Design For An Ethos Of Change
You have probably noticed things look a little different around here. The logo, the colors, the typography. Even the name, sort of.
We rebranded, but why?
Before I dig into the reasoning behind some of these changes, I thought it might be a good time to introduce myself: Hi! My name is Atley and I recently joined Collab Fund as a design & brand partner.
I’ve been working with Collaborative in a variety of capacities basically since its inception in 2010 whether that be supporting portfolio companies with early-stage design and brand decisions or helping build Shared Future — both the magazine and the fund.
I’m a designer and brand strategist by trade. I have helped launch and scale companies and have always done so with form in service of function. The whats, whys and hows really do matter.
I believe every decision your company makes is a brand decision. I believe there are no right or wrong decisions in brandmaking, only decisions that either get you closer or further from your desired outcomes. And I believe that if you take care of your constituents (customers, employees, whomever), they will ultimately take care of your business.
I won’t pretend to have all the answers, but I will always be committed to helping you find them.
Three things stood out to me about Collab back in 2010 and those same three things inspired me to get more involved earlier this year.
First: Values. We’ve said this before and every year it seems to ring even more true: as the world continues to change and complicate, values will continue to be our most important compass. Collab lives and breathes this internally and externally.
Second: Creativity. Collab knows creativity is a critical component of problem solving and business building, and they have a track record of identifying and supporting founders and ideas that see the world not as it is, but as it could or should be.
And third: Optimism. One of Collab’s superpower qualities is its unwavering belief that we can truly make the world a better place. More importantly, what makes that optimism so powerful is that it’s grounded in a belief that the most meaningful way to drive progress is to prioritize performance alongside the impact.
I couldn’t be more excited to approach our work protecting and amplifying these core tenets.
So, back to the rebrand. Why’d we do it?
Looking back over the past decade-plus at what Collab has built, it became clear that while our ultimate impact and reach were being managed with purpose and intention — protecting both our values structure and unique perspective of the world — we weren’t always applying the same rigor to how we showed up in that world.
It was time to highlight and rearticulate our vision and expertise while shoring up the system’s foundation for additional growth and expansion.
In short, it’s the beginning of a new chapter: one where Collab is more than just a venture fund, it’s an ethos. And that ethos isn’t limited to a specific stage, asset class, or focus but is motivated by a real, human desire for positive change wherever that may take us.
And to our portfolio companies: If we’ve already connected during my brief time here so far, it’s been an absolute privilege to work with you. And if I haven’t yet met you, I look forward to learning about how you see the world.