Open Source Skateboards

What Open Source Skateboards does

Open Source Skateboards (OSS) is a privately held skateboard and longboard design/build studio founded in 2014 and based in San Diego, USA. The company operates across four interlocking lines of business: made-to-order and custom physical boards (decks, molds, tools, build kits) manufactured in the USA with sustainable materials; SK8CAD, a browser-based digital design platform that lets users create, visualize, and download skateboard and mold models and includes a Maker Map linking builders with suppliers; SK8CAD subscription memberships that monetize advanced features beyond the free tier; and education/services revenue from in-person and virtual workshops plus custom board and mold design consulting. Its primary customer segments are individual skaters seeking custom or reproduced board shapes, small craft board manufacturers needing custom molds and product-development support, and educational institutions adopting skateboard design kits (via the Nanodek partnership) for STEM and art curricula.

Underlying technology is concentrated in the SK8CAD web application (digital modeling, visualization, file download) and the Shopify-based e-commerce storefront at shop.opensourceboards.com; the company does not operate a native mobile app. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer through the owned storefront with worldwide shipping in USD. Go-to-market is product-led, using the free SK8CAD tier and educational YouTube content to attract designers and makers, with conversion into paid subscriptions, custom hardware orders, workshops, and consulting services. The business is founder-operated (Beau, an engineer with skateboarding expertise), bootstrapped with no disclosed funding rounds, and operates with 1–10 employees. Named customers include small manufacturers such as Manak Skates, Waltz Skateboarding, and Grandma Skateboards, alongside hobbyist skaters and K-12 schools — there are no enterprise-scale accounts. No AI/ML capabilities, patents, certifications, or regulatory actions are disclosed.

Name

Open Source Skateboards

Legal name

Open Source Skateboards

Website

https://opensourceboards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Open Source Skateboards is a San Diego skateboard design and build studio selling made-to-order boards, custom molds, and tools to skaters and small manufacturers, and operating the SK8CAD digital design platform, subscription memberships, and workshops for makers and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct sales of physical products including boards, molds, tools, and build kits through e-commerce storefront. Made-to-order and custom options available.
2. SK8CAD Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to SK8CAD platform memberships offering enhanced design tools and features beyond the free tier.
3. Workshops: In-person and virtual workshop experiences teaching board design and construction. Both individual and group sessions available.
4. Custom Design Services: Custom board creation, mold development, and product development consulting services for businesses and individuals.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Open Source Skateboards is a design/build studio that designs, manufactures, and sells made-to-order custom skateboard decks, molds, tools, and build kits using sustainable USA-sourced wood and materials. The company complements its physical products with SK8CAD, a free browser-based digital design platform for modeling boards and molds, and offers paid SK8CAD subscriptions, in-person shaping workshops, virtual workshops, and custom board design and product development services.

Product overview

Open Source Skateboards operates as a design/build studio focused on empowering creative communities through skateboarding. The core offering is SK8CAD, a browser-based digital design platform for creating skateboard and mold models, complemented by physical products including made-to-order boards, custom molds, tools, and build kits. The company provides design services for custom board development and operates workshops (both in-person and virtual) for education on board construction. A partner product, Nanodek, extends the offering into educational contexts for schools. The platform architecture combines SK8CAD as the primary digital tool with physical manufacturing and workshop services, enabling users to design digitally, source materials through the Maker Map, and build boards either independently or with professional guidance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SK8CAD: A digital design platform for creating free digital models of skateboard boards and molds, with visualization, download, and learning features, and a Maker Map to connect with builders and suppliers.

Products and services

• SK8CAD Design Platform A browser-based digital design platform that allows users to create free digital models of skateboard boards and molds, visualize designs, download files, and connect with builders and suppliers through the Maker Map feature. Targeted at skateboard designers, makers, and hobbyists.
• Boards Made-to-order and custom skateboard decks manufactured in the USA using sustainable wood and materials, sold to individual skaters and recreational riders.
• Molds Custom and standard skateboard molds designed to specifications for board manufacturing, sold to small manufacturers, craft board makers, and product developers.
• Tools Resources and tools for skateboard builders and makers to support home board construction.
• Build Kits Complete kits for building custom skateboards at home, targeted at hobbyists and individuals new to skateboard construction.
• SK8CAD Subscriptions Subscription plans for SK8CAD design software providing access to advanced features and capabilities beyond the free tier, sold to designers, makers, and small manufacturers.
• Design Services Custom board design and product development services for businesses and individuals, including engineering expertise, consultation, and prototyping support.
• Workshops In-person shaping workshops and team experiences providing guidance on board design and construction, targeted at individuals and groups seeking hands-on skateboard making experiences.
• Virtual Workshop Online course providing comprehensive education on designing and making custom skateboards at home, covering all key elements of the skateboard making process for remote learners.
• Custom Boards Custom deck creation service allowing customers to recreate favorite board shapes with improved materials and custom specifications, including discontinued shape reproductions.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NanodekminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNanodek is an educational partner offering skateboard design kits for schools. Open Source Skateboards collaborates with Nanodek to supply kits used in educational settings for hands-on STEM and design learning projects.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sector 9 Skateboards: Established longboard/cruiser brand with a deep catalog of shapes, components, and complete builds sold DTC and through global skate retail. Larger incumbent within the same longboard-with-design-emphasis category as OSS.
• Santa Cruz Skateboards: Heritage skateboard brand (est. 1973) selling complete boards, components, and pro-model decks worldwide. Defines the broad-incumbent competitive set that OSS's custom/niche positioning sits beside, with very different scale economics.
• Globe Skateboards: Surf/skate brand with owned manufacturing, hardscape/complete offerings, and a strong DTC storefront. Larger incumbent with broader product breadth but comparable category overlap in cruisers, longboards, and design-led decks.

Direct peers

• Loaded Boards: Premium longboard and skateboard manufacturer with a design-forward, enthusiast-grade catalog and direct-to-consumer e-commerce — the most direct peer to OSS in custom/made-to-order boards for skater-makers. Comparable target customer (hobbyist skaters who care about shape and materials) and a similar premium, USA-built positioning.
• Arbor Skateboards: Sustainably-minded cruiser and longboard brand built around responsibly-sourced wood and manufacturing. Closely parallels OSS's sustainable-materials and USA-crafted positioning, with a broader product catalog and far larger distribution footprint.
• Bustin Boards: NYC-based custom longboard/skateboard manufacturer selling made-to-order decks through an owned storefront, with a creator community built around signature shapes. Directly comparable custom-built offering and similar custom-shape customer use cases as OSS.
• Landyachtz: Direct-to-consumer skateboard and longboard brand selling made-in-house decks and components online with international shipping. Comparable product mix (decks, components, build kits) and similar small-team, design-led DTC brand DNA to OSS.
• Carver USA: Specialty surfskate/trucks-and-deck manufacturer selling direct and through skate dealers. Comparable product-over-commodity positioning, made-to-order skater enthusiast targeting, and an emphasis on shape engineering rather than graphics.

Emerging players

• Comet Skateboards: Independent maker-focused skateboard company with electric and conventional boards plus a strong content/community footprint. Closely comparable indie maker brand positioning and creator-driven audience, though weighted toward electric/hybrid drives versus OSS's traditional deck focus.
• Earth Skateboards: Independent sustainable-materials skateboard maker (bamboo and recycled components) selling decks direct to consumers. Comparable eco-positioning and small-team maker brand profile to OSS, though without the digital-design-tools layer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/opensourceskateboards
• Facebookfacebook.com/opensourceskateboards
• Instagraminstagram.com/opensourceboards
• Xx.com/opensourceboard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-source-skateboards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Open Source Skateboards