Google for Startups
In 2024, I stepped in as Consultant Associate Design Director at Toaster INSEA, working on various Google brands — one of the key ones being Google for Startups. Unlike the London or São Paulo counterparts, Google for Startups in India operates without a physical campus. The challenge? Build a cohesive brand presence in a country full of momentum but no physical HQ to anchor it. That meant the brand had to show up everywhere else — consistently, meaningfully, and with clarity.
Making the System Speak Indian
My mandate was to evolve and regionalise Google for Startups’ design system specifically for India. While the global framework existed, it lacked the flexibility and specificity the Indian market needed. I expanded the visual language with a robust grid system, refined typographic scales, and a more modular layout strategy that could adapt across touchpoints.
The system was crafted for scale and speed — because when you're dealing with accelerators, pitch days, and weekly cohorts, the design has to be as agile as the startups themselves.
From Grid to Growth
The deliverables spanned across key pillars of their India-based programs — including the Startup School initiative, various Accelerator Programs, and partnerships with MeitY Startup Hub and Startup India.
I created:
A library of social templates for every scenario — from announcement posts to founder spotlights
Emailers and banners optimised for mobile-first markets
Regional adaptations that respected global branding but brought local relevance
Each asset felt uniquely Indian, while staying unmistakably Google.
Designing for the Unseen Campus
In many ways, this work wasn’t about creating for a brand with a space — but creating space for a brand. The goal was to give Google for Startups India a digital and visual presence powerful enough to stand in for the physical. To make sure every founder, every cohort, every pitch day felt part of something consistent, ambitious, and global.