What Side2 does

Side2 s.r.o. is a Prague-based creative design studio founded in 1997 and led since 2003 by Founder and Creative Director Tomáš Machek. The studio operates with a four-person team (Machek, Senior Graphic Designer Richard Jaroš, and two graphic designers/DTP operators) from its registered office at Trojická 20, Prague 2, Czech Republic. Side2 delivers commissioned design services across visual identity and brand systems, wayfinding and navigation systems, publication design (magazines, books, annual reports), film and theatre posters, and exhibition graphics.

The studio's client base spans commercial, cultural, and non-profit sectors and includes J&T Banka, ČSOB, PPF Group, the Capital City of Prague, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the National Gallery Prague, Goethe-Institut Prag, Newsweek CZ, film production company Negativ, music label Supraphon, and fashion designer Zuzana Kubíčková. Notable flagship projects include the Čitelná Praha pedestrian and public transport wayfinding system for the City of Prague (2022) and the long-running Magnus annual magazine for J&T Banka (since 2011). Side2 has accumulated an extensive awards portfolio, including two Czech Grand Design "Graphic Designer of the Year" titles (2007, 2023), multiple European Design Awards, three Czech Lion awards for film posters, and the Herb Lubalin Medal awarded to Machek by the International Typeface Center in 1991.

The business model is project-based professional services: revenue is generated through direct client commissions rather than productized or self-serve channels. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market relies on portfolio visibility via the side2.cz website, design awards and competition recognition, and client referrals, with strategic recurring partnerships with architectural firms (A69 Architekti, Josef Pleskot / AP atelier) acting as a primary demand channel for wayfinding and complex visual identity work. The studio is privately held with no external institutional investment, parent company, or subsidiary relationships.

Name

Side2

Legal name

Side2 s.r.o.

Website

https://side2.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Side2 is a Prague-based creative design studio founded in 1997, specializing in visual identity, wayfinding systems, publication design, posters, and exhibition graphics for commercial, cultural, and non-profit clients across Central Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Graphic Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wayfinding, Signage & Environmental Graphic Design (BPAHAKAN)

Keywords

• Graphic design services
• Visual identity design
• Wayfinding systems
• Publication design
• Brand identity design

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Design Services: Side2 generates revenue through commissioned design projects including brand identities, visual identity systems, publication design (magazines, books), wayfinding systems, film/theater posters, and exhibition graphics. Projects are typically one-time engagements with clients from commercial, cultural, and non-profit sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Side2 is a creative design studio that provides visual identity systems, brand identity design, wayfinding and navigation systems, publication design (magazines, books, catalogs), film and theatre posters, and exhibition graphics. The studio serves commercial, cultural, and non-profit clients through commissioned projects, frequently collaborating with architects on architectural wayfinding and identity projects.

Product overview

Side2 is a Prague-based creative design studio offering a comprehensive range of design services. The studio operates as a single unified offering centered on visual communication design, rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core portfolio encompasses visual identity and brand design services, wayfinding and navigation system design (including major projects like Čitelná Praha for the City of Prague), and publication design including the Magnus Magazine series (an annual architectural publication for J&T Bank spanning multiple editions since 2011), book design, and catalogs. Additional services include film and theatre poster design, exhibition graphics for museums and galleries, and various print collateral. The studio works primarily with clients from commercial, cultural, and nonprofit sectors, frequently collaborating with architects and for architecture-related projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visual Identity Design Creation of brand identities, logos, and visual systems for commercial, cultural, and nonprofit clients. Services include brand strategy, logo design, and comprehensive visual identity development.
• Wayfinding and Navigation Systems Design of pedestrian and public transport navigation systems including signage, maps, and orientation systems for urban environments and buildings.
• Magnus Magazine Series Design and production of Magnus magazine, an annual publication for J&T Banka featuring architectural and cultural content. Multiple editions produced since 2011.
• Publication Design Design of books, catalogs, annual reports, and other printed publications including layout, typography, and visual treatment.
• Film and Theatre Poster Design Creation of visual identities and promotional graphics for films, theatre productions, and cultural events.
• Exhibition Graphics Visual design for museum exhibitions, gallery installations, and cultural presentations including signage, catalogs, and promotional materials.

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• A69 ArchitekticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on multiple projects including Čitelná Praha navigation system and A69 Ruční práce publication. A69 provides architecture while Side2 handles visual identity and publication design.
• Josef Pleskot (AP atelier)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration on architectural projects including Gong multi-purpose hall wayfinding, Svět Techniky Ostrava, ČVUT Faculty of Architecture, and ČSOB projects.
• yineSTUDIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration for J&T Banka Magnus magazine production, with yineSTUDIO as intermediary/client representative.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Studio Output: Independent design studio with strong identity, motion, and brand work for global clients. Comparable boutique scale combined with international reach — illustrating how a small studio can compete for premium global mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Pentagram: Global design consultancy with offices in multiple countries, covering identity, editorial, environmental, and digital design. Represents the international, multi-partner scale model Side2 operates at boutique level — a reference point for what scaled design firm economics look like.
• Wolff Olins: Global brand consultancy offering identity, verbal branding, and experience design. Represents the larger-scale enterprise brand design incumbent against which boutique studios compete for major rebrands.
• Sagmeister (now &Walsh): Internationally recognized design firm known for identity, editorial, and exhibition work with cultural and commercial clients. Comparable in emphasizing brand-defining craft, awards recognition, and willingness to take on unconventional briefs.
• Landor: Global brand consulting firm with deep experience in corporate identity and wayfinding. Comparable on the wayfinding side especially, as Landor operates in environmental graphic design at scale.

Direct peers

• Studio Dumbar: Dutch graphic design studio where Side2 founder Tomáš Machek trained in 1993/94. Comparable in delivering identity systems, motion, and editorial design for cultural and corporate clients, and exemplifies the international design pedigree Side2 aspires to.
• Studio Najbrt: Prague-based graphic design and brand identity studio founded by Aleš Najbrt, with comparable prestige in Czech design including multiple Czech Grand Design awards. Most directly comparable peer given parallel Czech market presence, similar award pedigree, and shared client overlap in cultural and commercial sectors.
• Studio Marvil: Czech design studio offering brand identity, wayfinding, and environmental graphic design. Direct peer on the wayfinding specialization (a key Side2 capability) and operating in the same Czech market with similar enterprise and institutional clients.
• Petrohradská kolektiv: Czech creative collective based in Prague working across identity, editorial, and exhibition design. Comparable in scope of services (visual identity, publication, exhibition graphics) and in serving Czech cultural and commercial clients.

Regional players

• Bureau Borsche: Munich-based design studio known for cultural sector, museum, and institutional identity work. Comparable on cultural/exhibition graphics specialization and serving public-sector clients across Central Europe, though operating from Germany rather than Czech Republic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/side2

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Side2