Building Serious BIM for SketchUp Users: 3 Key Milestones with Trimble
Embrace ‘Coopetition’, by Competing through Cooperation
Coopetition. That was our mantra when we applied for Trimble Ventures’ 0-60 SketchUp Challenge - a competition designed to push boundaries across the AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations) landscape. Winning a top spot in this competition wasn’t just validation for Skema. It was also an incredible opportunity to collaborate with Trimble, gain industry insights, and create open dialogue with the development community shaping the future of Trimble design and construction.
Here’s a look at three key milestones in our journey with Trimble over the past six months.
Winning a “Big Check” for the 0-60 SketchUp Challenge
Winning one of the top prizes in the SketchUp 0-60 Challenge was a pivotal moment for Skema. The competition provided a global stage for startups to create transformational technology solutions for Trimble’s widely used SketchUp platform, with a focus on solving common industry pain points.
For us, the pain point was clear: solve the SketchUp to Revit design workflow with an easy-to-use tool.
Through the 12-week incubator, we hustled to meet our thesis and exceeded expectations, delivering on our stretch goals that reinforced the value of Skema’s approach.
Trimble’s leaders were readily available and proactive, providing valuable advice on both tech development and business strategy. Their collaboration further cemented my belief in the power of coopetition-driven innovation.
Creating Value for SketchUp Users
The ultimate goal of our journey with Trimble was to create a tool that truly serves SketchUp users - and we’re proud to say we’ve done just that. The Skema-for-SketchUp extension enables designers to seamlessly transition between SketchUp to Revit, saving time and reducing rework without compromising design freedom.
For the first time, SketchUp users can experience a fast, easy, and seamless workflow between SketchUp and Revit, enabling serious BIM deliverables without the headaches.
Here’s the workflow that sets Skema apart:
Start in SketchUp. Begin your design in a tool you already know and love.
Tap into the Skema Design Catalog. Quickly create a content library of your prior finished options.
Move into Skema. Use our block-and-stack layouts to streamline workflows and explore options.
Return to SketchUp. Dive back in for design exploration of facades, rendering, energy modeling, or lighting simulations.
Inspiring the Next Wave of 3rd Party Integrations at DevCamp
Sharing our 0-60 journey on stage alongside Eliot Jones, Principal of Corporate Venturing and Partnership Development at Trimble Ventures, was another high point of our work with Trimble. We spoke about the incredible support we received from a dedicated Trimble team, all focused on helping Skema succeed. Based on the audience’s reactions, the session clearly sparked excitement about the possibilities for expanding SketchUp’s extensibility.
By the time DevCamp rolled around, we’d already locked our code for Skema-for-SketchUp. Even so, the event underscored how much untapped potential exists in the broader Trimble ecosystem. I continue to be surprised at the sheer breadth and quality of applications available to architects, engineers, and contractors within Trimble’s suite of tools. It’s a reminder of how deeply integrated and impactful Trimble’s approach to innovation really is.
Trimble’s commitment to supporting independent developers is clear, from fostering creative ideas to helping them deliver innovative solutions. We were proud to play a part in sharing this value with the community - and even more excited about the opportunities this ecosystem presents for solving long-standing challenges in design and construction workflows.
Our journey with Trimble Ventures has been about more than winning competitions - it’s been about solving real problems, building tools that make a difference, and creating new pathways for SketchUp users to tackle complex workflows with ease. The support, insights, and opportunities Trimble has provided have already unlocked new opportunities to work with other Trimble portfolio products such as Tekla, and accelerated our ability to integrate with more software in the market, such as Rhino, Graphisoft, Speckle, and many others.