Your design
lead, for $1,223/mo
Early-stage startups can't afford a $180K design lead — so we became one you can. For $1,223/month, we embed with your team to set creative direction, review work, and keep your product and brand sharp as you grow.
Æ Labs
webPunk
Tor Project
FoodpandaTeams hire us for our taste.
One subscription.
Design leadership across your team.
Direction
Creative direction your whole team can rally behind.
- +Creative direction
- +Design vision
- +Boards & references
- +Taste calls
Review
Honest, structured critique on every piece of work.
- +Design critique
- +Work reviews
- +Feedback loops
- +Approvals
Consistency
One coherent look across brand, product, and visuals.
- +Brand guardrails
- +Design systems
- +Visual QA
- +Cross-team alignment
Mentorship
Guidance that levels up the designers you already have.
- +1:1 guidance
- +Skill growth
- +Hiring & briefing
- +Process & rituals
Work we've led,
digital and physical.
webpunk.comwebPunk
Led the product's design direction end to end — a dark UI system spanning the social feed, chat, desktop app, mobile app, and in-world NPC dialogue, balanced for readability and tone.
akashic.comSpiritual AI Chatbot
Defined the unique design of a table like UI/UX
exe.aiLink-in-bio builder
Directed the whole experience and system states — onboarding flow, brand expression, and the overall feel of the platform.
x-x.comGlobal Warming Candle
Led the concept of this candle design. An earth shaped candle - Global warming (get it?)
x-x.comDotcom Rug
Designed and helped manage the production stage of the rug.
x-x.comMerch — Apparel
Set the apparel direction — placement, type, and a graphics system that stays consistent from concept to production across every drop.
ael.orgNecklace — Jewelry
Led the jewelry brand direction — product styling, lighting, and macro detail that sells the material across the whole catalog.
torproject.orgOnion Plushies and Keychains
Designed in 3D and help with the manufacturing process. (sold out at DEFCON)
Book a call with our founder Kuzey.
I'm a founder too — and at the early stage, I couldn't afford the design leadership I needed most. I built 1223 to be exactly that, at a price a startup can actually carry. No sales team, no gatekeepers: you talk straight to me. Bring your product, your team, and your goals, and we'll map out exactly how we'd plug in.
Things teams
ask first.
1What exactly do I get for $1,223/month?+
A dedicated design lead embedded in your team. We set creative direction, review your designers' work, and keep your brand, product, and visuals consistent. We guide the team — we don't replace it.
2Do you do the design work yourselves?+
No. We lead and direct. Your designers or freelancers handle production; we give them direction, critique, and guardrails so the output stays sharp and consistent.
3What if we don't have designers yet?+
We can help you hire, brief freelancers, and set up your process — then lead whoever ends up doing the work.
4Why are spots limited?+
We only embed with 12 teams at a time so each gets real, hands-on leadership. Once every spot is filled, new sign-ups join the waitlist until one opens up.
5How involved are you week to week?+
We join your standups, reviews, and design rituals, and we're reachable async throughout the week for direction and feedback.
6Can I pause or cancel?+
Yes. It's month-to-month. Pause when things are quiet and pick back up later (if there's a spot).