Image Ark

What Image Ark does

Image Ark is a full-service creative branding and design studio headquartered in Patan (Lalitpur), Kathmandu, Nepal. Founded in 2013 by Marie-Ange Sylvain Holmgren, the firm operates with approximately 7 employees and delivers brand strategy, visual identity design, logo design, packaging, exhibition design, interior design, photography, website and social media design, and event management. The client base spans government, hospitality, cultural institutions, retail, healthcare, NGOs, and international organizations, with landmark engagements including country branding for the Visit Nepal Year 2020 Secretariat, city branding for Lalitpur Metropolitan City, the Lumbini Museum identity, Hotel Yak & Yeti rebranding, and assignments for the United Nations ESCAP in Bangkok.

The studio's core methodology is a handcrafted design process that begins each project with pencil sketches, handwritten drafts, and hand-drawn illustrations, many of which survive into final output. Image Ark explicitly differentiates itself from imported design templates by creating 'Nepali designs that can resonate globally,' and supplements its 7-person core team with a network of external collaborators mobilized on demand. Digital tools, including AI-assisted tooling, support the production pipeline but are not positioned as the differentiator.

Commercial operations are project-based: engagements are custom-quoted, pricing is not publicly disclosed, and there is no recurring-revenue or subscription structure. Customer acquisition combines direct enterprise outreach and word-of-mouth referrals within Nepal's small creative community with a portfolio-led website and Instagram/Facebook presence. The firm is founder-owned, bootstrapped, and operates without disclosed institutional investors, parent entities, or subsidiaries; cross-border delivery to Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, and the United States is run from the Kathmandu office.

Name

Image Ark

Legal name

Image Ark

Website

https://image-ark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Image Ark is a Kathmandu-based creative branding and design studio of about 7 people, delivering brand strategy, identity, packaging, exhibition, interior, and digital design to government, hospitality, museum, retail, and purpose-driven clients across South Asia and beyond since 2013.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Branding and Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Interior Design Services (54141), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Identity & Brand Design Systems (BPAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL), Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Brand strategy services
• Visual identity design
• Creative agency services
• Packaging design services
• Exhibition design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Patan (Lalitpur)

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Full-service creative agency providing branding, design, strategy, and creative services to clients including governments, hospitality businesses, retail brands, NGOs, and cultural institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Image Ark is a full-service creative branding and design studio offering brand strategy, visual identity design, logo design, collateral design, packaging design, exhibition design, interior design, photography, and website/social media design to enterprise, government, hospitality, cultural, retail, and nonprofit clients. Projects are delivered using a handcrafted methodology that starts with pencil sketches and hand-drawn designs, often incorporating handmade illustrations inspired by Nepal's cultural heritage.

Product overview

Image Ark is a full-service creative branding and design agency based in Kathmandu, Nepal, offering comprehensive branding and creative services rather than a software product. Their portfolio spans brand strategy and design, visual identity systems, logo design, collateral and packaging design, website and social media design, interior design, exhibition design, product design, photography, and event management. The agency's distinct approach emphasizes handcrafted illustrations and drawings inspired by Nepal's rich cultural heritage. Their services are delivered as professional creative engagements across diverse sectors including tourism, hospitality, healthcare, retail, government/civic, and non-profit organizations. Notable client projects include the Visit Nepal 2020 country branding campaign, Lalitpur Metropolitan City branding, Lumbini Museum brand strategy, Hotel Yak & Yeti rebranding, and various international wellness resort and retail brand identities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Strategy and Visual Identity Design Strategic and visual identity work including brand positioning, logo design, identity systems, and brand guidelines, delivered to clients such as Visit Nepal 2020, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Lumbini Museum, and Hotel Yak & Yeti.
• Packaging Design Packaging design for products including honey (Sagar Bee), handloom textiles (Palpali Dhaka), fair-trade goods (Ethik), and luxury resort amenities (Alassari Plantation, Ventours).
• Exhibition and Museum Design Exhibition design for museums and cultural institutions including Lumbini Museum, Himalayan Sustainable Museum (Sagarmatha Next), and the United Nations ESCAP Wall of Wisdom permanent exhibition in Bangkok.
• Interior Design Interior design services for environments including Pioneer Law Associates office, Waves by Barberyn Ayurveda resort, LABIM Mall, and Ayuwanna Medical Center.
• Website and Social Media Design Website and social media design delivered as part of brand engagements for clients including Pia Nepal, Ethik, LABIM Mall, Rebecca Recommends, and Himalayan Sustainable Museum.
• Collateral and Print Design Print and digital collateral design for clients including Ventours, Hotel Yak & Yeti, IAAM, and Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts, covering dossiers, welcome kits, stationery, and brand communications.
• Photography and Documentary Production Photography and documentary production for brand and advocacy projects including the 'Paper Orphans' documentary for Terre des Hommes and UNICEF Nepal, plus brand photography for Alassari Plantation and Pia Nepal.
• Product Design and Development

Named customers22 records

Segments5 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Good MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImage Ark became a proud member of The Good Market - an online B2B platform that connects social enterprises, responsible businesses, and change makers to facilitate a kinder, more sustainable economy.
• Co-Create TomorrowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImage Ark has been part of creating and branding Co-Create Tomorrow, a global movement to nurture a community of artists and creators who want to lend their ideas and skills to amplify the voices of those who need to be heard and call on action.
• PiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImage Ark has a close relationship with Pia, a handcrafted product company. The Pia showroom operates in the Image Ark house. Image Ark has designed the brand strategy, collateral, packaging, interior design, exhibition design, photography, website and social media for Pia.
• Bottles to BeadsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImage Ark and Pia, along with Bottles to Beads, recently became proud members of The Good Market together.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mucca: Independent Italian design studio specializing in brand identity, packaging, and editorial design for food, beverage, and lifestyle clients. Comparable to Image Ark on craft-led identity work and boutique scale.
• Koto: Independent branding and design studio focused on brand strategy, identity, and packaging for ambitious challenger and cultural brands. Closely comparable to Image Ark on size, independent ownership, and full-service identity work for hospitality, food, and impact-driven clients.
• Anagrama: Independent branding and design studio based in Monterrey, Mexico, serving clients across the Americas and Europe. Comparable to Image Ark as a founder-led, craft-driven boutique covering identity, packaging, and digital for hospitality and consumer brands.
• Denomination: Independent design and brand strategy studio based in Australia with a strong food, beverage, and hospitality portfolio. Comparable to Image Ark on boutique scale, hospitality/wellness client base, and craft-led identity work.
• Rice Creative: Asia-based independent creative studio covering branding, packaging, and digital for hospitality, F&B, and lifestyle clients. Comparable to Image Ark on regional scale, cultural-design emphasis, and independent boutique positioning in the Asia-Pacific market.

Regional players

• Elephant Cairo: Cairo-based independent creative agency offering branding, packaging, and digital for regional and international clients. Comparable to Image Ark as an emerging-market independent boutique exporting cultural design to global brands.
• Injaaz Design: Independent branding and design agency in the Middle East covering identity, packaging, and digital for regional and international clients. Comparable to Image Ark as a regionally-rooted, culturally-driven boutique exporting creative work beyond its home market.

Broad incumbents

• Pentagram: One of the world's most established independent design firms, offering brand identity, strategy, and digital design. Pentagram is a comparable full-service branding partner for large institutions and global brands — the type of firm that competes for the same sovereign and enterprise engagements as Image Ark.
• Landor & Fitch: Global brand consulting and design firm with deep experience in country/nation branding and corporate identity. Comparable to Image Ark on branding large institutions, government tourism campaigns, and multi-market brand systems.
• Saffron Brand Consultants: Global brand consultancy with strong presence in emerging markets, focused on brand strategy and identity for sovereign, corporate, and cultural clients. Directly comparable on country/city branding mandates and purpose-led positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ImageArk
• Instagraminstagram.com/imageark_nepal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/image-ark

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 Image Ark