Open Problems, a biotech nonprofit, provides critical tools and resources for the single-cell analysis community. Their mission is to drive innovation in algorithm development, set evaluation standards, and guide users in selecting the best tools.

While their platform is community-driven, high-quality, and trustworthy, their original brand identity lacked clarity and visual appeal, falling short of representing their values and mission.

Open Problems needed a brand redesign that:

Captured the essence of their community-driven and trustworthy nature.

Differentiated them from competitors such as Kaggle and Polarishub.

Communicated effectively to three distinct audiences: algorithm developers, users, and benchmarking scientists.

Reflected their role as an authoritative and innovative platform in single-cell analysis.

We began by identifying the core values that underpin Open Problems: community-driven collaboration, rigorous quality, and trust. Drawing insights from their audience’s challenges, we identified a need for a clear, approachable, and professional visual language to appeal to academic and industry scientists alike.

Key steps included:

Logo Design: Inspired by cell structure and the open-source nature of this initiative, the new logo features a scalable design originating from the unabridged platform name: “Open problems in single cell analysis”. The logo combines an animal cell with an “open-source” visual concept.

Color Palette: A balance of bright, modern hues (symbolizing innovation) and muted tones (conveying trustworthiness).

Typography: A clean, sans-serif font system was chosen for clarity and professionalism.

Iconography: Custom icons were developed to represent algorithms, benchmarks, and tools.

We defined Open Problems’ voice as informative, approachable, and authoritative. The brand guide outlines consistent usage for logos, colors, and typography, ensuring cohesive communication across all touchpoints.

The redesigned brand identity positions Open Problems as a modern, authoritative, and approachable nonprofit. It communicates their mission to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and set standards in single-cell analysis, resonating with all audience segments.