Cold Start

Cold Start is a venture studio incubating companies like Lifehouse Hotels, Elemy, and Virgil with funding from General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Softbank and Tiger Global.

When a car engine initially starts, it doesn't run at its peak performance because it's colder than its normal operating temperature. This moment is commonly referred to as a Cold Start.

”Cold Start” is similar to the process of incubating a company from scratch. The company begins cold and gradually warms as it grows.

The Cold Start visual identity was built to represent the journey of bringing new ideas from zero to one. From nothing to something. From ambiguity to clarity. From infancy to growth.

The brand identity reflects a thematic tension with Cold Start's audience. On one hand Cold Start is needs to establish trust with institutional investors with a formal point-of-view. On the other hand, it needs to attract talent by representing innovation, and a forward-looking perspective.

The end result is an identity that balances tradition with innovation. One that exudes confidence, while remaining humble and human. One that is both gravity-defying and grounded.