In the first half of 2025, several leading tech companies and emerging startups updated their brand identities and strategies. Below, we break down standout brands and what we can learn about where branding for startups and tech companies is heading.
Plus, we present a new player in the European SaaS industry that is making a mark with its branding.
The biggest 2025 tech rebrandings until now
Genially: It’s all about gamification
“In every experience, there should be an element of fun.”
No, it’s not Mary Poppins, it’s Genially: a Spanish EdTech startup that integrates gaming elements such as challenges, rewards, and contests into teaching and learning experiences to make them feel like a game.
Rebranding February 2025: Same logo, new paint
With their rebranding launched a few months ago, their logo and the familiar “g” isotype stayed the same to maintain brand recognition. Still, they introduced new playful elements with changes to colors and fonts:
- Genially’s color palette is contrast-driven, with an almost black primary tone and an electric purple.
- The secondary palette gives off a retro-like touch with vibrant tones that create a visually appealing neon effect.
- Genially uses two fonts: DM Sans and Unbounded. The neutral DM Sans serves for main content and body text, whereas the accent typeface Unbounded is used for titles, headings, and highlights.
All in for gamification
Gamification is taking center stage in UI/UX design in 2025, transforming static tasks into engaging experiences. Reward systems, storytelling elements, and interactive challenges: the combination of playful elements with usability improves user engagement, productivity, and also loyalty.
For Genially, gamification is the cornerstone of their branding: It reflects their mission of turning static content into interactive learning experiences.
The brand imagery has undergone a significant change. The Edtech startup replaced their illustrated characters with a playful style that’s reminiscent of games and animated series. Electric and abstract illustrations with thick strokes and organic curves, a retro vibe, and emphasis on the elements that trigger an action, such as buttons, hands, and eyes. This interactive experience connects to their updated mission, vision, and values. Chema Roldán, CTO at Genially, puts it like this:
“Advances in technology bring us back to the oldest thing in human culture: the connection between people.”
By the way, the color palette and the illustrative style reminded us of bananas.app, a social platform which also incorporates gamified elements and retro-colors into its visual identity.
Color in logos: How much is too much?
According to branding data, 75% of top-performing brands only use one or two colors in their logo. Only 5% use four or more. Google has been the most notable exception, but now they’ve also changed their isotype (we cover this further down).
Genially, though, is using the whole color spectrum in the outer circle of its isotype. Does this go against best practices?
Not necessarily.
Genially’s isotype is simple and recognizable. The multicolored outer ring is not off-brand; they are used in imagery and brand shapes. Also, the isotype is adaptable: for instance, on the Genially blog it contains just a single yellow tone from the brand’s secondary palette.
When aligned with a brand’s mission, colorful isotypes can work. It visually supports a brand focused on engagement, interactivity, and playful learning experiences.
That said, a broad color palette does not always signal playfulness. Google offers a different case: despite using multiple colors, the brand's tone and application are rooted in utility, function, and universal accessibility.
Open AI: Unification for a growing ecosystem
With its rebranding in February 2025, OpenAI made a step towards a cohesive brand image across its sub-brands to keep up with its rapid expansion.
Before its rebranding, OpenAI’s visual identity was a mix of various fonts and marks. As Head of Design Veit Moeller explained, “nobody really had time to work on a unified identity system” after the rapid growth of ChatGPT.
Subtle shades of imperfection
OpenAI’s new identity rests on four principles: simplicity, space, imperfection, vividness.
The rebrand introduces subtle but deliberate changes, especially in typography and imagery. At the center of the update is a new design motif: “the point”, a solid black circle that serves as a foundation for a circular visual language.
This motif informed the creation of OpenAI Sans, a custom typeface defined by circular forms, especially visible in the “O” and punctuation. According to Design Director Shannon Jager, the typeface reflects one of the brand’s core values: imperfection.
Imperfection? While the “O” appears geometrically perfect from the outside, its interior form is intentionally irregular. This detail emphasizes the brand’s move toward more human-centric design.
From office environments to expansive horizons
The most visible shift is in the brand imagery. OpenAI has moved away from conventional office photography and toward abstract and nature-focused visuals. Landscapes, still lifes, and Sora-generated images now dominate the visual language. Moeller describes this as a reflection of OpenAI’s goal to position “AI as a tool and a partner”, not a distant or overly mechanical force.
This approach also reinforces the company’s mission: building AI for humanity. The new color palette supports this tone. While black and white remain central, the palette now includes muted grays and blues that evoke natural elements such as horizons, sky, and space. Pastel accents and aquarelle-style backgrounds add softness and calm, trying to communicate tranquility.
Is OpenAI’s brand now really more “human”?
Almost two years ago, we published an analysis of OpenAI’s branding based on their website. At the time, we noted that the photographs of real people in workspaces conveyed responsibility and credibility. Now, that imagery has been moved to the “Company” page, replaced on the homepage by more abstract, atmospheric visuals.
This shift represents a step toward a more brand-specific, tranquil visual identity. It also raises questions: Does this new direction still communicate trust in a time of growing public concern about AI? And is the absence of people in the core brand imagery a limitation when aiming for a more human connection?
As OpenAI refines its identity, it's facing a challenge that many tech companies will face as branding continues to evolve in the AI era:
Finding the balance between innovation and human relatability. (Miqui Troncoso, Designer at The Branx)
TravelPerk: Escaping the sea of business blue
In a tech world where blue dominates, TravelPerk has taken a new direction. With a rebrand centered around a vibrant Perk Green, the TravelTech startup has updated both its visual and verbal identity, marking a clear shift in how it presents itself to customers and the market.
This rebranding comes after TravelPerk acquired AmTrav and Yokoy and coincides with their 10-year anniversary, helping to mark the new chapter.
According to Jada Balster, VP of Global Marketing, the goal was threefold:
- Reach a broader audience
- Stand out in a saturated B2B space
- Build lasting brand consistency
She describes the new identity as “bold, human, flexible, and deeply connected” to their customers. As part of their “disruptor” positioning, TravelPerk’s ambition is to stand out, express confidence, and signal a new era.
Rebranding highlights
- New logo symbol: The new mark blends the shape of a plus sign, a perk, and a North Star. It represents guidance, enhancement, and added value, while connecting directly to the company name.
- Perk Green as lead color: By replacing standard corporate blues with Perk Green, the brand differentiates itself visually. Green evokes renewal and vitality, fueling the brand with positive associations.
- On-brand imagery: While similar to the illustrations of SaaS players like Tines, TravelPerk’s illustrations are more contextual. A neck pillow on a plane seat symbolizes customer care, while a calendar on a baggage carousel illustrates planning. These visuals bring clarity and emotion to an imagery that might otherwise have lacked flavour due to stocky images and classic UI simplified elements.
- A more human messaging: TravelPerk shifted from jargon-heavy communication to a conversational, human tone. Disruption, approachability, and inclusion are the cornerstones that mark its language. For instance, they shifted their wording from “business travel” to “travel for work”, with the intention to amplify their audience and appeal not only to the traditional “biz” sector but also to scientists, engineers, architects, etc.
We want our customers to feel the difference, not just see it. (Jada Balster)
Possible limitations
TravelPerk’s rebrand is a strong repositioning effort in the TravelTech space. It clearly moves away from a traditional business-first image and embraces a bold, contemporary tone suited for today’s business travelers.
Still, some elements raise the question: is it truly disruptive, or simply well-executed? While the visual system is fresh, the use of Perk Green is not unique: similar tones appear in other tech startups like AstrumU and Vidext. Messaging such as “do the job for you” also reflects language that’s widely used across the tech industry.
In a B2B SaaS branding context, TravelPerk checks all the boxes. But whether this rebrand will set new standards or blend into current trends remains to be seen.
Google: 2025’s most significant micro-rebrand
In May 2025, Google quietly refreshed its iconic “G” isotype for the first time in nearly a decade, transitioning from flat color blocks to a subtle gradient. Red blends into yellow, yellow into green, and green into blue, reflecting smoother transitions and more dynamic design.
This variation seems minor; yet it modifies the visual texture and also the strategic position of one of the biggest tech brands worldwide, aligning with its new 2025 features and ongoing AI evolution.
Adjustments with a strategic purpose
Although the change seems very subtle, in global brands such as Google, even the smallest change has communicative value. (Brandemia)
Small visual changes are more than cosmetic. These micro-adjustments signal that a company is evolving. They help maintain brand recognition while introducing subtle updates that align with new goals or directions, ensuring consistency without losing brand essence.
Google’s recent update to its isotype can be interpreted from two angles:
- Strategic alignment: The shift supports Google’s latest feature rollouts, particularly the integration of Gemini and AI Mode. The new gradient design visually connects with these updates, reinforcing Google's positioning as an AI-first platform.
- Emotional tone: The gradient adds a more fluid and approachable texture to the isotype. This subtle change helps the brand feel warmer and more human. An intentional move as digital tools become more integrated into everyday life?
Is it worth the buzz?
The change, though small, has sparked wide commentary in forums: while some praise its modern look and feel, others are asking: “Someone gets paid to do this?” However, with all the critics, our Brand Designer Miqui Troncoso points out that the blending colors make sense:
The new isotype relates to the dynamic digital sphere, creating a more contemporary look and feel.
One of 2025's brightest tech newcomers
Easor: Branding as easy as that
With Easor, we introduce a new brand to the SaaS market. The startup launched with a powerful, agile, and bold brand identity.
The core of Easor’s branding is simplicity, reflecting its mission to make entrepreneurship easier. This principle is visible across the visual identity, from its logotype to its brand imagery. The signature Flow Green represents clarity, ease of use, and forward momentum.
A flawless visual system
The brand is built around the concept of a “flawless solution.” This idea comes to life through a custom green shape, the fluffy: a continuous, flowing line with seamless 3D curves which makes the brand even more approachable. This shape is more than decorative: it forms the foundation of the brand’s visual language. Even the logotype can be redrawn using this curve, offering an alternate, flexible logo for specific touchpoints and enhancing brand recognition. Miqui Troncoso points out:
Easor is a super friendly brand. It is intended to make tedious accountant work easier and the branding helps to create a positive and fresh experience.
The comeback of stickers
A distinctive feature of Easor’s identity is its use of stickers: simple illustrations that reflect everyday work moments and relate to the next generation of accountants that use stickers on WhatsApp and Co. High-fives, coffee cups, and credit cards bring a sense of approachability and playfulness to the platform. These elements make the interface feel more human and less transactional.
Combined with candid people photography, the visual system strikes a balance between functionality and approachability. It creates a branded environment where work, comfort, and simplicity coexist, reinforcing Easor’s value proposition without relying on complex metaphors.
2025 Tech branding trends
Gamification as a branding tool
Gamification has evolved from a UI/UX feature into a foundational branding strategy. EdTech companies like Genially are leading the way by transforming learning into an interactive, challenge-based experience. Visual identities now frequently incorporate game-inspired illustrations, animations, and rewards, helping brands feel dynamic and participatory.
Relevant for: EdTech startups, SaaS startups, mobile apps, sports startups, leisure startups and many more.
Meaningful micro-rebrandings
Even the smallest changes in branding can reflect a strategic shift or repositioning. Brands like Google and OpenAI have made subtle but deliberate changes to their visual identities. These “micro” rebrands help large-scale platforms refine their positioning while maintaining brand equity.
Relevant for: those looking for simple changes and a smooth transition with big impact.
It’s getting difficult to stand out
As we’ve seen in TravelPerk’s branding, things that seem disruptive at first glance may not be as disruptive as designers and startup teams wish. In the B2B SaaS industry, is it even possible to stand out and be disruptive anymore?
When working on a brand, we do exhaustive research. And it seems like everything has already been done and recycled. (Miqui Troncoso)
The good news is, though, that with the surge of AI in branding, we have more possibilities with new effects and imagery. However, it is difficult to keep up with the speed of the industry and changing design trends. While today, gradients, such as in OpenAI’s imagery, or 3D effects, like Easor’s brand shape, represent latest design trends, tomorrow these can be obsolete.
However, more than always chasing the latest trends, creating a human and meaningful brand experience should be top priority. Jada Balster from TravelPerk sums up what we all know but marketers and founders often forget:
Over 50% of B2B buyers choose their suppliers based on the brand experience, not just the product. A strong, customer-centric brand is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s essential.
In the end, it's not enough that a brand is well-executed and dynamic: It needs a strong story to really connect with the audience.
Sources
Genially:
https://brandemia.org/brandemia-flash-en-breve-13#genially-renueva-su-identidad-y-posicionamiento-de-marca
https://blog.genially.com/en/genially-new-identity/
https://www.iterates.be/2024/11/28/ui-ux-design-trends-for-2025/
https://www.yaguara.co/branding-statistic
OpenAI:
https://www.wallpaper.com/tech/openai-has-undergone-its-first-ever-rebrand-giving-fresh-life-to-chatgpt-interactions
https://www.reasonwhy.es/actualidad/openai-refresca-identidad-visual-mas-humana
https://www.fastcompany.com/91273217/open-ai-rebrand-chat-gpt-logo
TravelPerk:
https://www.travelperk.com/blog/travelperk-unveils-new-brand/
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/31/3052022/0/en/TravelPerk-Unveils-Bold-New-Brand-to-Redefine-the-Future-of-Business-Travel.html
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fresh-chapter-travelperk-more-than-just-rebrand-movement-jada-balster-bmgre/
Google:
https://brandemia.org/nuevo-logo-google
https://www.creativebloq.com/design/logos-icons/the-new-google-logo-is-already-winning-fans
