What to actually look for in a startup branding agency
Find out who will actually be doing your work. Most founders reach out to the agency behind their favorite brand assuming they'll get the same creative minds who built it. That's not always how it works, especially at larger agencies, where the people winning the business aren't necessarily the people doing the work. Alwayss ask directly who will be working on your project.
Watch out for agencies that want a piece of your company. Big name agencies like Pentagram, Huge, and Red Antler have outgrown the typical startup budget, and you're not getting their A-team without a massive retainer or a chunk of your equity. Go in with eyes open and understand exactly what you're trading before you fall in love with their work.
Be careful with agencies that only work in your niche. An agency that has branded fifty fintech startups will probably give you the fifty-first fintech brand. The most interesting work often comes from a team that isn't trapped by what everyone else in your space has already done.
Don't rush it. This is important. Branding isn't a box to check off with your VC. This can be pivotal to your business. Make sure you're enjoying the process and feeling the weight of what you're building with your new brand team, because the best ones will make sure you do. Your brand is the visual and tonal foundation for all your company's communication. Done right, it sets you up for success. One wrong, it can quietly undermine everything else you do.
Why should you trust this list?
We know these agencies well, our branding agency, Condensed, has been around for over 20 years, so we've had a lot of time to research and understand our competition. We are a competitive agency but one that recognizes and admires other players in the space. We've grown to love each of these agencies for different reasons over the years.
IT'S UP TO DATE: This list was last updated on August 7th 2026
[ Listed alphabetically, this isn't a ranking ]
Anchour
tagline: We build impactful brands.
Why we like Anchour
We love how they distinguish themselves as storytellers. Just the way they tell their own story lets you know they'll do a good job telling yours. Based in Maine, Anchour's brand feels very outdoor and rugged, just look at that massive anchor logo or how their video takes place in a woodshop! The story they tell is one of dedication to the craft and art of refining and revising a brand.
What types of startups should work with Anchour?
They work a lot in the food space. So food brands looking to develop or refine their storytelling would be a good fit.
Signature Projects
Kate's Butter is just... butter.
Condensed
tagline: Timeless Branding
This post is mainly about showing off agencies we admire, but feel free to check out our agency while you’re at it. We started Condensed to bring big-agency talent to startups. We’ve intentionally kept our team small over the years, and every project is worked on by our core team. We also have a simple rule which is unique in the agency world: we only take on one new project at a time. That means every project gets 100% of our team’s attention, and you always get the A-team.
What types of startups should work with Condensed?
We work with startups, creative organizations, and nonprofits, from pre-launch ventures to established teams looking for a fresh start. We partner with ambitious teams at every stage.
Signature Projects
Check out the ShopMy rebrand, and the original branding for ToughMudder, two massive success stories.
Gander
tagline: We create thoughtful experiences for humans and propel brands with soul and substance.
Why we like Gander
Gander's style is very youthful and fun, highly graphic and colorful. They specialize in branding food companies, mainly CPGs. They have a good range within those parameters, and deviate from the over-the-top fun illustration style when needed create some very mature looking brands (for instance, see their work on Finn). Like many others on this list, they are Brooklyn-Based.
What types of startups should work with Gander?
CPG food brands, needing full branding and packaging.
Signature Projects
Graza of course, also Stillers Soda coming soon.
Gretel
tagline: We create clarity. Clarity of purpose and clarity of communication through insightful strategy and memorable design.
Of all the names on this list, Gretel may be out of reach for many startup budgets, they work with larger clients, but we love their solutions to problems. Their work regularly de-constructs graphic norms like the type here on the RISD logo or the work they did with CBS pulling apart the iconic eye logo. The simplicity of it gives it impact and makes it memorable.
Why we like Gretel
Their solutions feel very high end. They do great things with typography, check out the work with RISD above, truly inspiring to us.
What types of startups should work with Gretel?
Larger well-funded ventures, or bootstrapped startups that are open to parting with equity are probably a good fit for Gretel.
High Tide
tagline: We create work that enriches people’s lives and pushes towards a more meaningful and responsible world.
(Don't hold this cringy tagline against them, they do good work)
This agency makes some great brands with solid visuals. We particularly like their use of typography, too many 'hipster' friendly brand agencies out there over-doing it with in-your-face typography. We like how High Tide expresses a lot with their type choices but always keeps it clean, elegant and a bit timeless.
Why we like High Tide
We like their clean designs, especially love the packaging for Seed, it's rare to see such restraint put on a brand, usually new brands are over-indexing on trends and missing out on some of the classic beauty you can get from some of the old-school tried and true techniques, like letterpressing a thick card stock for instance.
What types of startups should work with High Tide
This agency might be for you if you are looking for an understated elegant brand, but maybe not for you if you are looking for a sledgehammer of a brand with loud 'look at me' vibes.
Jessica Jones
tagline: Logos and visual identities that become the hallmarks of wonderful brands
Why we like Jessica Jones
Jessica has been around for a long time, she does quality work, and obviously doesn't churn out projects. She has a very transparent approach, unlike most other agencies she has a web page that shows her pricing options. You can tell she enjoys her work, and tries hard to make sure each will have a place of honor in her portfolio. You can't say that about a lot of the brand agencies out there who seem to take on as many projects as they can.
What types of startups should work with Jessica Jones?
A very early stage startup or an independent entrepreneur would be ideal for Jessica Jones.
motto
tagline: Ideas worth rallying around
Why we like motto
Their brand work is varied, doesn't all look the same. They are good at building solid versatile systems that stand the test of time.
What types of startups should work with motto?
Fast moving larger startups and existing mid sized businesses are a good fit.
Signature Project
Love the work on Earnest
Orange You Glad
tagline: Helping brands we care about look sharp since 2002.
Why we like Orange You Glad
Orange You Glad has always had a special place in our hearts. They were one of the few agencies that existed in Brooklyn when we started out in 2003. They had their logo painted on the roll-up gate of their building, we'd see it every day from the window of the F train on our way back home from Manhattan. Always fun and playful above all else, you can be sure that the work you get from them will be creative, colorful and energetic.
What types of startups should work with Orange You Glad
Early stage and funded startups, likely looking to create a 'fun' brand with a lot of personality are a good fit.
Rudy
tagline: We’re a creative studio partnering with ambitious companies to craft brand identities and design systems that shape culture and commerce.
Why we like Rudy
Rudy was recently started by Michael Freimuth, a co-founder of an agency we've long admired (Franklyn). Looks like all the things we loved about Franklyn flow through to Rudy. They're great at taking something that would normally be boring like a pharma or fintech and make it look exciting. This is pretty common for agencies to do now, but back when they ran Franklyn they really set the bar with the capsule brand, making something totally boring look fun.
What types of startups should work with Rudy?
Funded startups looking to find their way and be guided by a true veteran. We believe the founder has been in the branding world for at least as long as Condensed has been around, and they have consistently created inspiring work. One thing to watch out for though is that the Franklyn team split up to form Rudy and Cardigan, so all the work on each of their sites is work done by them as a team at Franklyn. Could be a good idea to wait and see how they function in their new agencies before betting the farm on an agency that is just getting going.
Signature Projects
the WeWork rebrand under Freimuth's team is worth checking out. Love or hate the company, the rebrand was pretty great.
Self Titled
tagline: Helping ambitious businesses level up with smart branding.
Why we like Self Titled
We like the mix of professionalism and creativity this agency brings to the table. Their projects all feel very different from each other and they don't impose too much of their own design style on a project, making each brand feel unique.
What types of startups should work with Self Titled
Brands in Australia for sure, they are an Aussie company. Also they seem to work with smaller scrappier startups so that could be a good match.
Agencies that almost made the list
This list is always being updated, here's a few more branding agencies for startups that we love which were not mentioned above, some of these are demoted, some are on the rise. We keep updating this list, so keep checking back in the future.
