Born Design
Born Design is a Bochum-based German B2B advertising and design agency, founded in 2002 and operated by Oliver Born as a sole proprietorship with a small freelancer network, delivering WordPress web design, corporate identity, print/prepress and online marketing services to startups through mid-sized companies across multiple German industries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBochum, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Born Design does
Born Design is a German advertising and design agency founded in 2002 in Bochum and operated as a sole proprietorship by founder Oliver Born. The firm delivers B2B creative services — including WordPress-based web design, WooCommerce and Shopware e-commerce builds, corporate identity (logo, brand systems, Micro-Styleguide), print design and prepress (Reinzeichnung), and online marketing (SEO, Google Ads, Analytics) — to a horizontal mix of startups, small and mid-sized companies, and selected enterprises across healthcare, IT, automotive, art, education, green energy and trades.
The agency is structured as a lean network of selected freelancers in permanent cooperation rather than a conventional agency. The core team consists of founder Oliver Born, a Mediengestalter specializing in Adobe Creative Cloud, WordPress and Shopware/WooCommerce; freelance programmer Christian Dölling (PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, Python, HTML, CSS); and freelance illustrator and product designer Andreas G. Höher. Delivery is built on mainstream, non-proprietary platforms — WordPress CMS, WooCommerce and Shopware for commerce, and Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat) for design — with no disclosed patents, proprietary models or AI/ML components.
Commercially, Born Design operates on a direct, sales-led, project-based model with free initial consultations and individually quoted engagements; no pricing tiers, retainers, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed. Revenue is generated across five streams: web design and development, corporate design, print design and production, online marketing, and e-commerce solutions, each billed as one-time project fees or professional services. The customer base of 15+ named logos (e.g., Knipex, Kompass Apotheke am EVK, Geuer & Geuer Art GmbH, CMM Solutions, artistravel) is geographically limited to Germany and diversified across verticals, with no disclosed external funding, parent company or subsidiaries.
Born Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Born Design
- Legal name
- Oliver Born
- Website
- https://born-design.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Born Design is a Bochum-based German B2B advertising and design agency, founded in 2002 and operated by Oliver Born as a sole proprietorship with a small freelancer network, delivering WordPress web design, corporate identity, print/prepress and online marketing services to startups through mid-sized companies across multiple German industries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Born Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advertising and Design Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (541430), Graphic Design Services (54143)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)
Keywords
Where Born Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bochum
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Born Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Web Design & Development Services: Project-based fees for website development including WordPress sites, responsive design, and CMS implementation. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific.
- Corporate Design Services: Logo design, brand identity development, and visual design systems. Includes Micro-Styleguide creation and corporate identity consulting.
- Print Design & Production: Design and production coordination of print materials including brochures, catalogs, business cards, vehicle lettering, and window graphics. Also includes final artwork preparation (Reinzeichnung) and print coordination.
- Online Marketing Services: SEO/SEM services including Google Ads campaigns, Google Analytics implementation, keyword analysis, and performance monitoring.
- E-Commerce Solutions: Online shop development with WooCommerce and Shopware platforms, including template customization and shipping configuration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based pricing - each project receives individual quote |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Born Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Born Design is a German advertising agency providing B2B creative services in web design (WordPress-based responsive websites and WooCommerce/Shopware e-commerce stores), corporate design (logo, brand identity, style guides), print design (brochures, catalogs, vehicle lettering), final artwork preparation (Reinzeichnung), and online marketing (SEO, Google Ads, analytics). Services are delivered as project-based work from concept through completion, ensuring unified brand appearance across digital and print media for startups through mid-sized companies.
Product overview
Born Design is a traditional advertising and design agency based in Bochum, Germany, offering a unified portfolio of creative services rather than a software platform. The core offerings span web design (WordPress-based websites and WooCommerce/Shopware e-commerce stores), corporate design (logo, brand identity, style guides), print design (brochures, catalogs, vehicle lettering), final artwork/prepress services, and online marketing (SEO, Google Ads, analytics). Their services are delivered as project-based work rather than as modular software products, though they offer a downloadable Micro-Styleguide product for standardized brand documentation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WordPress Web Design
Quantifiable outcome
- Responsive design ensures correct display on all devices (smartphone, tablet, desktop)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Born Design
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Born Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Born Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Geuer & Geuer Art GmbHcoreLong-term client relationship since 2017. Born Design was commissioned to create all internet presences for Geuer & Geuer, including six websites and one shop system. The online shop was implemented with Shopware software with customized template and individual shipping cost structure.
- artstar VerlagminorLong-term customer commissioning various projects including the Sylt Art Fair website and ongoing design work.
- Druckerei LensingminorPrinting partner for artistravel catalog project (420 pages, 17,000 copies). On-site print acceptance with client.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Born Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kolle Rebbe: Hamburg-based creative agency with brand strategy, corporate design, and digital offerings for premium clients. Comparable as a broader German incumbent specializing in brand and corporate identity work similar to Born Design's Corporate Design practice.
- denkwerk: Cologne-based digital agency offering web design, e-commerce, and online marketing services to mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable as a broader German digital incumbent whose service mix (web, e-commerce, SEO/SEM) directly overlaps Born Design's core offerings.
- Serviceplan Group: Large Munich-based full-service advertising and communications group operating across digital, print, and brand strategy. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering the same web/corporate/print service mix as Born Design, but at much larger scale and enterprise client base.
- Scholz & Friends: Hamburg-based full-service advertising agency group with brand strategy, digital, and integrated campaign offerings. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the German-speaking creative market whose scope mirrors Born Design's one-stop shop positioning, though at significantly larger scale.
- SinnerSchrader: Hamburg-based digital agency focused on web design, e-commerce platforms, and digital marketing for enterprise clients. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the German digital agency market, with technology-platform expertise (digital commerce, web) overlapping Born Design's WooCommerce/Shopware focus.
- Jung von Matt: Major Hamburg-headquartered creative agency group with full-service advertising, brand, and digital capabilities across the German-speaking market. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering integrated branding, web design, and campaign services that overlap Born Design's full-service positioning.
Direct peers
- Ruess Group: Stuttgart-based full-service communications agency combining corporate design, web, and content for mid-market German clients. Comparable as a direct peer in scale and service mix, offering integrated branding and digital services overlapping Born Design's offering.
- Strichpunkt: Stuttgart-based design and branding agency with corporate design, web design, and editorial work for mid-market clients. Directly comparable as a German design agency of similar boutique-mid scale offering overlapping brand identity, web, and editorial services to a KMU client base.
- Loved GmbH: Hamburg-based creative and design agency with brand strategy, corporate design, and digital offerings. Comparable as a direct peer — German boutique-mid design agency delivering integrated branding and web services to a similar KMU/mid-market segment.
- neongrau: German digital design agency with web design, branding, and e-commerce experience working with mid-market and corporate clients. Comparable as a direct peer in the German boutique-mid digital design space, with overlapping WordPress/CMS capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Born Design social profiles
Digital presenceBorn Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Born Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Born Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Born Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Born Design
What does Born Design do?
Born Design is a German advertising agency providing B2B creative services in web design (WordPress-based responsive websites and WooCommerce/Shopware e-commerce stores), corporate design (logo, brand identity, style guides), print design (brochures, catalogs, vehicle lettering), final artwork preparation (Reinzeichnung), and online marketing (SEO, Google Ads, analytics). Services are delivered as project-based work from concept through completion, ensuring unified brand appearance across digital and print media for startups through mid-sized companies.
Is Born Design a public or private company?
Born Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Born Design founded?
Born Design was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Born Design based?
Born Design is headquartered in Bochum, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Born Design make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Web Design & Development Services are the primary driver. The others are corporate Design Services, print Design & Production, online Marketing Services and E-Commerce Solutions.
Who are Born Design's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kolle Rebbe, denkwerk, Serviceplan Group, Scholz & Friends, SinnerSchrader and Jung von Matt. Direct peers are Ruess Group, Strichpunkt, Loved GmbH and neongrau.
Does Born Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Born Design.
What industry is Born Design in?
Born Design's product category is Advertising and Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAB, Creative & Brand Campaign Development, with a secondary code of MPAAAAAD, Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX). Its NAICS code is 541430.