BRAND + DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM

The StartupCincy brand needed to become useful, not just recognizable. A major part of that strategy was transforming StartupCincy.com into Cincinnati’s Digital Front Door, creating a central entry point for anyone looking to navigate the region’s startup ecosystem.

I led the strategy, UX/UI, content architecture, copy, and creative direction for a complete website rebuild, turning a complicated and fragmented startup ecosystem into an easy-to-navigate digital directory. The new platform helped founders find relevant resources faster while giving Cincinnati’s startups, investors, programs, events, jobs, and support organizations greater visibility.

The work included:

• Redesigned the site architecture and user journeys around the needs of founders, investors, talent, and ecosystem partners.

• Mapped Cincinnati’s startup ecosystem into a clear, searchable directory, making it easier for founders to identify and access the right resources at the right stage of growth.

• Integrated ecosystem data and resource platforms including Dealroom and EcoMap into a single digital experience.

• Created a digital front door that gave the city’s startup resources a shared marketing platform, making Cincinnati more discoverable to founders, investors, and companies looking for a place to build.

• Led UX/UI, messaging, copywriting, SEO, and creative direction for the new platform.

• Built a targeted Google Ads and digital acquisition strategy to increase discovery and bring new users into the ecosystem.

• Drove 5,600+ new visits following launch while increasing ongoing engagement with StartupCincy’s digital resources.

EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN

StartupCincy Week became the physical expression of that same strategy and a major design opportunity to make the ecosystem visible.

What began as a small, multi-day gathering of a few hundred people grew into a nationally recognized startup and technology conference attracting 1,500+ attendees. I led the brand, marketing, communications, sponsorship strategy, and creative direction behind that growth, using the conference to put Cincinnati’s startups and founders at the center of the experience.

We photographed founders, captured their stories, and built the campaign around the people actually shaping the ecosystem. The marketing resonated because the community could see itself in it: its founders, companies, neighborhoods, and ambition. No other conference could tell that story with the same credibility or specificity.

The event grew to attract national sponsors and partners including Notion, Cincinnati Children’s, and P&G, while drawing founders, operators, and investors from across the country. That increased visibility also helped bring national venture firms including StepStone, General Catalyst, and Accel into Cincinnati.

StartupCincy Week became more than an annual event. It became a platform for demonstrating the strength of Cincinnati’s startup ecosystem nationally and one of the clearest examples of the community buy-in we spent years building around the StartupCincy brand.

All work shown below was completed by my team under my creative direction and initial branding strategy.