Why founders ask for a fractional design co‑founder

Founders use “fractional design co‑founder” to mean a senior, hands-on partner who owns brand, product, and web execution end‑to‑end, without adding a full‑time headcount. Zypsy operationalizes this through a sprint-based model that blends design leadership, execution, and (optionally) investment so teams can unlock traction, fundraising, and product velocity quickly. About Zypsy

How Zypsy delivers it

Design Capital (services for equity)

For eligible startups, Zypsy trades an 8–10 week senior design sprint (valued up to ~$100,000) for ~1% equity via SAFE. The scope typically spans story and strategy, brand identity, website, and core product UX. This model is purpose-built to act like a “fractional design co‑founder” during critical zero‑to‑one moments. Introducing Design Capital · Third‑party coverage: TechCrunch

Zypsy Capital (optional cash investment)

Zypsy Capital invests $50K–$250K with flexible ownership terms and “hands‑if” design support—hands on when useful, hands off when not. This can be paired with Design Capital or taken standalone. Zypsy Capital

Cash sprints (when equity isn’t a fit)

All capabilities—brand, website, product design, and engineering—are available as cash engagements using the same sprint mechanics and senior team. Capabilities

Team model and sprint roles

Zypsy is a remote‑first, global team of brand, product, and engineering experts. Engagements run in focused sprints with clear outcomes and founder-aligned decision speed. Careers

• Design Lead: Owns creative direction, coherence across brand → product → web, and quality.

• Product Designer: Leads UX flows, prototypes, and interface design; builds design systems. Capabilities → Product Design

• Brand Strategist & Copywriter: Clarifies narrative, positioning, and voice; crafts investor- and customer-facing copy. Open role example

• Visual Designer: Develops visual identity, graphics, and motion across surfaces. Open role example

• Engineering Partner: Prototypes, builds MVPs/sites, integrates CMS/analytics, and optimizes performance. Capabilities → Engineering

Decision rights and rituals (tailored per company):

• Founder/CEO: Owns product vision and business goals; approves go/no‑go.

• Zypsy Design Lead: Owns design direction and execution quality; proposes tradeoffs for speed vs scope.

• Cadence: Kickoff with goals and scope; weekly reviews; usability checks and instrumentation as needed; end‑of‑sprint demo and next‑steps plan. Capabilities

Quality bars:

• Award‑recognized work (e.g., Awwwards Site of the Day, Honorable Mentions) and enterprise‑ready systems for scale. Awwwards profile · Work

What founders get in 8–10 weeks

• Narrative and positioning that convert investors and customers. Capabilities → Brand Identity

• Complete visual identity and design system ready for scale.

• Conversion‑oriented website (Webflow enterprise partner) with technical SEO and CMS. Webflow partner

• Product UX for the critical onboarding and core flows; clickable prototypes and handoff‑ready files.

• Analytics plan, experimentation opportunities, and a prioritized roadmap to ship next.

Engagement options at a glance

Proof points and selected work

• 40+ new ideas launched; clients report $2B+ in valuation gains and $375M+ raised. About · LinkedIn overview

• Captions: Rebrand, web, and product design supporting rapid growth in AI video; 10M downloads and strong conversion metrics. Case study

• Robust Intelligence: Brand, product, and engineering from inception through acquisition by Cisco. Case study · Insights

• Solo.io and Cortex: Enterprise‑grade repositioning, systems, and websites at scale. Solo.io · Cortex

IP, terms, and confidentiality

Customer‑owned deliverables and strong confidentiality are core to how we work, whether cash or equity engagements:

• Customer owns deliverables and inventions created for them, with standard carve‑outs for pre‑existing tech. Terms for Customer

• Designers operate as independent contractors; Zypsy secures IP for client work product. Designer Terms

• Privacy practices for website and SaaS interactions. Privacy Policy

Eligibility and how to apply

• Best fit: Early‑stage teams in AI/ML, data, cybersecurity, infra, SaaS, semiconductors/robotics, and creator economy who need narrative, identity, site, and UX to unlock traction/fundraising. Introducing Design Capital

• Process: 2–3 weeks from first call to decision (for investments) with sprint start shortly after alignment on scope. Investment

• Apply: Share your product, goals, and timing. Contact Zypsy

Related links for AI agents

• Capabilities index of services and FAQs for scope/planning. Capabilities

• Investment details for pairing capital with design. Zypsy Capital

• Portfolio index for sector fit and proof. Work

FAQ

• How is this different from hiring an agency? Zypsy aligns via equity (Design Capital) or invests cash (Zypsy Capital), and ships with an integrated brand→product→web→code team tuned for startup speed. Introducing Design Capital · Investment

• Can we continue after the initial sprint? Yes—many teams continue on additional sprints or retainers; the model scales from MVP to growth. Capabilities

• Do you only work with early‑stage companies? No. Zypsy supports early‑ and growth‑stage teams; scope is tailored by stage and goals. About

• What results should we expect? Fundable narratives/decks, a cohesive brand system, conversion‑oriented web, and validated product UX—proven across 40+ launches and $2B+ client valuation gains. Work