What Cad Crowd does

Cad Crowd is a web-based freelance marketplace that connects clients with on-demand 3D CAD designers, industrial designers, 3D modelers, engineers, drafters, and architects. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Glendale, California, the platform aggregates a claimed network of more than 136,000 designers across geographies including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India, supporting software ecosystems such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, CATIA, Inventor, Fusion 360, Revit, and Blender. Cad Crowd serves a heterogeneous buyer base ranging from individual inventors and startups to enterprises, with named customers spanning NASA, US Army Corps of Engineers, JPL, Tiffany & Co., BCG, KPMG, Target, Rivian, Tupperware, CNOOC, and UBS. The marketplace operates across verticals including product design, architecture, automotive/aerospace, medical devices, and manufacturing.

The platform supports three core engagement models: Private/Managed flat-rate projects (confidential work with a single vetted designer), Design Contests (multiple designers compete for a prize pool), and Hourly On-Demand services (freelancers bill $1–$100+/hr). Pricing for contests ranges from under $799 to $4,999, while service-gigs span $2 to $300+ depending on scope. Revenue mechanics are marketplace-commission and transaction-fee based, supplemented by referral economics into adjacent patent-attorney and US-manufacturing partner networks that extend the workflow from design through prototyping and IP protection. Differentiating platform features include IP/NDA protections, encrypted file sharing, and a 'top 1%' vetting claim.

The company is privately held, independently operated with no disclosed institutional investors beyond approximately $320,000 raised in 2010 and 2012 seed rounds, and operates with a headcount in the 11–50 range. Distribution is exclusively online and self-serve for SMB/individual buyers, with a quote-based assisted-sales motion for enterprise engagements. Marketing is driven by SEO, content (including a blog covering generative AI in CAD), earned media (NYT, Reuters, Forbes, Bloomberg, NBC, Business Insider), and third-party validation (G2 High Performer Winter 2023, BBB A+, Trustpilot). The founder is MacKenzie Brown.

Name

Cad Crowd

Legal name

Cad Crowd

Website

https://cadcrowd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cad Crowd is a private freelance marketplace, founded 2009 and based in Glendale, California, that connects clients with vetted 3D CAD designers, industrial designers, and engineers worldwide via contests, hourly, and flat-rate engagement models.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

CAD Design Marketplace

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

3D Design & CAD for Additive Manufacturing (IMAAACAA)

Keywords

• Freelance CAD design
• 3D modeling services
• CAD drafting marketplace
• Industrial design platform
• Product design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Design Contest Fees: Clients launch design contests with prize pools; freelancers compete to win projects. Cad Crowd takes a commission on contest prizes.
2. Hourly Services: Clients hire designers on an hourly basis for ongoing design work, with freelancers setting their own rates ($1-$100+/hr range observed).
3. Private/Managed Projects: Flat-rate pricing for confidential private projects with vetted designers, providing dedicated engagement model.
4. Manufacturing Services: Connecting clients with manufacturing firms for prototyping, 3D printing, and production after design completion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cad Crowd is a freelance marketplace platform that connects clients with a vetted network of 3D CAD designers, industrial designers, drafters, and product developers on demand. The platform offers three engagement models: Private Projects (flat-rate confidential work with a vetted designer), Design Contests (competitive format where multiple designers submit concepts), and Hourly On-Demand services. It aggregates over 136,000 designers globally and supports major CAD software including AutoCAD, SolidWorks, CATIA, Inventor, Fusion 360, Revit, and Blender.

Product overview

Cad Crowd is a freelance marketplace platform that connects clients with 3D designers, CAD drafters, engineers, and other design professionals. The platform offers a portfolio of design services including 3D Modeling, Architectural Design, CAD Design, Invention Design, Product Design, 3D Rendering, Consumer Products, Engineering Design, Manufacturing Design, and Patent CAD Drawing. These services are delivered through three engagement models: Private Projects (confidential flat-rate work with vetted designers), Design Contests (competitive format where multiple designers submit concepts), and Hourly On-Demand services. The platform aggregates over 136,000 expert designers and serves clients across industries including architecture, automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and consumer products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3D Modeling Services 3D modeling services for 3D CAD design, tool parts, prototypes, and 3D printing, delivered through Cad Crowd's vetted designer network.
• Architectural Design Services Architectural design services for drafting, 3D animation, floor plans and BIM modeling for architecture and construction firms.
• CAD Design Services CAD drafting, CAD design for parts, mechanical design and manufacturing support for product and engineering teams.
• Invention Design Services Design help with new invention ideas, invention prototypes and inventor design for individual inventors and entrepreneurs.
• Product Design Services Product design for concepts, industrial design and medical devices for product development companies and inventors.
• 3D Rendering Services HDR rendering, 3D visualization, furniture rendering and 3D product rendering for visualization and marketing needs.
• Consumer Products Design Design services for electronic devices, furniture design, pet product development and toy prototypes.
• Engineering Design Services Mechanical engineering and design, FEA, electronics, and PCB programming delivered by vetted engineers on the platform.
• Manufacturing Design Services DfM design, 3D printing modeling, and prototype mold design for manufacturing-ready CAD files.
• Patent CAD Drawing Services CAD design, drafting and 2D drawings for patent applications, paired with access to patent attorney partners.
• Private Projects Confidential flat-rate engagement with a vetted designer dedicated to a specific project, suited for sensitive or larger scoped work.
• Design Contests Contest format in which multiple designers compete to produce designs for a client project, with the winner receiving a prize.
• Hourly On-Demand Services Hourly on-demand matching with a vetted designer for ongoing or short-term design help at freelancer-set hourly rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32,907+ designs delivered successfully
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Patent Attorneys NetworksupportingOthersCad Crowd connects clients with world-class patent attorneys for invention protection services, including utility patent services and design patent assistance. This partnership helps inventors navigate the patent application process.
• US-Based Manufacturing FirmssupportingOthersConnection to leading U.S. based manufacturing firms providing rapid manufacturing (3D printing), CNC machining, and injection molding services. Helps bridge design-to-production gap for clients.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Toptal: Vetted freelance talent network targeting enterprise clients with top 3% designers, engineers, and CAD specialists. Directly comparable to Cad Crowd's 'Top 1%' vetting positioning and enterprise private-project offering.
• Hubs (formerly 3D Hubs): Global manufacturing platform for CNC machining, 3D printing, and injection molding with related design services. Comparable to Cad Crowd's downstream manufacturing partnership stream serving similar prototyping buyers.
• Freelancer.com: Large public freelance marketplace with contest mechanics and broad category coverage including CAD and 3D design. Operates in adjacent categories with similar auction/contest workflows.
• Xometry: On-demand manufacturing marketplace with an in-house CAD/design services component that overlaps with Cad Crowd's Manufacturing Design and prototyping offerings for similar enterprise and SMB industrial buyers.
• Upwork: Largest global freelance marketplace with millions of freelancers across CAD, 3D modeling, and product design categories. Competes with Cad Crowd for the same client budgets but at vastly greater scale and brand recognition.
• Fiverr: Global service marketplace with deep CAD, 3D modeling, and product design categories offered as fixed-price 'gigs'. Overlaps with Cad Crowd's hourly and micro-service monetization model across the same buyer personas.

Direct peers

• 99designs (by Vista): Global design crowdsourcing marketplace operating a near-identical contest-based model for logos, web design, product packaging, and industrial design. Directly comparable to Cad Crowd's Design Contests engagement model and SMB/individual target market.
• DesignCrowd: Australia-headquartered design crowdsourcing platform running design contests across graphic, web, and industrial design categories. Closest functional peer to Cad Crowd's contest-driven workflow and freelancer-pool model.
• Crowdspring: Design crowdsourcing marketplace offering 1-to-1 projects and crowdsourced contests across branding, product, and industrial design. Directly comparable on contest mechanics, freelance supply, and SMB client base.

Others

• Catalant (Expert Marketplace): Enterprise-focused expert and freelance consultant marketplace with private, vetted engagements. Comparable in private-project model and enterprise procurement workflow, though focused on consulting rather than CAD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cadcrowd
• Facebookfacebook.com/CAD.Crowd.Group
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cad-crowd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cad Crowd