Pro and Elite subscriptions unlock premium assets, higher export limits, 4K and 3D file formats, full Figma plugin access and a commercial license without watermark or attribution.
Subscription tiers (free, Pro, Elite). Pro is listed at €9.25 per month when billed annually (€111 per year) and includes all premium assets, 50 high-quality images and 10 high-quality videos per month, exclusive character poses and a watermark-free commercial license; Elite adds full Figma plugin access, unlimited AI style transfer and up to 30 high-quality video exports per month. A contributor marketplace was under development at the time of the seed round to let creators sell 3D works on the platform.
Traction
As of February 2023 the company reported more than 30,000 users across over 60 countries, with roughly a third in North America and other leading markets in India, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Southeast Asia. Later listings cite a library of 15,000+ 3D icons, 1,000+ characters, 500+ mockups and 10,000+ mix-and-match elements. The Webflow app is listed as reviewed and approved by Webflow.
Latest developments
Recent product surface includes animated device mockups that accept uploaded label artwork with 4K renders, Pixcap AI style transfer driven by text prompts (20 uses per month free, 500 on Pro, unlimited on Elite), a Figma plugin gated to the Elite tier, and a Webflow app providing access to the 15,000+ asset library inside the Webflow designer.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Positioned as a lower-cost, accessible alternative to legacy 3D suites such as Adobe, Blender and Maya, and compared by press to Canva's role in 2D design. Coverage identifies Y Combinator-backed Spline as a closer online competitor, against which PixCap claims a larger set of editable templates and stronger 3D animation capability. Third-party directories classify it in the 3D generation category with freemium pricing.
Assets are treated as editable 3D scenes rather than static PNG packs, so users can change colors, materials, camera angles, poses, animation styles and backgrounds instead of sourcing a new file per variation. Other stated differentiators are the no-install browser editor, drag-and-drop no-code interface, link-based collaboration, breadth of editable templates and animation support, and plugin distribution into Figma and Webflow. The product deliberately omits rigging and deep modeling workflows found in full 3D suites.
Technology
Browser-based 3D editor requiring no local software or coding, with real-time rendering and preview, in-editor color/material/pose controls, animation editing, AI text-prompt style transfer, and export pipelines to PNG, GIF, MP4, WEBM, GLB and GLTF/FBX including 4K renders.
Go-to-market
Self-serve freemium signup on pixcap.com, augmented by plugin marketplaces (Figma community plugin, Webflow app directory) and content marketing through design communities such as Dribbble, where the company posts themed 3D asset packs. Post-seed plans emphasized hiring in engineering and marketing, product development and community building for global expansion.
Marketers, brand and product teams, UX/UI designers, developers and artists who need 3D visuals for advertising, app banners, landing pages, social posts, pitch decks and product design but lack 3D expertise or budget for specialist agencies.
Geography
Reported as Singapore-based in press coverage and listed with a Singapore location on Dribbble; the internal record lists a Hong Kong headquarters. The 15-person team was distributed across India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, France and Russia as of February 2023, serving users in more than 60 countries.
History
Founded April 2020. PixCap joined the seventh cohort of Surge, the accelerator run by Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia, and in February 2023 announced a $2.8 million seed round led by Surge with Cocoon Capital, Entrepreneur First and angel investor Michael Gryseels participating. In May 2023 Forbes profiled the cofounders as part of its 30 Under 30 Asia Enterprise Technology list. The product line subsequently expanded beyond templates and icons into animated mockups, a Webflow app, a Figma plugin and AI-based style transfer.
Risks & controversies
No controversies are reported in the available sources. Product limitations noted by a third-party review include watermarks and mandatory attribution on the free plan, full Figma plugin access restricted to the Elite tier, a 30-per-month cap on high-quality video exports even on Elite, and the absence of rigging and advanced modeling workflows. The company competes with well-resourced incumbents such as Adobe and with other web-based entrants.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 4
launches, deals, and filingsForbes profiled PixCap cofounders Shi (CJ) Looi and Cyril Nie in its 30 Under 30 Asia Enterprise Technology 2023 list.
PixCap announced a $2.8 million seed round led by Surge, the accelerator program of Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia, with participation from Cocoon Capital, Entrepreneur First and angel investor Michael Gryseels. Proceeds were earmarked for global expansion, engineering and marketing hiring, product development and community building.
$2.8M source ↗
PixCap was part of the seventh cohort of Surge, the Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia accelerator, which led its seed round.
PixCap was created in April 2020 to make 3D design accessible to marketers and designers without 3D expertise.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Pixcap do?
- PixCap is a browser-based 3D design platform letting non-experts customize and export 3D icons, characters and animated mockups.
- Who founded Pixcap?
- Pixcap was founded by Vincent Looi in 2020.
- Who are Pixcap's investors?
- Pixcap's investors include Entrepreneur First.
- Where is Pixcap headquartered?
- Pixcap is headquartered in Hong Kong, HK.