White Space

What White Space does

White Space Design, Inc. is a privately held, founder-led full-service design, advertising, communications, and fundraising agency headquartered in San Francisco, California. Established in 1991 and operating under principal Sheila Von Driska, the firm delivers creative services — including branding, logo design, signage, annual reports, marketing campaigns, and merchandise — to a diversified set of clients across healthcare non-profits (notably the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation / GO2.org), educational institutions (UC Berkeley), retail technology companies (Ziploop), and political campaigns (Kamala Harris). Its work has spanned large-scale institutional projects such as UC Berkeley's $6 billion capital campaign (twelve annual reports) and nationally deployed retail signage at Simon Mall properties including Houston Galleria and Fashion Center at Pentagon City.

The firm has no proprietary software product, platform, or technology stack — its output is service-based creative work delivered through direct client engagement. Select deliverables have been productized for retail distribution (the 'Navigating Lung Cancer 360º of Hope' guidebook on Amazon; CommaLa political merchandise via Bold Stores), but these are minor extensions of the core agency model rather than standalone businesses. White Space monetizes through project-based professional services fees; pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are negotiated individually.

The company is founder-owned with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment, and there is no evidence of acquisitions, subsidiaries, or geographic expansion beyond its single San Francisco office and U.S. client base. Its competitive position rests on the personal reputation and long-tenured relationships of its principal rather than on technology, scale, or structural switching costs.

Name

White Space

Legal name

White Space Design, Inc.

Website

https://WhiteSpace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

White Space Design, Inc. is a San Francisco-based, founder-led design and advertising agency founded in 1991, serving healthcare non-profits, universities, retail technology firms, and political campaigns with branding, signage, reports, and marketing campaign services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

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. Design and Advertising Services: Full-service design, advertising, communications and fundraising agency providing creative services to clients across various sectors including healthcare foundations, educational institutions, and retail technology companies.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

White Space is a full-service creative agency that designs and produces branding, logo systems, signage, annual reports, advertising campaigns, merchandise, and fundraising communications for clients in healthcare, education, retail technology, and political sectors. The firm also sells select physical products directly, including branded political merchandise via Bold Stores and a published lung cancer guidebook via Amazon.

Product overview

White Space is a full-service design, advertising, communications and fundraising agency offering creative design services. The portfolio includes Kamala Harris merchandise (CommaLa hats and apparel), a published lung cancer guidebook (Navigating Lung Cancer 360° of Hope), university annual report design (Berkeley), mobile app marketing materials (Ziploop signage at Simon Malls), and custom logo design services. The company operates as a service-based agency rather than a software product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CommaLa Kamala Harris Merchandise Branded political merchandise including hats and apparel featuring the CommaLa logo designed by White Space, sold direct-to-consumer via a third-party e-commerce storefront (Bold Stores).
• Navigating Lung Cancer 360° of Hope Guidebook A comprehensive published guidebook for lung cancer patients and caregivers covering diagnosis process, staging, treatment options, clinical trials, care financing, and survivorship, sold on Amazon.
• Brand and Logo Design Services Custom logo design and brand identity services for organizations, campaigns, and consumer brands, delivered as standalone design engagements.
• Annual Report and Capital Campaign Design Multi-year design and production of institutional annual philanthropy reports and accompanying campus signage for large-scale capital campaigns, targeting universities and major non-profits.
• Retail Marketing Campaign and Signage Design National-scale retail marketing campaign creative, in-mall signage, sky banners, and bus ad design for consumer apps and retail brands, including co-marketing with mall operators and major retailers such as Nordstrom, Macy's, and Sephora.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (GO2.org)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhite Space designed the comprehensive guidebook 'Navigating Lung Cancer 360º of Hope' in collaboration with the foundation's patient services team. This is described as one of White Space's proudest achievements over two decades, indicating a deep strategic relationship focused on healthcare patient education.
• Simon MallcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWhite Space produced signage for Ziploop that was promoted through Simon Mall's digital marketing channels and displayed in select malls nationally, including Houston Galleria, Town Center at Cobb in Atlanta, Smith Haven Mall in New York, and Fashion Center at Pentagon City in Washington D.C.
• AmazonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe lung cancer guidebook designed by White Space is available for sale on Amazon, representing a distribution channel for their creative work.
• Bold StoresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPolitical merchandise (CommaLa hats and products) sold through the commala.boldstores.com storefront operated by Bold Stores.
• Ziploop, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhite Space helped create and produce signage for Ziploop's mobile shopping organizer app. The app was promoted nationally and was a finalist at the National Retail Federation's Big Show. The long-term relationship spans over seven years.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Pentagram: Independent, partner-led graphic design and branding studio with a similar boutique, multi-disciplinary model covering identity, editorial, signage, and campaigns. Closely comparable to White Space's full-service design positioning.
• Sagmeister & Walsh (now Sagmeister Inc.): Independent design studio focused on identity, cultural, and editorial work. Comparable as a founder-led, high-craft design practice serving high-profile clients.
• Siegel+Gale: Brand strategy and design firm specializing in simplicity-driven identity, communications, and signage programs. Overlaps with White Space's branding and wayfinding work for enterprise clients.
• MetaDesign: International brand design agency with deep identity, editorial, and campaign capabilities. Comparable in handling large-scale institutional design programs across sectors.
• Mucca: Boutique independent design studio known for identity, editorial, and signage work. Similar in scale and craft orientation to White Space's boutique agency model.
• Landor & Fitch: Global branding and design consultancy offering identity systems, signage, and campaign work for enterprise clients. Comparable in serving large institutional clients with end-to-end creative campaigns.
• IDEO: Design and innovation consultancy working across branding, communications, and product campaigns for major institutions. Comparable in servicing enterprise clients with multi-disciplinary creative work.

Broad incumbents

• R/GA: Large global creative and advertising agency offering brand, campaign, and digital work. A broader incumbent in the same category that competes for similar enterprise creative mandates.
• Wieden+Kennedy: Independent global creative agency with deep campaign and brand work for large institutional and consumer clients. Overlaps with White Space on campaign-scale creative services.
• frog (frog design): Global design and strategy firm with identity, communications, and campaign capabilities. Operates at larger scale than White Space but addresses the same enterprise creative services category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 White Space