Startup
Wireframing
Goals and north star
Designs
My role
Tools
Duration
Team
Context
Designing connection, fueling innovation
Bringing a startup idea to life shouldn’t mean going it alone yet, for many early-stage founders, finding real support and reliable advice is the hardest part. That’s where Rappo steps in: a marketplace built to unite technical founders with senior “champions” from leading tech companies, building relationships that fuel both growth and resilience.
I took the lead on all design aspects at Rappo, collaborating daily with the founder and development team to shape not just the product, but also the brand identity and outward presence. Every decision was guided by one goal: to make meaningful connections feel natural, easy, and a little bit exciting.
Challenge
Let’s be honest: cold emails rarely work, service marketplaces are often pricey and disjointed, and building trust is tough when everyone feels like a stranger. In the U.S., around 70–90% of startups fail, a sobering statistic rooted in various reasons, but often tied to a lack of guidance and strong networks.
Here is a problem to solve:
Could we design a platform that truly reduces the failure rate for new startups by actively fostering high-value, human connections?
Setting the Foundation
1
New users need focus, not feature overload.
2
Fast, frictionless signups welcome people in without making them jump through hoops.
3
Highlight standout champions across tech, giving founders confidence from the start.
Research insights
Our team reached out to dozens of founders, champions, and industry leaders, mapping pain points, vetting assumptions, and benchmarking other platforms. Our research revealed that most online options were either too expensive, too spammy, or didn’t actually help people find the right match.
Personas
Alex Carter
31 years | Founder | San Fransico
Alex Carter is the founder and CEO of NimbusTech, an early-stage SaaS startup based in San Francisco. With a background in product management and growth at fast-moving tech companies, Alex is passionate about helping small businesses automate their workflows and scale faster.
Challenges
Frustrated with the low response rate in cold emails and cold calls
Uncertain whether the product vision and direction are accurate
Difficult to find good customers for long-term contract
Ethan Brooks
39 years | CTO | Seattle
Ethan Brooks is the CTO of a leading tech company based in Seattle, with over 15 years of experience building and scaling technology products. Passionate about innovation, Ethan actively advises early-stage startups, helping founders avoid common pitfalls in tech and growth.
Challenges
Unclear startups vision and context in other platforms
Majority of the startups aren’t ready or serious about GTM and product fit
Lack of transparency in the conversation, payment issue and random startup recommendations
Iterations
We eliminated many ideas that were not fully aligned with user needs, focusing on those that could benefit both the user and the business. We have made around 100 screens to find the correct and simple journey.
Brand identity
As Rappo grew, I developed a custom brand identity that would always stand out, simple, bold, and perfectly recognisable in any context. Several iterations and direct user feedback helped craft a look that felt trustworthy to both founders and champions.
Solutions
1
Designed a visually impactful, info-rich homepage that quickly communicates Rappo’s unique benefits with no extra clicks or confusion. And ensured fast load times and SEO best practices.
2
Created quick onboarding journeys for both founders and champions and added visual cues and relevant questions, so users see what’s next, not just what’s required.
3
Comprehensive user dashboards include bios, expertise, ratings, and calendars, and Information is captured during onboarding or via API, making profile completion effortless (and connections easy to spark).
4
Designed intuitive lists for startups and champions, letting each side browse, filter, and make informed choices and made sure each profile snippet has just enough detail to invite a meaningful conversation.
Impact
The customers appreciate the startup idea and are interested in joining the Rappo platform. Top champions from Gitlab, Instacart, Twilio, TransUnion, and more actively engaged with the startups on Rappo. Feedback highlights a strong fit: “The quality of advice here is better than anything we’ve found elsewhere.”
500+
15+
Monthly average high-quality engagements
CR
Consistent increase in conversion rates
Takeaways
More than anything, Rappo taught me to design for real life, not just screens. Founders crave guidance. Champions want to give back. By listening deeply, iterating quickly, and always putting the human element first, I helped build something that levels the playing field for early-stage innovators.
Designing Rappo meant making every feature inviting, supportive, and purposeful from the very first click to the most meaningful conversation. That’s what product design should be: a bridge, not just a tool.
