Design Axl: A Year in Review

Design Axl Begins its 7th Year of Collaboration in 2024

James Grady
6 min readFeb 6, 2024
24/7 limited edition letterpress postcard by Design Axl (see more below)

About Design Axl

I lead Design Axl, a boutique design practice that specializes in partnering with organizations to transform their brands through thoughtful design and strategy. My agile and imaginative team is constantly fueled by curiosity, dedicated to pursuing innovative methods and tools to elevate your brand. Our commitment to exploring new horizons and pushing creative boundaries remains unwavering, ensuring that we stay at the forefront of design excellence. As I extend my warmest wishes for the New Year, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on a year of work from Design Axl. 🐣

Contextual AI / Momentum Commerce / Todd DePerno Painting

Exceptional Clients in 2023

In 2023, Design Axl had the privilege of working with a diverse range of esteemed clients across various industries. Here’s a glimpse of the exceptional organizations we partnered with in 2023:

Bain Capital Ventures
Contextual AI
Dell Technologies Capital
Distyl AI
Secuvy AI
Jump Capital
Momentum Commerce
World Technology Games
Tower Compactor Rentals
Grid City Beer Works
Bubble Works
Todd DePerno Painting

Our Focus on Venture Capital

At Design Axl, we specialize in providing tailored design solutions for Venture Capital firms and their portfolio companies. Our expertise extends to firms like Bain Capital Ventures, Contextual AI, Dell Technologies Capital, Distyl AI, Secuvy AI, NextView Ventures, and Jump Capital. Our designs align with the strategic goals of both VC firms and startups, setting them apart in the competitive landscape. We thrive on collaboration, delivering tangible value to VC firms and their portfolio companies, making design a catalyst for success in Venture Capital. Some of the services we’ve delivered include strategic brand positioning, brand identities, motion graphics, video animations, end-to-end web experiences, and even a Times Square billboard.

Contextual AI, Website / Distyl AI, Website / Secuvy AI, Billboard / Dell Technologies Capital, Exhibition Design
Contextual AI, Logo Animation

Building Momentum and World Technology Games

Design Axl takes pride in designing and developing cutting-edge websites for clients like Momentum Commerce and World Technology Games. For Momentum Commerce, we showcased their marketplace solutions through a dynamic web presence, ensuring seamless integration of their online digital marketplace tools. Our collaboration with World Technology Games resulted in a sophisticated and visually captivating website that reflects their innovative approach to technology and sports. These projects exemplify our commitment to staying at the forefront of design trends and technologies, providing our clients with websites that position them as leaders in their respective industries.

Momentum Commerce and World Technology Games, Animation and Website

Collaboration with Friends

In addition to our core clients, Design Axl also had the pleasure of collaborating with a few other friends whom we hold in high regard. Our curiosity about various industries led us to work with Tower Compactor Rentals (TCR), where we elevated their brand presence. We also had exciting collaborations with Grid City Beer Works, Bubble Works, and Todd DePerno Painting, allowing us to delve into unique creative challenges and push the boundaries of our design capabilities. These projects highlight our passion for exploring new horizons in the world of design.

Tower Compactor Rentals, Identity / Bubble Works, Can Design / Todd DePerno Painting, Website

Special Thanks to Our Designers

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the talented designers who played a pivotal role in making all of our projects in 2023 a success. Each of them is a current or former BU student of mine, and their dedication and creativity were instrumental. Special thanks to:

Claire Bula
Mina Chung
Jesse Finkelstein
Arjun Lakshmanan
Angela Lian
Jacqueline Mang
Arjun Kumar
Wanjing Li
Perry Sosi
Ash Wei

Strategic Partnerships

In the world of design, strategic partnerships are essential. At Design Axl, we have the privilege of collaborating with trusted partners, Herzog & Schindler, and Code Greene, who have been with us since our inception. Herzog & Schindler specializes in brand strategy, research, concepting, communications, and product development. Our partnership has spanned over a decade, resulting in remarkable brand experiences. Code Greene ensures that our designs seamlessly translate into functional websites and applications, providing assurance to our clients that our designs will perform flawlessly.

Looking Ahead

Design Axl’s journey through 2023 was a testament to our commitment to design excellence, innovation, and collaboration. I eagerly anticipate continuing our mission to help brands evolve and create impactful experiences in the years ahead. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and stay tuned for more exciting projects in 2024!

Want one of these limited edition letterpress postcards?

For the 5th year in a row, we collaborated with Elias Roustom at EM Letterpress to create limited edition letterpress postcards. This year, we printed 2 foil colors and die-cut a slice out of the center of the card on Colorplan Cool Grey 130# Duplex Paper by Legion Paper. If you would like one of these unique postcards, please reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to send one your way. Supplies are limited! See past years: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020

To learn more about Design Axl, visit our website at axl.design, check out our Instagram, or email me at james@axl.design.

If you enjoyed this post, please follow or 👏 to show your support. Thanks for being a part of our journey!

—James

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James Grady

Principal, Design Axl & Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Boston University