Smart Hive

What Smart Hive does

Smart Hive is a strategic design consultancy founded in 2013 by Carla Januska and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Operating as Smart Hive, LLC, the firm positions itself as the first consultancy in the Twin Cities focused on data visualization for storytelling in the marketing space, and delivers an integrated portfolio spanning Strategy Services (brand positioning, CX journey maps, creative direction), User Experience (UX research, strategy, information architecture, UI design), Information Design (charts, infographics, visual storytelling), Data Visualization (interactive dashboards, data storytelling), and Content Design (brand communications, motion design). The proprietary 'UX for Data' methodology combines human-centered design principles with data storytelling to make complex information accessible and engaging for end users.

The firm serves enterprise clients across healthcare (Abbott Labs, Aveus, HealthEast, Fairview Health Services, Sentry Data Systems, Medecision), industrial manufacturing (Cargill, Ecolab, Pentair, Eaton, Tennant, PAR Systems, Nilfisk, Dover CPC), publishing and information services (Thomson Reuters, Dow Jones), technology (Avtex, Metametrix), government (Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board), nonprofit (Tubman, Bush Foundation), and education (University of Minnesota Foundation). Service delivery is project-based and bespoke, with engagements ranging from brand redesigns and microsites to healthcare patient experience maps and data dashboard UX. The firm extends delivery capacity through strategic partnerships with Cimarron Winter (digital innovation consultancy) and Panoramix Global (trend research), and uses FreshBooks and G Suite as operational tooling.

The business model is a privately-held, founder-owned professional services practice with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding history, and no parent company. Revenue is generated entirely through project-based consulting engagements; pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are scoped per engagement. The company operates regionally from the Twin Cities, targeting large enterprise clients through direct client relationships rather than channel partnerships, and markets itself through content marketing, social media, and founder involvement in AIGA Minnesota, where Carla Januska serves as President (elected 2021 after three years on the board).

Name

Smart Hive

Legal name

Smart Hive, LLC

Website

https://smarthive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smart Hive is a Minneapolis-based strategic design consultancy, founded in 2013 by Carla Januska, that integrates strategy, UX, design, and data visualization for enterprise clients in healthcare, manufacturing, publishing, and government sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: Project-based consulting engagements for strategy, UX, design, and data visualization services. Engagements include brand strategy, user experience design, information architecture, and content creation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Smart Hive is a strategic design consultancy that delivers integrated Strategy, UX, Design, and Data services to enterprise clients. Its signature offering is "UX for Data," a human-centered approach to data visualization and information design that helps organizations communicate brand, products, and services through custom visualizations, infographics, dashboards, and data-driven storytelling across digital, print, and social channels.

Product overview

Smart Hive is a strategic design consultancy offering a unified portfolio of services centered on using data to craft better user experiences. The core offering is 'UX for Data' — a human-centered approach to data visualization and storytelling. This is delivered through interconnected service offerings: Strategy Services (brand positioning, CX journey maps, creative direction), Information Design (charts, infographics, visual storytelling), Data Visualization (interactive dashboards, data storytelling), User Experience Services (research, UX strategy, UI design), and Content Design (brand communications, motion design). The company positions itself as the first consultancy in the Twin Cities focused on data visualization for storytelling in the marketing space, founded in 2013 by Carla Januska.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UX for Data A human-centered approach to data visualization and information design that makes data useable, accessible, and engaging through good design, revealing data points that help users believe what is being communicated. Targeted at enterprise clients needing data-driven storytelling.
• Strategy Services Strategic consulting covering brand positioning, process maps, brand strategy, brand identity and design, CX journey maps, service maps, organization charts, creative direction, and multi-channel design across digital, print, and social platforms. For enterprise clients seeking strategic brand and marketing direction.
• Information Design Creation of charts, graphs, data graphics, infographics, visual storytelling, reports and presentations, and data journalism/editorial design. For organizations that need to communicate complex information visually.
• Data Visualization Data storytelling, interactive data visualizations, dashboard design, and UI design services. For data-driven organizations wanting to communicate data effectively through visualization.
• User Experience (UX) Services User research, UX strategy, competitive UX audits, user persona design and development, user journeys and experience maps, information architecture/taxonomy, UI design, web design, and digital storytelling. For organizations needing user-centered digital product design.
• Content Design Brand design and communications, brand identity, digital storytelling, content creation, social content, and motion design and animation. For enterprises needing cohesive brand and content design across channels.

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cimarron WintercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Digital innovation consultancy that drives business results by creating digital experiences that meet customer needs. Smart Hive partners with Cimarron Winter on client projects including I-STIR brand redesign (PAR Systems), ANHI healthcare training portal, and Abbott cardiovascular digital design.
• FreshBooksminorOthersRecommended accounting tool for startups and entrepreneurs. Smart Hive uses FreshBooks to simplify financial processes and recommends it to clients.
• Panoramix GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on trend storytelling projects. Smart Hive designs highly-visual trend presentations based on Panoramix Global's research, analysis, and storytelling.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: Global design and innovation consultancy combining strategy, UX, and design across enterprise clients — directly comparable to Smart Hive's Strategy + UX + Design + Data model.
• Ustwo: Digital product studio delivering strategy, UX, and design services for enterprise and startup clients — directly comparable boutique creative agency model.
• ROKKAN: Digital experience design agency blending brand, UX, and data visualization for enterprise clients — directly comparable in offering mix and enterprise focus.
• Work & Co: Digital product and brand agency combining strategy, UX, design, and technology for global enterprises — operates an integrated creative-and-product model analogous to Smart Hive's approach.
• Mad*Pow: Experience design agency focused on behavioral design, healthcare UX, and data-driven storytelling — directly comparable given Smart Hive's healthcare segment strength and information design focus.
• Smart Design: Strategic design consultancy combining UX, brand strategy, and product design for enterprise clients — closely comparable to Smart Hive's boutique consultancy model.
• Pentagram: Multi-disciplinary design firm specializing in branding, information design, and data-driven communications — directly overlaps with Smart Hive's brand strategy and information design offerings.
• Frog Design (frog): Design and strategy consultancy with deep enterprise experience in brand, product, and experience design — operates the same integrated model as Smart Hive at larger scale.
• Cooper (Cooper Interactive): Interaction design consultancy blending strategy, research, and UX design — closely aligned with Smart Hive's human-centered UX and service offering.

Emerging players

• The Bureau of Small Projects: Boutique creative agency doing integrated branding, design, and content work for enterprise clients — smaller-scale analog to Smart Hive's boutique positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/smarthivecreativeminds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-hive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Smart Hive