Luke

Branding for the coolest tech startups ⊹ @happypizzastdio
Clients include @coderabbitai @sparklesdotdev @hacktronai

[Luke @LukeADesign]

2025 Project Recap, a quick glimpse at some of the projects we shipped last year.

Massive thanks to everyone who trusted us to make their stuff look cool.

Here's to making more cool things in 2026!

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@ijsthee @JonyMac_ux @Apple @pizzaboy this guy needs adding to the list

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@hrshbika Keeping the legibility can be an issue fr

[Luke @LukeADesign]

Mascot/Logomark exploration for a ongoing project in the legal space.

Most brands in this space feel stark and cold, we're aiming in the opposite direction. Lots of texture, imperfect edges, that hand-crafted feel.

Friendly and approachable, which is exactly what this brand is about.

[Luke @LukeADesign]

The Sky Valley team are building something genuinely industry changing.

So excited to see them continue to grow the ambient computing space.

Their branding isn’t too bad either 👀

[Noam Tenne 🏜️ @NoamTenne]

Back in 2008, I was a fresh-faced kid, really just happy to finally get a job in software, when the founders of @jfrog took a bet on me.

Too young and inexperienced to have any opinions of my own, I helped build one of the seminal companies in the CI/CD/DevOps movement. CI wasn't my idea, I got it secondhand from the visionary founders. Borrowed conviction that wasn't mine until it was.

But here's one that is mine: the software and its entire state machine will rebuild itself per person. No matter how much we try to convince ourselves, the way we built software until today was driven by technological and budget constraints, not by the best experience. rather than taste.

We now finally have the opportunity to move from the least-worst version for everyone to the best version for anyone.

When I pitched this to @gdibner , he immediately knew that this wasn't going to be easy, but he batted for us in the firm. With support from @betaworks , @RafaelCorrales , Rule 30, and angels, @AngularVentures has led a $2M pre-seed round for Sky Valley Ambient Computing to build Adaptive Software, starting with @getdiffer.

In 5 years, shipping single-version software will feel like shipping without CI.

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@NoamTenne @iristenteije @jfrog Absolutely crushed this man, genuinely excited to see where you guys take Differ!

[Luke @LukeADesign]

Mascot/Logomark exploration for a ongoing project in the legal space.

Most brands in this space feel stark and cold, we're aiming in the opposite direction. Lots of texture, imperfect edges, that hand-crafted feel.

Friendly and approachable, which is exactly what this brand is about.

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@chasetonco Just a paper texture image dropped over with a blending mode!

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@pizzaboy

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@Markbuschn Damn

[Luke @LukeADesign]

2 designers to study to 100x your logo design skills:

Aaron Draplin
David Airey

Some incredible knowledge in these books that have genuinely helped shape where I am today.

There's also a load of YT videos explaining their thinking and processes, definitely go watch them.

Gold standards of logo designers imo.

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@its_sslvr Works well for us!

[Luke @LukeADesign]

We've had quite a few questions around our client love/hate exploration.

It's pretty simple, but it's been super useful for us:

- Prior to the kick-off call, we take the answers from the questionnaire and gather a variety of logos that match their vibe.
- We then send 20-30 logos across (we source from Cosmos or Pinterest).
- We get all decision-makers to mark each with either love/hate.

Same idea as a moodboard for the brand direction, this gives you something concrete to point back to when you're in the concept presentation.

The exercise is intentionally fast and loose, but gives you real insights into the clients taste.

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@HeySnoogi Ill take a look, thanks man!

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@hrshbika Never read, will take a look!

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@pizzaboy Nice mockup that

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@boykovdesignco Design should be collaborative and fun agreed

[Luke @LukeADesign]

How are people making apps for their clients, eg dither tools for example?

Is Figma make actually viable or is everyone building with Claude?

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@_shdsgn It's a fine balance, but part of the identity should pull from the founders personal taste imo. Strategy has its place, but if a founder doesn't love their branding how can they defend and promote it publicly

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@aerdna_c Mostly async

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@pizzaboy So is your hat

[Luke @LukeADesign]

@arynadesigns Its massively useful!