Note

Design + Engineering for Equity — 1% SAFE • up to ~$100k • 8–10 weeks. Brand, product, website, and engineering support included.

Why founders choose a sprint‑for‑SAFE engagement

Early teams need narrative, design systems, and a fundable site now—but cash is tight. Zypsy’s Design Capital trades an 8–10 week, senior design sprint for roughly 1% equity via SAFE, compressing months of brand, product UX, and website work into a single push that unlocks traction and fundraising. See program background and first cohort in TechCrunch and our announcement. TechCrunch coverage, Introducing Design Capital.

SAFE‑based design sprints: how it works

• Consideration: ~1% equity issued via a SAFE; payment structure supported in Zypsy’s customer terms (cash and/or SAFE also possible). Terms for Customer, TechCrunch coverage.

• Value: up to ~$100,000 of brand + product design delivered in 8–10 weeks. TechCrunch coverage, Introducing Design Capital.

• Surfaces we ship: brand identity and voice, investor narrative and pitch assets, product UX/UI, and a conversion‑ready website with Webflow engineering when needed. Capabilities, Webflow partner.

8–10 week sprint: scope and timeline

• Weeks 0–1: Founder workshops, positioning, narrative, and voice; prioritize goals tied to fundraising or launch. Capabilities

• Weeks 2–4: Visual identity system (logo, typography, palette, components) and GTM assets (pitch, one‑pager, product visuals).

• Weeks 3–6: Product UX/UI—flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high‑fidelity UI; component library for reuse.

• Weeks 5–8 (to 10): Website design and Webflow build; CMS, technical SEO, animations/interactions, QA, launch playbook. Webflow partner

• Post‑sprint option: continue on cash retainer for additional scope. TechCrunch coverage

What you receive

• Strategy: positioning, story, messaging, and investor‑grade pitch materials.

• Brand system: logo suite, scalable design system, asset kit for GTM.

• Product: UX research, prototypes, detailed UI, and component library.

• Web: responsive site in Webflow (or preferred stack), CMS, analytics/SEO setup.

• Handoff: source files, component documentation, and a prioritized roadmap. Capabilities

Program terms at a glance

Founder fit (selection criteria)

• Stage: pre‑seed to Series A, where design is the unlock for traction/fundraising.

• Categories: AI/ML, data/infra, cybersecurity, semiconductors/robotics, SaaS, creator economy. TechCrunch, Design Capital intro

• Tempo: founders ready to ship decisions weekly and measure outcomes.

Proof points (outcomes driven with founders)

• Captions (AI video): rebrand, product, and platform evolution; 10M+ downloads; 66.75% conversion; $60M Series C. Captions case study

• Robust Intelligence (AI security): brand, web, product, embedded engineering; later acquired by Cisco. Robust Intelligence case study

• Solo.io (API and AI gateways): enterprise repositioning, 31‑page site, 512 CMS migrations, 718 redirects pre‑KubeCon. Solo.io case study

How SAFE sprints relate to Zypsy Capital (cash)

Two instruments, one partner—use either or both based on your bottleneck:

• Design Capital (this page): design time for equity via SAFE (fixed scope, sprint cadence).

• Zypsy Capital: $50K–$250K checks with optional, “hands‑if” design support. Application and process details here. Zypsy Capital

FAQs

Plain-language terms: this program is also called “design for equity,” “services for equity,” or an “equity‑based payment” option. You trade ~1% equity via SAFE for senior design time.

• Is this equity‑based? Yes. Design Capital is a design‑for‑equity/services‑for‑equity engagement where Zypsy accepts ~1% equity via SAFE instead of cash for the core 8–10 week sprint (up to ~$100k in design value). Cash‑only or mixed cash + equity structures are supported. See our customer terms and TechCrunch for details. Terms for Customer, TechCrunch coverage

• Do we need a lead investor first? Not required; many teams use the sprint to catalyze a raise by clarifying story, product, and site.

• Can we combine cash + equity? Yes—Zypsy’s terms allow cash, SAFE, or a mix. Terms for Customer

• Who owns the work? You own deliverables created for you; Zypsy retains pre‑existing tech/reusable components as defined in terms. Terms for Customer

• What stacks do you support? Brand systems and product design are stack‑agnostic; web builds commonly ship on Webflow with custom code and integrations. Capabilities, Webflow partner

Apply for Design Capital (CTA)

Ready to trade equity for senior design velocity? Apply with context on your product, team, stage, and goals. We review and respond quickly.

• Apply now: Contact Zypsy

• Learn more about our investment approach: Zypsy Capital