In the fast-paced world of tech startups, building a strong brand is often overlooked in the rush to launch. Yet, a well-crafted brand can be a game-changer—laying the groundwork for credibility, growth, and differentiation in competitive markets.
Today, we’re speaking with Kat, our founder, to discuss the challenges startups encounter, the risks of sidelining branding, and practical, cost-effective strategies for creating a brand that truly stands out.
Having partnered with over 100 tech startups, Kat brings a wealth of experience and actionable insights for startups aiming to make an impact—even with limited resources. Let’s dive in.
1. Why did you decide to focus on tech startups in particular?
I’ve spent most of my career designing for tech companies, working with established names like eBay and Kijiji and startups like 500px. When I launched Oddbee, tech naturally became our focus because I genuinely enjoy collaborating with visionary founders trying to reshape the world in unique ways. Tech is always evolving—it’s as close to modern magic as we get, and staying on top of emerging trends keeps our work exciting.
Though it wasn’t a deliberate choice initially, over the past decade, we’ve partnered with more than a hundred tech startups. Along the way, we realized that our small, agile team thrives in this space. We understand the challenges and pace startups face, and we’re well-equipped to deliver in this fast-moving, high-stakes environment.
2. What are the key branding challenges that early-stage startups typically face?
Early-stage startups often struggle with clarity. Defining who they are and what sets them apart in a competitive market can be daunting. Many lack a clear vision of how they want to be perceived, which is where we come in—helping them articulate their identity and value proposition. Another common challenge is misalignment among founders. Part of our role is uniting key players around a shared brand vision and ensuring consistency.
Time and budget are also critical hurdles. Startups are racing to bring their product to market, so branding must be both fast and effective. And since startups frequently pivot, they need a brand that looks professional and credible but can adapt as they evolve.
3. What are the potential risks for a startup that doesn’t invest in branding early on?
The biggest risk is appearing unprofessional, which can undermine credibility with investors, clients, and potential hires. Without a clear brand identity, startups may waste resources on unfocused marketing and send inconsistent messages, missing chances to connect with their audience. A lack of branding also makes scaling or pivoting harder since there’s no cohesive vision to guide decisions as the company grows.
4. Branding can be expensive—what are some cost-effective strategies that early-stage startups can use to build their brand?
Branding doesn’t have to break the bank. That’s why we developed our Minimum Viable Brand (MVB) offer—a solution tailored for early-stage startups. MVB provides high-impact branding essentials, allowing startups to launch with a professional identity that can grow with them.
It includes everything a company needs at launch—brand strategy, a logo, a pitch deck, and a simple website. While we never compromise on quality, we’ve optimized our process to deliver great results efficiently and cost-effectively.
To streamline communication—a common time drain in most branding projects—we involve all stakeholders from the start. This avoids endless back-and-forth, reduces revisions, and ensures alignment early on. Our design process is iterative: we share high-level ideas early, gather feedback, and focus on what matters most, ensuring the final result has maximum impact.
By prioritizing the essentials, startups can build a strong foundation without overextending their budget, setting the stage for future growth.
5. Can you share some examples of early-stage startups that have successfully built a strong brand identity with limited resources?
We’ve had the privilege of working with remarkable startups at pivotal moments in their journeys. Many have achieved impressive milestones and returned to us to expand their branding as they grew. For example, Balance, one of our earliest clients, has become Canada’s largest digital asset custodian, managing $2.5 billion in assets. Promise Robotics, once a small startup, now operates a major factory in Calgary, aiming to revolutionize construction with robotics and AI technology. CentML raised an impressive $37 million in their mission to make compute costs more affordable.
It’s incredibly rewarding to see the brands we’ve helped build play a role in these successes, providing a strong foundation for their continued growth and impact.
