Ross Elliott - Design Leader & Maker

2020

Kultra

I delivered a complete brand strategy and identity in just 16 working days - giving this purpose-led startup the clarity, confidence and cohesion it needed to secure Series A investment and support rapid product growth.

I delivered a complete brand strategy and identity in just 16 working days - giving this early-stage startup the clarity and confidence it needed to secure Series A investment.

Brand Strategy

Brand Identity

Design System

Introduction

Delivered a brand strategy and identity in 16 days, enabling Series A investment

Bringing clarity, credibility and creative direction to a bold new idea

Kultra had a strong product vision but no way to express it. Working closely with the founders, I shaped a brand from scratch - building the strategic foundations, defining the tone, and designing a flexible identity system that could evolve with the business. The result gave the team a clear narrative, confident visuals and a coherent platform to grow from - all delivered at pace.

Problem

Building a credible brand presence from scratch in just 16 days

Kultra’s founders needed a clear, professional brand presence to support investor conversations – and fast. The brief was straightforward: define the brand from scratch, then build a simple but distinctive visual identity to express it. Timeline: 16 working days.

Solo contributor across all phases:

Project plan & client management
Brand strategy
Narrative and messaging  
Visual identity
Art direction
UI mockups and design system foundations

Solution

Clarifying purpose, shaping narrative

We kicked off with collaborative working sessions to define Kultra’s purpose, values, archetypes and audience. I helped the team clarify what they stood for and what they offered – shaping a strategy grounded in empowerment, connection and behavioural change.

Outputs:  

Brand purpose and vision  
Audience segmentation  
Messaging framework  
Brand architecture  
Tone of voice

Solution

Expressing the brand through confident design

With the strategy approved, I developed two distinct creative directions – testing each for range and flexibility. We quickly aligned on a route that balanced warmth and authority. The identity leans into optimistic typography, a confident palette and modular illustration styles.

Outputs:  

Logo and lockups  
Colour, type, grid and layout system  
Illustration and photography guidance  
Pattern and iconography references  
Digital mockups and system starter kit

Outputs:  

Logo and lockups  
Colour, type, grid and layout system  
Illustration and photography guidance  
Pattern and iconography references  
Digital mockups and system starter kit

Result

A credible brand delivered in 16 days, ready for investor conversations

We met the deadline. Kultra walked into their investor meetings with a confident new identity, a focused narrative, and the beginnings of a design system they could grow into.

Despite the compressed timeline, the strategy was deep, the creative was distinctive, and the work resonated strongly with both founders and their lead product designer.

Growth and learning

Proved I could balance speed with strategic depth, ensuring the brand was distinctive under intense time pressure
Reinforced that a clear narrative is as important as visual identity in investor contexts
Developed confidence in shaping both brand strategy and execution as a sole contributor