Enterprise buyers evaluating your climate or deep-tech product during a pilot are reaching conclusions about its viability from their first independent session, before your team can intervene. Technical partners integrating your platform are encountering every friction point in your UX architecture in real time. Investors assessing product quality are reading activation metrics and onboarding design as signals of team execution capability. We design UX and prototyping solutions for Seed to Series B startups where those audiences are the priority, using structured research and rapid iteration to close the friction gaps that are slowing your pilots and extending your sales cycles.
End-to-end design solutions from user research to high-fidelity interfaces and interactive prototypes, built around how your users actually behave.
Identify where users drop off, get confused, or take longer than expected to reach value. We map the full user journey, restructure information architecture, and design flows that get users to their goal faster, with less support burden on your team.
Translate user flows into high-fidelity interfaces your engineering team can build without ambiguity. We create component libraries, design tokens, and accessibility-compliant specifications that reduce back-and-forth between design and development.
Build interactive prototypes that let stakeholders test real user flows before a line of code is written. Micro-interactions, transition logic, and gesture controls are defined and validated at the design stage, cutting revision cycles in development.
Establish a visual system that scales across your product, marketing, and investor materials. Logo systems, color tokens, typography scales, and icon libraries are built for reuse across every surface your brand appears on.
Conduct user interviews, map competitive landscapes, and run usability tests to surface the friction points your users will not report directly but your support queue will. Research insights feed directly into design decisions rather than sitting in a separate deliverable.
Ship responsive websites in Webflow or Framer with CMS structures your marketing team can actually maintain. Built for performance, SEO, and the content updates that come every time you close a new partner or hit a funding milestone.
Most climate and deep-tech products are built by people who understand the technology deeply but have not had the time or the distance to see how a new user experiences it. That gap shows up in onboarding drop-off, underused features, and support tickets that keep repeating the same questions. We work with startups from Seed to Series B to close that gap. Through sprint-based research, usability testing, and iterative prototyping, we rebuild the flows that are not working and give your engineering team specifications they can implement without guesswork. The result is a product experience that matches the quality of the underlying technology.
From Seed-stage climate hardware companies to Series B deep-tech software platforms, we have helped founders and product teams close the gap between how good their product is and how clearly their users can navigate it.
"The extremely high quality of outputs with fast turn around times and availability of team at short notice has been perfect for our requirements"
"They very quickly understood the kind of messaging that was important to us and how to translate that into a compelling visual experience. I can't recommend them enough!"
"The team at What if Design was nimble, thoughtful and flexible. Their design process forced us to reflect and rethink our corporate strategy. They brought the company messaging to the forefront and accurately translated our vision to creatively visualize our deeply scientific work."
"What If’s team did a great job learning our technology on a razor-tight deadline. They helped transform our complex interconnection process into clear, resonant visuals and messaging for both technical and non-technical audiences."
"What if Design's leadership on our brand redesign was a dream. Their team worked as an extension of our mission, embodied our values, and then expanded upon our vision with ease. Our static, version 101 website was transformed into a full brand identity - professional, creative, and human."
"Before What If, we were relying on developers for design work — it was slow and clunky. From day one, the What If team understood exactly what we were building and came with proactive ideas to improve the user flow and features, not just execute on a brief. The ease..."
"They spoke our language from day one, delivered on every commitment, and never missed a deadline. Web traffic quintupled in our first week after launch, but more than the numbers, we went from a website we wanted to hide to one we're genuinely proud to show every new stakeholder. What..."
"Working with What If Design felt like a true collaboration — flexible, responsive, and always ready to meet us where we were. Even with our ideas that weren't fully formed, they delivered a strong brand and pitch deck to show up confidently with investors and partners. That kind of adaptability..."
"I’ve worked with a lot of agencies over the years: brand, web, comms, you name it. Every project has its own vibe, its own momentum (or lack thereof), and its own set of hurdles.But it’s rare to find a team that just gets it... the tech, the market, the nuance...while..."
"Working with the What if Design team has been an exceptional experience. Their attention to detail and creativity exceeded our expectations. Their expert guidance was comprehensive through every aspect of the project, from aesthetics to crafting compelling copy. Their efficiency and professionalism were evident in every interaction and team's kind..."
"As a team of one, I needed partners who could match our pace. What If delivered on that completely. The speed of turnaround, the quick review cycles, the ability to iterate in near real time — that's what made the difference. Highly recommended if you're looking to move fast and..."
"The extremely high quality of outputs with fast turn around times and availability of team at short notice has been perfect for our requirements"
"The old website confused people about what we actually do, but post-launch, that sort of negative feedback has completely stopped. We received a lot of positive feedback on the professionalism and the design. Our previous contact page received maybe one or two hits per week, if that. After the launch..."
"We went from people saying "I have no idea what you're doing" to immediately feeling credible and put together. What If took what was in our heads and made it real, even when we couldn't fully articulate it ourselves."
"We knew it was time to reset, sharpen our focus, and build a foundation for the next stage of growth. The new website was a big part of that. What If understood the vision, spoke our design language, and actually delivered. Anyone working with them should know it's a great..."
"The extremely high quality of outputs with fast turn around times and availability of team at short notice has been perfect for our requirements"
"They very quickly understood the kind of messaging that was important to us and how to translate that into a compelling visual experience. I can't recommend them enough!"
"The team at What if Design was nimble, thoughtful and flexible. Their design process forced us to reflect and rethink our corporate strategy. They brought the company messaging to the forefront and accurately translated our vision to creatively visualize our deeply scientific work."
"What If’s team did a great job learning our technology on a razor-tight deadline. They helped transform our complex interconnection process into clear, resonant visuals and messaging for both technical and non-technical audiences."
"What if Design's leadership on our brand redesign was a dream. Their team worked as an extension of our mission, embodied our values, and then expanded upon our vision with ease. Our static, version 101 website was transformed into a full brand identity - professional, creative, and human."
"Before What If, we were relying on developers for design work — it was slow and clunky. From day one, the What If team understood exactly what we were building and came with proactive ideas to improve the user flow and features, not just execute on a brief. The ease..."
"They spoke our language from day one, delivered on every commitment, and never missed a deadline. Web traffic quintupled in our first week after launch, but more than the numbers, we went from a website we wanted to hide to one we're genuinely proud to show every new stakeholder. What..."
"Working with What If Design felt like a true collaboration — flexible, responsive, and always ready to meet us where we were. Even with our ideas that weren't fully formed, they delivered a strong brand and pitch deck to show up confidently with investors and partners. That kind of adaptability..."
"I’ve worked with a lot of agencies over the years: brand, web, comms, you name it. Every project has its own vibe, its own momentum (or lack thereof), and its own set of hurdles.But it’s rare to find a team that just gets it... the tech, the market, the nuance...while..."
"Working with the What if Design team has been an exceptional experience. Their attention to detail and creativity exceeded our expectations. Their expert guidance was comprehensive through every aspect of the project, from aesthetics to crafting compelling copy. Their efficiency and professionalism were evident in every interaction and team's kind..."
"As a team of one, I needed partners who could match our pace. What If delivered on that completely. The speed of turnaround, the quick review cycles, the ability to iterate in near real time — that's what made the difference. Highly recommended if you're looking to move fast and..."
"The extremely high quality of outputs with fast turn around times and availability of team at short notice has been perfect for our requirements"
"The old website confused people about what we actually do, but post-launch, that sort of negative feedback has completely stopped. We received a lot of positive feedback on the professionalism and the design. Our previous contact page received maybe one or two hits per week, if that. After the launch..."
"We went from people saying "I have no idea what you're doing" to immediately feeling credible and put together. What If took what was in our heads and made it real, even when we couldn't fully articulate it ourselves."
"We knew it was time to reset, sharpen our focus, and build a foundation for the next stage of growth. The new website was a big part of that. What If understood the vision, spoke our design language, and actually delivered. Anyone working with them should know it's a great..."
"The extremely high quality of outputs with fast turn around times and availability of team at short notice has been perfect for our requirements"
"They very quickly understood the kind of messaging that was important to us and how to translate that into a compelling visual experience. I can't recommend them enough!"
"The team at What if Design was nimble, thoughtful and flexible. Their design process forced us to reflect and rethink our corporate strategy. They brought the company messaging to the forefront and accurately translated our vision to creatively visualize our deeply scientific work."
"What If’s team did a great job learning our technology on a razor-tight deadline. They helped transform our complex interconnection process into clear, resonant visuals and messaging for both technical and non-technical audiences."
"What if Design's leadership on our brand redesign was a dream. Their team worked as an extension of our mission, embodied our values, and then expanded upon our vision with ease. Our static, version 101 website was transformed into a full brand identity - professional, creative, and human."
"Before What If, we were relying on developers for design work — it was slow and clunky. From day one, the What If team understood exactly what we were building and came with proactive ideas to improve the user flow and features, not just execute on a brief. The ease..."
"They spoke our language from day one, delivered on every commitment, and never missed a deadline. Web traffic quintupled in our first week after launch, but more than the numbers, we went from a website we wanted to hide to one we're genuinely proud to show every new stakeholder. What..."
"Working with What If Design felt like a true collaboration — flexible, responsive, and always ready to meet us where we were. Even with our ideas that weren't fully formed, they delivered a strong brand and pitch deck to show up confidently with investors and partners. That kind of adaptability..."
"I’ve worked with a lot of agencies over the years: brand, web, comms, you name it. Every project has its own vibe, its own momentum (or lack thereof), and its own set of hurdles.But it’s rare to find a team that just gets it... the tech, the market, the nuance...while..."
"Working with the What if Design team has been an exceptional experience. Their attention to detail and creativity exceeded our expectations. Their expert guidance was comprehensive through every aspect of the project, from aesthetics to crafting compelling copy. Their efficiency and professionalism were evident in every interaction and team's kind..."
"As a team of one, I needed partners who could match our pace. What If delivered on that completely. The speed of turnaround, the quick review cycles, the ability to iterate in near real time — that's what made the difference. Highly recommended if you're looking to move fast and..."
"The extremely high quality of outputs with fast turn around times and availability of team at short notice has been perfect for our requirements"
"The old website confused people about what we actually do, but post-launch, that sort of negative feedback has completely stopped. We received a lot of positive feedback on the professionalism and the design. Our previous contact page received maybe one or two hits per week, if that. After the launch..."
"We went from people saying "I have no idea what you're doing" to immediately feeling credible and put together. What If took what was in our heads and made it real, even when we couldn't fully articulate it ourselves."
"We knew it was time to reset, sharpen our focus, and build a foundation for the next stage of growth. The new website was a big part of that. What If understood the vision, spoke our design language, and actually delivered. Anyone working with them should know it's a great..."
Built for climate and deep-tech startups that need design thinking and execution speed in the same place.
Sprint-based design cycles with rapid turnarounds, useful when a conference, funding announcement, or product launch is driving your timeline.
Full-service design coverage at a fraction of what you would spend building an in-house team, without the onboarding overhead or the risk of a wrong hire at a critical growth stage.
User research, usability testing, and behavioral analysis inform design decisions before they reach development, reducing costly rework and improving adoption rates from launch.
From initial stakeholder alignment to iterative prototyping, we work as an embedded extension of your team, translating complex technical products into flows that your users and buyers can navigate without friction.
Design and strategy leaders with backgrounds in architecture, global operations, and climate tech product design.
Akhila is the co-founder and lead strategist at What if Design. She helps climate tech companies turn complex science into brands and websites that close funding and partnerships. She has worked with teams backed by the US Department of Energy, ARPA-E, leading climate VCs across carbon capture, grid interconnection, and green hydrogen, contributing to over $105M raised. Founders trust her because she learns the science and market before designing, and translates what they build visually for effective communication.
Tejas is the co-founder and product UX lead at What if Design. He leads product and UX for software companies, designing for adoption, retention, and the metrics that drive growth. His work spans battery management systems, fleet platforms, and ESG tools, plus enterprise software for the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia. Founders trust him because he treats every screen as a business decision, not just a design problem.
UX (user experience) design covers the structural layer: user journeys, information architecture, user flows, and usability testing that ensure your product is navigable from the first interaction. UI (user interface) design handles the visual execution: high-fidelity mockups, component libraries, design tokens, and developer-ready specifications. For technically complex products like those in climate tech or deep tech, the two are tightly connected. Strong flow logic without clear visual hierarchy creates confusion at the interface level, and polished visuals built on a poorly structured flow still leave users stranded.
Tell us about your product and where users are getting stuck. We'll outline an approach and timeline within 24 hours.
Share your project details and we'll put together a customized approach and timeline.
You can also send us a quick email at team@whatifdesign.in.
You can also send us a quick email at team@whatifdesign.in.
