What Mates does

Mates Incorporated is a production-first design and content agency that helps enterprise and upper mid-market brands produce marketing assets — including emails, social media creative, and ecommerce banners — at scale. The firm applies a proprietary design system methodology, built on Figma component libraries, tokenized design structures, and reusable code frameworks (including Stripo HTML email modules), to generate thousands of on-brand assets with reduced production time. Documented client engagements span Helly Hansen (email design system, 24 campaigns per season from a three-person team), Telus (corporate design system and headless site builder CMS across 92 designers), Adidas (Built To Defy campaign reaching 20M audience), Musto, Warner Bros. Discovery, ShaktiMat, and Uniform.dev.

The company operates a remote-first delivery model with a core team of 1–10 employees based in Portimão, Portugal, supplemented by a network of 16+ expert contractors, approximately 60% of whom are placed within external client teams for 3–12 month engagements. Its technology stack relies on Figma as the primary design environment, with multi-platform component outputs spanning React (for headless websites), Emarsys HTML, Creatopy templates, and third-party marketplace assets. Integration certifications with Klaviyo and Emarsys position Mates as a formal partner within those ESP ecosystems.

Mates generates revenue primarily through monthly retainer agreements that reserve capacity and are billed on the 1st of each month, with secondary streams from fixed-price projects, overage fees on retainer work, and contractor placement services. A formal referral/affiliate program offers 5–10% commissions on referred client revenue over a two-year period. The company is privately held and founder-led by Jack Reeves, with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and a Portugal-domiciled legal entity (MATES Unipessoal LDA) and a UK trading entity (MATES Inc).

Name

Mates

Legal name

MATES Unipessoal LDA

Website

https://matesincorporated.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mates Incorporated is a production design agency that helps enterprise brands in outdoor, sports, and lifestyle sectors produce marketing assets at scale using proprietary design systems and a network of expert contractors, operating remotely from Portugal and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Production Services

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Naming & Verbal Identity (Taglines, Messaging) (MPAAAEAB)

Keywords

• Design production services
• Creative agency services
• Design system consulting
• Email campaign production
• Ecommerce design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portimão

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Monthly Retainer Agreements: Recurring monthly retainer fees that secure guaranteed time, capacity, or specific deliverables per month. The retainer fee purchases reservation of resources and is due in full regardless of utilization. Unused hours or deliverable allowances do not roll over. Monthly invoices issued on the 1st of each month. This is the primary revenue model.
2. Fixed-Price Project Fees: For fixed-price projects (non-retainer), a deposit (typically 50%) is required before work commences, with the balance due upon completion or prior to release of final files.
3. Overage Fees: Work exceeding the agreed monthly retainer allowance is billed as 'Overage' at the hourly or per-item rate specified in the Proposal, added to the subsequent month's invoice. Rush work may incur an additional 25-50% fee.
4. Contractor Placement Fees: About 60% of current staff are placed within external client teams for 3-12 month engagements to help scale their creative functions. This represents a secondary revenue stream for contractor placement.
5. Referral/Affiliate Commission: While a cost-reducing channel for client acquisition, the company runs a referral program paying 5-10% commissions on referred client revenue, which represents a GTM cost rather than direct revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mates Incorporated is a production-first design and content agency that helps world-class brands produce marketing assets (email campaigns, social media creative, ecommerce banners, display ads) at scale using proprietary design system methodology. Core service lines cover Email Design & Production, Social Media Production, and Ecommerce Digital Production, supported by ESP management (Klaviyo, Emarsys), asset production, and contractor placement services. Deliverables are built from proprietary Figma component libraries, tokenized design structures, and reusable code frameworks that enable rapid, on-brand asset generation.

Product overview

Mates is a production-first design agency specializing in delivering design and content assets at scale for world-class brands. The offering consists of three core service lines—Email Design & Production, Social Media Production, and Ecommerce Digital Production—supplemented by strategic services including ESP Management, Creative & Production Strategy, and Asset Production. The company's proprietary Design System (Figma component libraries and reusable code frameworks) underpins all production work, enabling rapid asset creation. The company also offers contractor placement services for longer-term team augmentation. Email work is delivered through ESP platforms (Klaviyo and Emarsys certified partner), social assets are produced for TikTok, X, and Meta, and ecommerce production covers platform design, third-party marketplaces, and affiliate marketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Email Design & Production

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million assets produced across client base
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Google WorkspacecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs) is used as the primary communication and file storage platform. Listed as an authorized sub-processor in the Data Processing Agreement. Located in Ireland (EU), compliant with GDPR requirements.
• FigmacoreTechnology or IntegrationFigma is used as the primary design and prototyping tool. Core to Mates' design system methodology and component library infrastructure. Listed as an authorized sub-processor in the DPA. Located in USA with Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) in place for data transfers.
• SlackcoreTechnology or IntegrationSlack is used as the exclusive internal communication channel (standardized communication policy, not supporting Teams/WhatsApp/Discord). Listed as an authorized sub-processor in the DPA. Located in USA with SCCs in place.
• OpenAIsupportingTechnology or IntegrationOpenAI is used for AI copy/code assistance as part of Mates' AI Content Specialist services. Listed as an authorized sub-processor in the DPA. Located in USA with SCCs in place.
• KlaviyocoreTechnology or IntegrationKlaviyo is the primary Email Service Provider (ESP) platform used for client campaign management, segmentation, and automation flows. Mates describes itself as Klaviyo partners. Critical platform for ESP management services.
• EmarsyscoreTechnology or IntegrationEmarsys is an Email Service Provider (ESP) used for client campaign management. Mates is Emarsys certified. HTML email components are built to Emarsys specifications.
• GREY (Agency Partner)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGREY is an agency partner referenced in the Helly Hansen case study. GREY developed campaign concepts for Helly Hansen which Mates then executed and adapted at scale using their design system methodology. This is a client-side partnership where GREY's concepts were the input to Mates' production workflow.
• HugesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuge (consultancy that previously worked on Apple redesign) was contracted by Telus to analyze their internet presence and recommend a complete overhaul, pitching the concept of a Design System. Mates was then contracted to implement the strategy. This represents a sequential partnership where Huge's recommendations led to Mates' engagement.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Huge: Digital design and engineering consultancy that partners with enterprise clients on design systems and large-scale digital experiences. Already named in Mates' Telus case study as a sequential partner, confirming direct overlap in capability and customer profile.
• Dept: Global digital creative and production agency offering end-to-end marketing, design, and engineering services for enterprise brands. Closely comparable to Mates in production-at-scale model and enterprise client focus across digital channels.
• MetaLab: Design agency building digital products and brand experiences for enterprise and growth-stage clients. Comparable in applying systems thinking to design and shipping high-volume production work.
• Work & Co: Digital product and experience agency delivering design-and-build services for global brands. Comparable in combining design systems thinking with hands-on production for enterprise clients.
• R/GA: Global digital agency combining strategy, design, and technology to build connected consumer experiences for enterprise brands. Comparable in combining brand thinking with production execution at scale.
• Instrument: Independent design and technology agency producing brand experiences, digital products, and content for enterprise clients. Comparable in operating at the intersection of brand, design systems, and production.
• Monks (formerly MediaMonks): Global production-led digital agency operating at content, media, and experience scale for enterprise marketers. Directly comparable to Mates' production-first positioning and multi-channel output model.

Broad incumbents

• Siegel+Gale: Global brand strategy and design consultancy with a strong design-systems and simplification practice. Operates in an overlapping space to Mates' design-system methodology but as part of a wider strategic-branding portfolio.
• Pentagram: One of the largest independent design consultancies, offering branding, identity, and digital design for global enterprises. Comparable design-led positioning but broader portfolio and significantly larger scale than Mates.
• AKQA: Global design and innovation agency producing brand experiences, digital products, and campaigns for enterprise clients. Comparable in combining creative strategy with production execution at scale, but materially larger and broader than Mates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/matesincorporated
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mates-incorporated

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Mates