Koto

What Koto does

Koto is an international B2B creative agency that provides integrated brand strategy, visual identity design, and digital services to major global companies and funded startups. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in London, the firm operates as a single unified studio across five physical locations — Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin, and Sydney — supported by 11 to 50 employees and a distributed ownership base of 19 shareholders across the studios. Its client portfolio spans tier-one enterprise brands including Microsoft, Amazon, Google (Fitbit), Tripadvisor, GoFundMe, ezCater, and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with project scopes reaching 15-market rollouts and 50+ sub-brand systems (as demonstrated by the Amazon XCM engagement). Koto also operates a small owned-media ecosystem (OFF Brand newsletter, OFF Live events platform, Seasoned content brand) that supports thought leadership and inbound demand generation.

The agency's core offering is professional creative services delivered on a project and retainer basis rather than a software or technology product. Service categories include brand strategy and positioning, identity system design, brand architecture for multi-brand portfolios, digital experience design, and global brand transformation. Koto's underlying capability is human-led creative judgment — visual systems, typography, narrative, and craft — with no proprietary technology platform, no disclosed AI or data products, and no patent or software-licensing revenue. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, consistent with enterprise creative engagements, and revenue derives from design consulting fees and ongoing creative partnerships.

The business model is a single-stream professional services revenue model with a direct enterprise sales motion. In April 2025, Koto received private equity investment from WestBridge Capital to support organic growth and M&A-led expansion across US, European, and APAC markets, and appointed Charles Fallon as its first chairperson to preserve its people-first culture during the expansion phase. CEO James Greenfield leads the agency, with Damian Borchok serving as APAC Managing Director. The combination of marquee enterprise clients, multi-region studio footprint, and PE-backed M&A intent positions Koto as a platform-consolidation play in the global branding agency market.

Name

Koto

Legal name

Koto Studio

Website

https://koto.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Koto is an international creative agency founded in 2015 and headquartered in London, operating five studios (Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin, Sydney). It provides integrated brand strategy, identity, and digital services to major global enterprises and funded startups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Design & Creative Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Commerce & Shoppable Creator Campaigns (BPAFAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Children’s Language Learning & Bilingual/ESL Trade (EDAGAIAG)

Keywords

• Brand identity design
• Creative agency services
• Brand strategy consulting
• Digital experience design
• Visual identity systems

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Koto generates revenue through project-based creative engagements, providing integrated brand strategy, identity design, and digital services to major global companies. Revenue is likely derived from design consulting fees, brand development projects, and ongoing creative partnerships with enterprise clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Koto provides integrated brand strategy, visual identity development, and digital experience design services for global companies and funded startups. Engagements span brand architecture, identity systems, multi-market brand transformations, and digital touchpoint design delivered through its five global studios. Revenue is generated through project-based creative service fees rather than software or product sales.

Product overview

Koto is an international creative agency providing integrated brand strategy, identity, and digital services to major global companies. The agency operates five studio locations (Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin, Sydney) and functions as a service-based business rather than a software product company. Their offering encompasses brand identity development, visual design systems, digital experience design, and strategic brand consulting. Client projects range from global brand transformations (Amazon XCM) to product branding (Microsoft Copilot+PC, Fitbit Ace LTE) and platform rebranding initiatives (GoFundMe, ezCater, LA28 Olympics). The agency also publishes thought leadership content through its OFF.Brand newsletter and OFF.Live platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OFF Brand: Newsletter/content brand covering branding topics, published on Substack
• OFF Live
• Seasoned

Products and services

• Brand Strategy and Identity Services Integrated brand strategy and identity development services including visual identity systems, brand architecture, and strategic positioning for global companies and funded startups.
• Digital Experience Design Services Digital experience design and implementation services creating brand-consistent digital touchpoints across web, mobile, and interactive platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18-month project spanning 15 markets and 50+ sub-brands for Amazon
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Charles FalloncoreOthers · 1 November 2025Charles Fallon appointed as Koto's first chairperson, specifically designed to protect the agency's people-first culture and creative identity during the expansion phase following WestBridge's investment. Charles brings over 15 years of international agency experience and two decades in M&A advisory, managing Koto's 19 shareholders across its five studios.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gretel: Independent brand strategy and design studio based in New York serving global clients. Comparable positioning as a craft-led, story-driven design firm targeting enterprise brand work.
• Huge: Global brand and experience design agency combining brand strategy, digital product, and marketing. Overlaps directly with Koto's integrated brand strategy and digital services offering for enterprise clients.
• DesignStudio: Brand design agency known for high-profile identity work (e.g., Airbnb rebrand). Direct competitor for ambitious enterprise brand transformations at similar scale to Koto.
• Pentagram: Independent global brand design firm with multiple partner-led studios serving enterprise clients on identity, strategy, and digital. Pentagram is the archetype Koto competes against for marquee brand assignments.
• Ragged Edge: Independent brand agency frequently listed alongside Koto for funded startup branding. Direct competitor in the startup-to-enterprise pipeline that Koto also targets.
• Wolff Olins: Global brand consultancy owned by Omnicom delivering brand strategy, identity, and experience work to multinational clients. Direct competitor for large-scale brand transformation mandates like Amazon XCM.
• Mother Design: Design arm of Mother agency, providing brand identity and design services to ambitious global brands. Comparable scale, studio model, and enterprise client mix to Koto.
• Moving Brands: Independent global brand and experience agency with studios in London, San Francisco, Zurich, and New York. Comparable in scale and offering mix to Koto across brand strategy, identity, and digital.

Broad incumbents

• Landor & Fitch: WPP-owned global branding consultancy offering brand strategy, identity, and experience design at greater scale. Larger incumbent that competes with Koto for the same multinational brand transformation RFPs.
• IDEO: Established design and innovation consultancy combining brand, product, and service design. Competes with Koto for strategic design mandates from global enterprises, with broader innovation scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/studiokoto
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/koto
• Instagraminstagram.com/studiokoto
• Facebookfacebook.com/studiokoto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Koto