What Design Directions does

Design Directions Pvt. Ltd. is a multi-disciplinary design studio headquartered in Pune, India, founded in 1988 (incorporated as a private limited company in 2014). The firm offers an end-to-end suite of services spanning strategy, product design, brand identity, user interface and experience design, packaging design, visual communication, print collaterals, website design, publications, and illustrations. It is led by three co-founders — Satish Gokhale (Head of Product Design, NID Ahmedabad alumnus, 25+ years), Falguni Gokhale (Head of Visual Communication, NID Ahmedabad alumnus, 23+ years), and Hemant Karandikar (Head of Strategy & Branding, IIT Bombay alumnus, 30+ years) — supported by a small team of 11-50 industrial designers, visual communicators, animators, and programmers.

The studio's portfolio spans capital equipment (refrinery control-room information graphics for Reliance and Honeywell), medical devices (iBreastExam for UE LifeSciences, MiraCradle Neonate Cooler, Starhaler asthma inhaler for Sun Pharma, Senorita Colour Doppler for Bharat Electronics, NadiTarangani AI/ML Ayurveda device for Atreya Innovations), consumer products (Tata Swach water purifier, GroEzee kitchen garden, Mobiliz solar mobile computer, Chiara planter, Piero seating), packaging (DMart, Future Group/ABRL private labels), and brand identity work for Axis Bank, Sigma Electric, UNICEF, and the Pune Farmers' Market. Notable technical strengths include a proprietary UI/UX process centered on workflow analysis and cognitive-load reduction, a design philosophy that balances emotional appeal with manufacturing feasibility, and a portfolio of patents and design registrations held by the lead designer.

Design Directions operates a project-based professional services model, generating revenue through custom design engagements with no publicly disclosed pricing. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales enabled by portfolio showcasing on its website, direct client relationships built over three decades, and award recognition from bodies such as iF (Germany), Red Dot, Good Design (Japan), European Design Award, IDEA (US), CII, and India Design Council. The firm serves enterprise and institutional clients across India and selectively internationally, with no external investors, subsidiaries, or reported M&A activity.

Name

Design Directions

Legal name

Design Directions Pvt. Ltd.

Website

https://designdirections.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Design Directions Pvt. Ltd. is a Pune, India-based multi-disciplinary design studio providing product design, brand strategy, UI/UX, and packaging services to enterprise clients across medical devices, capital equipment, FMCG, and banking sectors, with a three-decade award-winning track record.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Design Services

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Industrial design services
• Product design studio
• Brand identity strategy
• Packaging design services
• UI UX design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pune

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

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 Services: Project-based professional design services including product design, brand identity, UI/UX design, packaging design, and visual communication. Services are offered to enterprise clients across multiple sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Design Directions is a multi-disciplinary design studio providing project-based product design, brand identity and strategy, packaging design, UI/UX design, and visual communication services to enterprise clients. The studio co-creates with clients across sectors including medical devices, capital equipment, FMCG, consumer products, retail, and banking, transforming concepts into products and communications that appeal emotionally to customers and are technically feasible for manufacturing and market success.

Product overview

Design Directions is an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio offering a comprehensive suite of design services. Their portfolio includes Product Design (capital equipment, medical products, consumer and electronic products), Brand Identity & Strategy, User Interface Design, Packaging Design, Print Collaterals, Website Design & Development, Illustrations, and Publications. Notable named products include medical devices (iBreastExam, MiraCradle Neonate Cooler, Starhaler Inhaler, NadiTarangani AI/ML Ayurveda System), consumer products (Tata Swach Water Purifier, GroEzee Garden System), and rotomolded furniture (Chiara Planter, Piero Seating, Seme Lamps). The studio also creates information graphics systems for industrial applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Capital Equipment Design Product design services for industrial capital goods, transforming capital equipment into designs that visually and functionally signal technology, quality, performance, and reliability.
• Brand Identity & Strategy Brand architecture, communication strategy, corporate identity, annual reports, and publication design services for companies establishing or strengthening brand identity.
• Consumer & Electronic Products Design Product design services bringing aesthetics, elegance, and functionality to consumer and electronic products to invite and encourage customer use.
• Packaging Design Packaging graphics and package shape design for sachets, pouches, cartons, bottles, and jars, creating strong shelf presence and consumer engagement.
• Medical Products Design Industrial design for medical devices, diagnostics, neonatal care, and respiratory drug delivery, enabling patients and healthcare professionals to interact with medical products safely and easily.
• User Interface Design UI/UX design including workflow analysis, navigation design, screen designs, and intuitive interface design for mobile, tablet, computer, and touch panel screens.
• Print Collaterals Design Design of brochures, sales collaterals, and print publications delivering messages with credibility, style, and distinction.
• Website Design & Development Website design and development services creating sites that stand out yet provide visitors with an easy way to find more about the client.
• Illustrations Illustration and digital imagery for book covers, calendars, stories, exhibition panels, and campaigns.
• Publications Design Book cover design and eye-friendly layouts for publications.
• Passion Projects (Self-initiated Innovation) Self-conceived innovation projects promoting good causes like recycling or challenging the studio's creativity.
• Information Graphics Design Information graphics design for industrial control rooms and large-scale video wall displays, including the world's largest refinery video wall at Reliance Jamnagar.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tata Swach water purifier launched at Rs. 999, removes 100% bacteria and viruses, capacity 18 liters
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

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.

• Bayer Foundation GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Bayer Foundation Germany awarded Asprin Social Innovation Award to iBreastExam device designed by Design Directions for UE LifeSciences, recognizing social innovation impact in healthcare.
• The Economic TimesminorOthers · 1 January 2013Coverage of design firm and design ecosystem in The Economic Times magazine article on 'Make in India' design ecosystem.
• Honeywell IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Joint execution of information graphics project for world's largest interactive video wall display at Reliance Petroleum refinery in Jamnagar. Project jointly executed by Honeywell India and Design Directions Pvt. Ltd. for Reliance Petroleum, using BARCO technology. Developed completely new Display Philosophy for DLP video walls through extensive prototyping.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Kinnari Kartik: Indian product and furniture designer with strong industrial design portfolio and international recognition — comparable Indian boutique design position with similar product design focus.
• Lunar Design: US-headquartered product design consultancy serving enterprise clients across medical, consumer, and industrial — comparable in mid-size multi-disciplinary structure and sector mix.
• Elephant Design: Leading Indian multi-disciplinary design studio based in Pune, offering product, packaging, and brand design — closest direct peer within India, competing for the same enterprise clients (Tata, Godrej, ITC class of accounts).
• Smart Design: Global product design and innovation consultancy with strong medical-device and consumer products portfolio — competes for similar enterprise medical/industrial design engagements.
• Manja Studio: Indian design studio specializing in brand identity, packaging, and product design for FMCG and enterprise clients — comparable scale and India enterprise client base.
• Ray+Keshavan | the Brand Union: Indian brand and design consultancy with deep FMCG and consumer packaging expertise — comparable on brand strategy and packaging design offerings within the Indian enterprise market.

Broad incumbents

• Landor & Fitch: Global brand consultancy with significant India presence serving enterprise clients on brand identity, packaging, and design strategy — overlaps directly on brand identity and FMCG packaging work.
• frog design: Global product and brand design firm (now part of Capgemini Invent) with strong medical-device and consumer electronics portfolio — competes for the same enterprise design engagements as Design Directions at premium global pricing.
• IDEO: Global design consultancy with deep product design, brand, and digital capabilities serving enterprise clients across healthcare, consumer, and industrial sectors — directly comparable multi-disciplinary positioning but at vastly larger global scale.
• Pentagram: Multi-disciplinary design partnership offering brand identity, product, and digital design — comparable in multi-disciplinary breadth and partner-led model, though with a primarily Western client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-directions-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Design Directions