Relay Design Co

What Relay Design Co does

Relay Design Co. is a privately held software product studio based in Louisville, Kentucky, that provides end-to-end custom design and development services to startups and established brands. The company takes client products from concept through design, prototype, and launch, and supports ongoing iteration post-launch. Its service offering spans product management, UX/UI design, brand identity, full-stack web development, mobile development, API development, and systems integrations, including software for physical spaces with hardware integration.

The studio's portfolio is composed of client-specific custom products rather than a unified SaaS offering. Named projects include an immersive online training platform for Embodied Labs (transitioned from VR to web during the COVID-19 pandemic), a TV-based communication application for seniors built for Odessa Connect, a virtual trade show experience for GE Appliances at KBIS, a custom business intelligence and KPI reporting platform for 21c Museum Hotels, and employee portals for American Airlines subsidiaries (Piedmont Airlines and PSA Airlines). The company is led by Drew McChesney (Managing Director), Brian Johnson (Creative Director), and Ashley Revlett (Technology Director), supported by Senior Engineer Aaron Fautz.

Relay Design Co. operates on a project-based professional services revenue model, engaging clients directly through website inquiries and direct outreach. Pricing is custom per engagement and not publicly disclosed. The company maintains a small, founder-led organizational structure with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or external funding. Marketing is limited to organic presence on LinkedIn and Instagram, with the company relying primarily on its portfolio of completed work to attract new clients. The firm serves both early-stage startups seeking to build software products and established enterprise brands requiring specialized product design and development capabilities.

Name

Relay Design Co

Legal name

Relay Design Co.

Website

https://relaydesign.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Relay Design Co. is a Louisville-based software product studio that provides custom design, development, and product management services to startups and established brands, building bespoke software products from concept through launch and ongoing iteration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Software Development Services: Relay Design Co provides design and development services to startups and brands, taking products from concept through design, prototype, and launch. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Relay Design Co is a software product studio that designs and develops custom digital products for startups and established brands. The studio works alongside client teams to take products from concept through design strategy, prototyping, launch, and ongoing iteration. Engagements span UX/UI design, brand identity, full-stack web and mobile development, API development, software for physical spaces, and systems integrations, delivered by integrated product, design, and engineering teams.

Product overview

Relay Design Co is a software product studio that offers end-to-end design and development services, working alongside client teams to take products from concept through prototype to launch and ongoing support. The company's portfolio consists of client-specific software products including Embodied Labs (a web-based training platform), Odessa Connect (a television-based communication app for seniors), GE Appliances Virtual Experience (a trade show web/VR experience), 21c Museum Hotels Business Intelligence Platform (a hospitality reporting dashboard), and American Airlines Employee Portals (internal communications platforms). Rather than offering a single unified SaaS product, Relay operates as a studio that builds custom software solutions tailored to each client's specific needs, supported by capabilities in product management, UX/UI design, brand identity, full-stack web and mobile development, API development, and systems integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Software Design and Development Services End-to-end product design and development engagements combining product management, UX/UI design, brand identity, full-stack web and mobile development, API development, software for physical spaces, and systems integrations. Sold as project-based work to startups and established brands seeking a dedicated or supplemental product team.

Quantifiable outcome

• Enabled 21c Museum Hotels to scale from one location to nine while maintaining operational efficiency through custom BI tools
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• DockYard: Digital product consultancy specializing in custom web and mobile app development for enterprise clients — comparable boutique product studio positioning.
• Instrument: Independent branding and product studio delivering digital experiences, design systems, and custom product builds — comparable brand-plus-product capability.
• ustwo: Global product studio combining design, engineering, and product management — directly comparable service mix and end-to-end product development approach.
• MojoTech: Software product studio that builds custom digital products for startups and established brands — close comparable in size, model, and client segments.
• Work & Co: Product design and engineering studio working with major brands on digital products — highly comparable to Relay's enterprise brand work and cross-functional team model.
• thoughtbot: Boutique software product studio offering design, development, and product strategy to startups and enterprises — same model and client mix as Relay Design Co.

Broad incumbents

• R/GA: Global digital agency building connected products and experiences for major brands — competes for the same enterprise digital experience engagements Relay pursues.
• Huge: Larger digital experience agency with overlapping capabilities in product design, web/mobile development, and brand experiences — competes for the same enterprise clients but at much greater scale.
• frog: Global design and innovation consultancy (part of Capgemini Invent) offering design, brand, and product engineering services — broader portfolio but same design-led product ethos.
• IDEO: Pioneering design and innovation firm that integrates brand, product, and experience design — overlaps with Relay's Product x Brand approach but at vastly larger scale and scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/relaydesignco
• Instagraminstagram.com/relaydesignco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Relay Design Co