What indra murugiah does

Design Science is a London-based workplace co-operative providing strategic and creative design services to the science, health, education, and ecology sectors. The firm operates as a team of designers, writers, and technologists working alongside associates with science, health, and education backgrounds, applying co-design methodologies that involve end-users and communities in the design process. Service offerings span strategic design, service design, identity, infographics and data visualisation, digital and web, video and animation, print, and interiors and installation — a full creative spectrum applied specifically to communicating complex research and health information.

The client base is composed of leading UK research and public-sector institutions, including the NHS, Wellcome Trust, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London, University of Edinburgh, the UK Health Security Agency, and the Royal Society of Biology, with repeat engagements across multiple projects per institution. Notable work includes a hand-hygiene campaign for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust that doubled awareness and hand-cleaning rates (featured in Design Week), identity and communications for the Cheltenham Science Festival, and pan-university projects spanning antimicrobial resistance, genomics, neuroscience, and public health. The firm has also delivered projects internationally through UKHSA in Zambia, Rwanda, St Helena, Bermuda, and Montserrat.

The business model is commissioned professional services: project-based, bespoke design work sourced through direct B2B engagement, professional networks, conference participation, referrals, and website enquiries. There are no marketplace listings, resellers, or productised offerings; revenue is generated per project across the academic, NHS, charity, and government commissioning landscape. The firm is privately held, structured as a workplace co-operative with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or parent-company affiliation. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

indra murugiah

Legal name

Design Science

Website

https://design-science.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Design Science is a London workplace co-operative providing strategic and creative design services to UK and international science, health, education, and ecology organisations, including the NHS, leading universities, and research charities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science and Health Communication Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Science communication design
• Healthcare design services
• Research communication design
• Strategic design agency
• Data visualisation services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

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 and creative services: Project-based design and creative services for academic, scientific, healthcare, and research clients. Revenue is generated through commissioned projects spanning identity, digital, print, video, infographics, and installation work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Design Science is a London-based design agency that provides strategic and creative design services for science, health, education and ecology projects. Its work spans strategic design, service design, brand identity, digital and web development, infographics and data visualisation, video and animation, print publications, and interior and installation design. Clients include leading UK universities, NHS trusts, research charities, and government agencies who commission bespoke projects to translate complex research and health information for diverse audiences.

Product overview

Design Science is a design agency offering a comprehensive suite of design services across strategic design, service design, identity, infographics and data visualization, digital and web, video and animation, print, and interiors and installation. The company specializes in serving science, health, ecology, and research sectors, working with leading institutes, universities, NHS trusts, and research organizations. Rather than a software product company, Design Science provides creative and strategic design services delivered by a team of designers, writers, and technologists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Design Strategic design consulting to align design outputs with the mission and goals of science, health, ecology, and research organisations. Intended for research institutes, universities, healthcare organisations, and charities.
• Service Design Service design work improving user experience and service delivery for healthcare and research organisations, including patient pathways and research engagement services.
• Identity Brand identity design including visual identity systems, logos, and brand guidelines for scientific, healthcare, and research clients.
• Infographics and Data Visualisation Data visualisation and infographic design to communicate complex scientific, health, and ecological research data effectively to non-specialist audiences.
• Digital and Web Website design and digital product development for research institutions, universities, and healthcare organisations.
• Video and Animation Video production and animation services for science communication, health education, and research dissemination, including explainer animations and patient-facing films.
• Print Print design services including publications, reports, posters, and educational materials for research and science communication.
• Interiors and Installation Physical space design including exhibition design, hospital waiting-room installations, and event environments for healthcare and research settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hand hygiene campaign for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust achieved a doubling of awareness and hand cleaning rates according to an audit
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers26 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

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• British Science AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe British Science Association commissioned Design Science to produce online poster design guides for scientists and researchers. Design Science also previously ran the Strictly Engineering design workshop at the British Science Festival. Ongoing collaboration in science communication.
• Wellcome TrustcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWellcome Trust co-funded the design guides for scientists alongside the British Science Association and Royal Academy of Engineering. Design Science has produced multiple projects funded by or in partnership with Wellcome Trust, including Africa Centre identity work, MetaboLight, and neighbourhood social cohesion research communication.
• Royal Academy of EngineeringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-funder of the design guides for scientists and engineers alongside the British Science Association and Wellcome Trust.
• British LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign Science was selected to join the British Library Innovating for Growth programme (funded by European Regional Development Fund) in March 2021. Also collaborated on Litmus Paper production for Cheltenham Science Festival with support from the British Library.
• Royal College of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Royal College of Art Service Design tutor Dan Phillips to run a poster design workshop for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Also partnered on Future Mobility for rural communities project and Our Future Towns place-making initiative.
• British CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesign Science Director Anne Odling-Smee was funded by the British Council to participate in conferences including Warsaw conference and Ireland's first SCI:COM science communication conference.
• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign Science has completed numerous projects with Imperial College London including hand hygiene campaigns, air pollution communication, pain assessment tools, medicines management programme, and neural interfaces animation. Multiple repeat engagements across health and science communication.
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKHSA engaged Design Science for Montserrat public health care workbooks and St Helena healthy lives project, as well as health in Bermuda's prisons communication materials.
• University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing client across multiple projects including pre-eclampsia awareness (iHope), weight loss learning tool for GPs, social prescribing research, pain care animation, NHS consultation tools, and DECIDE rapid evaluation centre identity.
• University of ReadingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on multiple projects including Marie Neurath science education resources, Emerging Minds child mental health network, Beat Bad Bugs antimicrobial resistance initiatives (UK and Rwanda), and University of Reading School of Pharmacy collaborations.
• South Bank Employers' GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIdentity, website and air quality tool for South Bank & Waterloo net zero 2030 initiative.
• Queen Mary University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Black Health Legacy research project and Genes & Health community genetics study. Also community engagement and social prescribing projects.
• National Federated Compute ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIdentity and website design for national computing grid for good initiative.
• Brighton and Sussex Medical SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWebsite design for HIV memory project helping communities living with HIV access information about cognitive health. Also HIV self-testing vending machine project in Zambia.
• City St George's, University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Antibiotic Policy Group identity and website, Centre for Health and Care Innovation Research (CHIR) identity, and multiple NHS projects.
• University of EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenOMICC Study animation and Pandemic Science Hub identity and website. Also X-rays dance of electrons video.
• RAND EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with RAND Europe and University of Oxford on DECIDE centre for rapid evaluation of technology-enabled remote monitoring.
• King's College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on neurotechnologies for neurodivergent children research roadmap (Respect 4 Neurodevelopment Network), Random Walks maths learning tool, and Kings Health Partners mind and body healthcare integration project.
• The Lines BetweenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSocial researchers collaborated with Design Science on national sexual health testing service co-design for NHS Scotland.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Superunion: Large global brand and design consultancy (formerly The Partners, Brand Union) with significant healthcare, public-sector and purpose-led client work. Compares to Design Science as a full-service design agency serving NHS, charities and universities, but at considerably larger scale.
• Purpose: Social-impact design and communications agency working with non-profits, public-health bodies and research organisations on campaigns and behaviour-change work. Comparable to Design Science on purpose-driven health and research clients and co-design methodology.
• Pentagram: Largest independent design consultancy; partners have delivered identity and digital work for science, health and cultural clients. Comparable on design-led engagement with major institutions, though at much larger scale and broader scope than Design Science.

Direct peers

• dn&co: Independent London design studio specialising in identity, exhibition and communications work for cultural, scientific and public-sector clients. Highly comparable to Design Science's mission-driven, design-led agency model serving research and cultural institutions.
• Johnson Banks: Independent London identity and design consultancy working with cultural, scientific and public-interest clients (e.g., Science Museum, V&A, Royal Institution). Directly comparable on identity, cultural and science-communication design work.
• Carter Wong: London design studio providing identity, digital and editorial design for cultural, educational and not-for-profit organisations. Directly comparable on identity, digital and print work for research and cultural institutions.
• BUMP: Specialist design and communications studio with strong science-communication credentials, working on public engagement, research dissemination and health campaigns. Closely comparable vertical focus and project profile to Design Science.
• Hat-trick Design: Independent London design studio working across brand, digital and interior design for cultural, hospitality and public-sector clients. Comparable on integrated multi-disciplinary service offering and public-interest client base.
• Made Thought: Independent London design agency working on brand identity, digital and cultural-sector communications for cultural and not-for-profit clients. Comparable on identity-driven work for purpose-led and research-sector clients.

Emerging players

• The Liminal Space: UK studio producing co-designed exhibitions and installations on contested social and scientific issues for museums, charities and research bodies. Comparable to Design Science's interiors/installation practice and co-design methodology in science/health communication.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designscienceuk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/DesignScienceUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-science-agency

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 indra murugiah