Hummingbirds

What Hummingbirds does

Hummingbirds operates commercially as Kolibri, a privately held Icelandic digital design and development agency headquartered in Reykjavík. Founded in 2007 as Sprettur (an Agile consulting firm) and reorganized in 2014 through a merger with design studio Form5, Kolibri has operated as an employee-owned, Holacracy-structured organization since that combination. The firm employs approximately 22 people, split roughly evenly between 12 designers and 10 developers, and serves primarily Icelandic enterprise and government clients (Íslandsbanki, TM, City of Reykjavik, Icelandic Ministry of Justice, HMS) alongside select international engagements (notably Kiwi.com).

Kolibri's service portfolio spans six core offerings: Product Development, Web Solutions, Apps, UI/UX Design, Branding and Strategy, and Design Sprints (short 3-4 week engagements). The agency positions itself around user-centered design methodology, design systems, and embedded product teams that work alongside clients over multi-month engagements. Project-based billing dominates, with pricing quote-driven and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, relying on direct outreach, referrals, and an award-dense public portfolio as primary demand-generation channels.

Operationally, Kolibri runs on a Holacracy model with no traditional managers, open salaries, and open financial data. This cultural posture has translated into measurable external validation: 41 industry awards (including Red Dot, Webby, Awwwards, FÍT, and Icelandic Web Awards), 2023 Great Place To Work Iceland certification, and a customer NPS of 93 against a benchmark of 68. In 2026 the firm publicly launched its first AI-enabled offering, a smart data classification project, representing a modest extension of its traditional design and development practice into AI-assisted process automation.

Name

Hummingbirds

Legal name

Kolibri

Website

https://kolibri.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kolibri is an Icelandic digital design and development agency serving enterprise and government clients with user-centered design, product development, web, mobile apps, and branding services from a 22-person Holacracy-structured team based in Reykjavík.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Design and Development Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Graphic Design Services (541430), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Cloud-Native Application Development (Containers/Kubernetes/Serverless) (BPAEAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cloud-Native Development (Containers, Kubernetes, Microservices) (BPAEACAD)

Keywords

• Digital product development
• Web design services
• Mobile app development
• UX design consulting
• Brand strategy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services (Agency Fees): Kolibri generates revenue through consulting, design, and development services billed on a project basis. Services include product development, web solutions, apps, UI/UX design, branding and strategy, and design sprints. Projects range from short 3-4 week design sprints to longer-term 6+ month product development engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kolibri (Hummingbirds) is a digital design and development agency that delivers end-to-end digital product work for enterprise, government, and startup clients. Core offerings include Product Development, Web Solutions, Apps, UI/UX Design, Branding and Strategy, and Design Sprints, executed by an integrated team of 12 designers and 10 developers using user-centered design, design systems, and Agile/Holacracy methods.

Product overview

Kolibri is a digital agency offering a comprehensive suite of services including Product Development, Web Solutions, Apps, UI/UX Design, Branding and Strategy, and Design Sprints. The company operates as a full-service digital design and development firm where these six core service offerings work together to deliver end-to-end digital solutions—from initial strategy and branding through to software development, web platforms, and mobile applications. Their approach emphasizes user-centered design, agile methodology, and close collaboration with clients throughout the project lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Product Development High-performing embedded product teams that collaborate closely with clients on digital product and service development, delivering maximum success in digital transformation through dedicated long-term engagements.
• Web Solutions Custom-designed, fast, and visually distinctive websites with search engine visibility, including hosting, service, and maintenance for clients.
• Apps (Mobile Application Development) Mobile application design and development for smartphones and tablets, creating engaging experiences that enhance service delivery for clients.
• UI/UX Design Interface design that is clear, intuitive, and visually confident, balancing usability and aesthetics for digital products, software, and marketing websites.
• Branding and Strategy Brand development and strategic positioning that builds on clear strategy and meets the demands of the digital world, including research, positioning, visual identity, and design standards.
• Design Sprints Short-duration design sprint engagements lasting 3–4 weeks that map customer needs, generate ideas, select the best concept, and design a high-fidelity prototype based on design thinking methodology.

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• BrandenburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign agency partner in the Íslandsbanki digital branding project (2017-2019). Brandenburg collaborated with Kolibri's designers on comprehensive digital brand identity creation.
• HugsmiðjanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner that has continued development of the Íslandsbanki website and digital services since the initial launch in January 2019.
• Tvist Advertising AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvertising agency partner for TM website redesign project. Tvist worked alongside Kolibri on updated brand assets and distinctive drawings, with close collaboration throughout the project.
• Eyrún EyþórsdóttirminorOthers3D motion graphics creator for Abler website project. Created original 3D motion graphics including animated knot that breaks loose on scroll.
• Svanhildur KristjánsdóttirminorOthersPhotographer for Regn second-hand fashion app. Responsible for distinctive brand photography featuring strong graphic elements.
• Ásdís HannaminorOthersIllustrator for Sólstöður healthcare recruitment website. Created brand illustrations representing diversity, inclusion, empathy, and nursing in Iceland.
• Sara Rós GuðmundsdóttirminorOthersVolunteer illustrator for Okkar heimur charity website. Created beautiful illustrations with vibrant colors and soft organic lines representing childhood themes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Work & Co: Brooklyn-based digital product agency building websites, apps, and brand systems for enterprise and consumer clients. Comparable boutique positioning, integrated design and engineering teams, and similar focus on product-grade digital experiences.
• Huge: Global digital agency offering strategy, design, web, app, and brand services to enterprise clients. Overlaps with Kolibri across the full digital product lifecycle but at significantly larger scale and with broader geographic reach.
• Ustwo: London/Sweden-based digital product studio that designs and develops apps, web platforms, and brand experiences for global clients. Closely comparable boutique scale, end-to-end design+build model, and emphasis on award-winning creative output.
• Instrument: Portland-based independent digital agency delivering brand, web, and product experiences for enterprise clients. Similar integrated design+engineering model and comparable scale to Kolibri's boutique footprint.
• Koto: London-based branding and digital design studio that builds brand identities, websites, and digital products. Comparable boutique size, similar craft-led positioning, and overlapping services in branding, web, and product design.
• Humaan: Australia-based digital product agency building websites, apps, and brand experiences. Comparable boutique scale and integrated design-and-engineering model, with similar mid-market enterprise and startup client mix.

Broad incumbents

• IDEO: Global design consultancy known for human-centered design, product innovation, and digital transformation. Comparable design-led methodology but far larger headcount, broader consulting scope, and global brand recognition.
• Frog Design: Global design and innovation firm delivering product, brand, and digital transformation services. Overlaps with Kolibri's design thinking and product design offerings but at substantially larger scale and with deeper enterprise reach.
• Fjord (Accenture Song): Global design and innovation consultancy now part of Accenture Song, focused on service design, digital products, and customer experience. Comparable design thinking emphasis but embedded within a global systems integrator.
• R/GA: Global digital agency offering brand, design, technology, and communications services. Overlaps with Kolibri's service mix but operates at much larger scale across multiple geographies and verticals.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HelloKolibri
• LinkedInis.linkedin.com/company/kolibri
• Instagraminstagram.com/hellokolibri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Hummingbirds