Nowthen
Tokyo-based creative studio offering brand strategy, web design, and product design services to early-stage startups (pre-seed to Series A) through fixed-price project packages. Operates with an 8-person team led by two co-founders, acquiring clients via direct website inbound and founder-led sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Nowthen does
Nowthen is a Tokyo-based creative studio offering brand strategy, web design, and product design services to early-stage startup founders. It was founded by Raphael Hodé (CEO) and Apolline Daimaru (Strategy Director), who together lead a tightly integrated team of approximately eight creatives, strategists, and a social media manager. The studio's core proposition is built around proprietary 'startup-optimized design methodologies' that combine strategic framing, agility, and senior-led execution, with the co-founders emphasizing directors-on-every-project delivery to differentiate from junior-staffed or freelance competitors.
The studio sells three standardized, fixed-price packages: Brand Boost (a 4-week strategic brand revamp at ¥3.3M), Magnetic Re/Brand (a comprehensive rebranding at ¥3.5M), and Product Sprint (a 2-week design sprint at ¥2.3M). Revenue is generated entirely through one-time project fees — there are no disclosed retainer, subscription, or licensing products. Public pricing is updated quarterly, which is atypical for a boutique design studio and is intended to reduce buyer friction and shorten sales cycles.
Go-to-market is direct and founder-led: client acquisition runs through website contact forms and inbound project inquiries, supported by case studies on nowthen.cc, an Instagram presence, a LinkedIn company page, and a weekly newsletter on brand and positioning frameworks. The customer base spans roughly 12 named startup clients across fintech (Habitto, Lecto), AI/translation (Kotoba Technologies), AI/IT ops (Aokumo AI), hospitality (Kabin/Wayfarer), renewable energy (Commune Energy), HR/talent (TeamFirst, Socious), deep tech (Braid), food tourism (ByFood), music streaming (Soundol), and proptech/construction (Chubic). The company has no disclosed external funding, no parent entity, no patents, no certifications, and one minor design-collaboration partnership with Studio Kaki.
Nowthen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nowthen
- Legal name
- Nowthen
- Website
- https://nowthen.cc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tokyo-based creative studio offering brand strategy, web design, and product design services to early-stage startups (pre-seed to Series A) through fixed-price project packages. Operates with an 8-person team led by two co-founders, acquiring clients via direct website inbound and founder-led sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nowthen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Design Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (54143), Specialized Design Services (5414)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brand Experience (BX) & Service Design (BPAFAEAI)
Keywords
Where Nowthen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nowthen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Project-Based Design Services: Fixed-price design engagements including Brand Boost (4-week brand revamp), Magnetic Re/Brand, and Product Sprint (2-week design sprint). Revenue is generated through one-time project fees for branding, web design, and product design services targeting startup clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Brand Boost - 4-week strategic brand revamp |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Magnetic Re/Brand - Full brand transformation |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Product Sprint - 2-week design sprint |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Nowthen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nowthen is a Tokyo-based creative studio that provides brand strategy, web design, and product design services specifically tailored for early-stage startups. The studio delivers fixed-price project engagements through three core packages: Brand Boost (a 4-week strategic brand revamp), Magnetic Re/Brand (a comprehensive rebranding service), and Product Sprint (a 2-week design sprint with developer handover). The studio uses proprietary methodologies developed for the uncertainty and high-stakes of early-stage ventures, with directors assigned to every project.
Product overview
Nowthen is a design studio based in Tokyo offering three core service packages to early-stage startups. The portfolio consists of Brand Boost (4-week strategic brand revamp at ¥3.3M), Magnetic Re/Brand (comprehensive rebranding service), and Product Sprint (2-week design sprint at ¥2.3M). These services are designed to help startups build brands that stand out, websites that convert, and products that reshape categories. The studio bridges strategic thinking, agility, and top-tier execution specifically optimized for early-stage ventures.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brand Boost A 4-week strategic brand revamp for early-stage startups that includes brand strategy, messaging that converts, a stronger distinctive brand identity, and a Brand OS framework for execution consistency. Priced at ¥3.3M.
- Magnetic Re/Brand A comprehensive rebranding service for startups that enables them to look 10x bigger and convert better through a full brand strategy and identity transformation. Priced at ¥3.5M.
- Product Sprint A 2-week design sprint that delivers a product concept, UX recommendations, high-fidelity designs of key screens, and developer hand-over documentation for startups shipping faster with confidence. Priced at ¥2.3M.
Quantifiable outcome
- Helping startups raise rounds, scale operations, and enter new markets through professional design
Companies that use Nowthen
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Nowthen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Nowthen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Studio KakiminorDesign collaboration partnership for specific client projects. Studio Kaki worked with Nowthen on Commune Energy brand development, contributing to visual identity creation.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Nowthen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Nowthen social profiles
Digital presenceNowthen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nowthen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Nowthen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nowthen 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 Nowthen
What does Nowthen do?
Nowthen is a Tokyo-based creative studio that provides brand strategy, web design, and product design services specifically tailored for early-stage startups. The studio delivers fixed-price project engagements through three core packages: Brand Boost (a 4-week strategic brand revamp), Magnetic Re/Brand (a comprehensive rebranding service), and Product Sprint (a 2-week design sprint with developer handover). The studio uses proprietary methodologies developed for the uncertainty and high-stakes of early-stage ventures, with directors assigned to every project.
Is Nowthen a public or private company?
Nowthen is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Nowthen founded?
Nowthen was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Nowthen based?
Nowthen is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Nowthen make money?
One revenue line is on record: project-Based Design Services.
Does Nowthen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nowthen.
What industry is Nowthen in?
Nowthen's product category is Creative Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAEAI, Brand Experience (BX) & Service Design. Its NAICS code is 54143 and its SIC code is 7310.