Get to Value Faster
Get to Value Faster
Get to Value Faster
Build what users need, not what they say they want. We uncover the difference through UX research and market validation. Our product discovery de-risks decisions before you spend capital. The outcome? Product-market fit in months. Lower acquisition costs from day one. A brand that accelerates growth instead of requiring a rebrand.
Build what users need, not what they say they want. We uncover the difference through UX research and market validation. Our product discovery de-risks decisions before you spend capital. The outcome? Product-market fit in months. Lower acquisition costs from day one. A brand that accelerates growth instead of requiring a rebrand.
Protect Your Portfolio Investment
Protect Your Portfolio Investment
Protect Your Portfolio Investment
Your portfolio companies burn capital on preventable mistakes. Wrong product. Misaligned brand. Marketing that misses. We embed as strategic partners who stop expensive pivots before they happen. Research that validates. Design that scales. Marketing that converts. The result? Higher Series B success rates, faster exits, and milestones reached on time and budget.
Your portfolio companies burn capital on preventable mistakes. Wrong product. Misaligned brand. Marketing that misses. We embed as strategic partners who stop expensive pivots before they happen. Research that validates. Design that scales. Marketing that converts. The result? Higher Series B success rates, faster exits, and milestones reached on time and budget.
Build Once, Build Right
Build Once, Build Right
Build Once, Build Right
Most startups accumulate design debt, branding debt, and marketing debt. Then they burn their Series A fixing what seed should have funded correctly. We build systems you'll actually use: Figma libraries, Canva templates, research repositories. We train your team to execute independently. No expensive rebrand. No failed positioning. Just a foundation that grows with you.
Most startups accumulate design debt, branding debt, and marketing debt. Then they burn their Series A fixing what seed should have funded correctly. We build systems you'll actually use: Figma libraries, Canva templates, research repositories. We train your team to execute independently. No expensive rebrand. No failed positioning. Just a foundation that grows with you.
Symbol Design is a woman- and minority-owned strategic design agency with over 40 years of combined experience across product and agency teams. We bridge both worlds, using research that goes beyond validation to reveal genuine insight—and design grounded in truth, not assumption.
Symbol Design is a woman- and minority-owned strategic design agency with over 40 years of combined experience across product and agency teams. We bridge both worlds, using research that goes beyond validation to reveal genuine insight—and design grounded in truth, not assumption.
We design solutions people want, visual systems that evolve with your business, and strategies that turn prospects into customers. We create tools and processes you'll actually use. We're the strategic partner who sits in your meetings, asks the right questions, and helps you make decisions that stick.
We design solutions people want, visual systems that evolve with your business, and strategies that turn prospects into customers. We create tools and processes you'll actually use. We're the strategic partner who sits in your meetings, asks the right questions, and helps you make decisions that stick.
Our team brings enterprise experience from Intel, New Relic, and CDK Global. We've designed for millions of users across global markets. Now we bring that expertise to startups and their VCs as you build your foundation.
Our team brings enterprise experience from Intel, New Relic, and CDK Global. We've designed for millions of users across global markets. Now we bring that expertise to startups and their VCs as you build your foundation.
Strategy first. Design enabled. Growth focused.
Strategy first. Design enabled. Growth focused.
Strategy first. Design enabled. Growth focused.
From Insight to Impact
From Insight to Impact
We combine three core disciplines to help startups build smart from the start. No silos. No handoffs. Just integrated expertise that moves you from validation to scale.
We combine three core disciplines to help startups build smart from the start. No silos. No handoffs. Just integrated expertise that moves you from validation to scale.
01
Human-Centered Design
We start with people, not assumptions. Through user interviews, journey mapping, and usability testing, we uncover real problems worth solving. Then we design the experiences that solve them: intuitive interfaces, accessible systems, and brand identities that connect emotionally while performing functionally. We create products people want to use and recommend.
01
Human-Centered Design
We start with people, not assumptions. Through user interviews, journey mapping, and usability testing, we uncover real problems worth solving. Then we design the experiences that solve them: intuitive interfaces, accessible systems, and brand identities that connect emotionally while performing functionally. We create products people want to use and recommend.
01
Human-Centered Design
We start with people, not assumptions. Through user interviews, journey mapping, and usability testing, we uncover real problems worth solving. Then we design the experiences that solve them: intuitive interfaces, accessible systems, and brand identities that connect emotionally while performing functionally. We create products people want to use and recommend.
02
B2B AI Enablement
AI accelerates execution. Humans make strategic decisions. We help you leverage both. From training custom AI tools to designing AI-powered experiences that feel natural, we bridge technology capability and user value. You get automation efficiency with human-centered strategy. AI does the work. You make the impact.
02
B2B AI Enablement
AI accelerates execution. Humans make strategic decisions. We help you leverage both. From training custom AI tools to designing AI-powered experiences that feel natural, we bridge technology capability and user value. You get automation efficiency with human-centered strategy. AI does the work. You make the impact.
02
B2B AI Enablement
AI accelerates execution. Humans make strategic decisions. We help you leverage both. From training custom AI tools to designing AI-powered experiences that feel natural, we bridge technology capability and user value. You get automation efficiency with human-centered strategy. AI does the work. You make the impact.
03
Go-to-Market Strategy
In Before you build, we help you validate. We combine UX research with market research to uncover what users need and why. Then we translate insights into go-to-market strategies: positioning that differentiates, content that educates, and campaigns that convert. We help you sell what you've built to the people who need it most.his phase, we act like artists in a vibrant studio, sketching, molding, and refining ideas. With each stroke and feedback loop, we sculpt solutions that break the mold.
03
Go-to-Market Strategy
In Before you build, we help you validate. We combine UX research with market research to uncover what users need and why. Then we translate insights into go-to-market strategies: positioning that differentiates, content that educates, and campaigns that convert. We help you sell what you've built to the people who need it most.his phase, we act like artists in a vibrant studio, sketching, molding, and refining ideas. With each stroke and feedback loop, we sculpt solutions that break the mold.
03
Go-to-Market Strategy
In Before you build, we help you validate. We combine UX research with market research to uncover what users need and why. Then we translate insights into go-to-market strategies: positioning that differentiates, content that educates, and campaigns that convert. We help you sell what you've built to the people who need it most.his phase, we act like artists in a vibrant studio, sketching, molding, and refining ideas. With each stroke and feedback loop, we sculpt solutions that break the mold.
Our philosophy
Our philosophy
Our philosophy
Protect Your work.
Protect your investment.
Protect Your work.
Protect your investment.
We don't believe in moving fast and breaking things. We believe in loading the spring: doing the research and strategic work that fine-tunes your direction before you build. That strategic tension becomes your acceleration. When you release, you move with focus and velocity.
We don't believe in moving fast and breaking things. We believe in loading the spring: doing the research and strategic work that fine-tunes your direction before you build. That strategic tension becomes your acceleration. When you release, you move with focus and velocity.
We start by understanding your challenge. Workshop your strategy. Interview your users. Study your market. Figure out what's actually worth your capital. Then we build it: the product experience, the brand identity, the marketing engine. Everything is grounded in research, not guesses.
We start by understanding your challenge. Workshop your strategy. Interview your users. Study your market. Figure out what's actually worth your capital. Then we build it: the product experience, the brand identity, the marketing engine. Everything is grounded in research, not guesses.
The goal isn't endless engagement. It's your capability. We transfer knowledge as we go. Train your people. Document our decisions. By the time you're scaling, you're equipped to lead it yourself. That's the partnership we're after.
The goal isn't endless engagement. It's your capability. We transfer knowledge as we go. Train your people. Document our decisions. By the time you're scaling, you're equipped to lead it yourself. That's the partnership we're after.
Ready to build right from the start?
Ready to build right from the start?
Ready to build right from the start?
Building with startups and VCs globally. Based in Portland.
Copyright © 2025 – All Right Reserved
Building with startups and VCs globally. Based in Portland.
Copyright © 2025 – All Right Reserved
Building with startups and VCs globally. Based in Portland.
Copyright © 2025 – All Right Reserved