The Universal Compute Fabric

XONAI is a deeptech startup leveraging new compiler technologies to enable hardware acceleration for big data workloads. They approached us to work on their brand identity and website. In the initial brief, they told us that they want to be a moderate brand without being boring. In terms of the brand’s visual identity and website, we came up with a solution that is both eye-catching and intriguing. See for yourself!

XONAI is building a product that sits between customer applications and accelerator hardware to help cloud-based and data-driven companies get the most out of their data. In other words, the product is pretty complex for those not in the tech industry. We went back a few steps and thought about how we could describe data acceleration in a simple way, and we came up with the idea of using funnels and compilers.

The first letter 'X' is shaped by two funnels that represent data input and output. Geometric lines and shapes were used to give the brand an 'engineered' yet futuristic look and feel. This is also represented in the letters 'N' and 'A'. The entire typeface is custom-designed for XONAI. The logo is written in capital letters to enhance their professionality and invite respect – think of other industry leaders such as SONY or SAMSUNG. Strong, high-contrast colors flesh out the logo further. The extravagant letters and bold shapes create the impression that XONAI is smashing the boundaries of possibility and going beyond.

The primary colors we used are black and orange, a combination that bursts with energy. A grayish blue is used for important accents. The use of just three colors establishes trust while enabling us to create clear imagery through their contrasts.

The typefaces we defined in order to convey innovation and dynamism are both modern sans serif fonts. Bebas Neue stands out due to its blend of technical straightforwardness and simplicity. We use it for headings and pieces of text which require more attention. The versatile typeface Catamaran gives the body text high legibility.

XONAI wanted to start with an initial holding page showcasing their value proposition as well as a careers section to attract new members to their fast-growing team. A blog page was also designed in order for them to provide their users with relevant information, which will be launched at a later stage. We added minimalistic, animated illustrations to bring life to the content and keep the user engaged without stealing the spotlight from the written content. As a unique touch, XONAI's website includes dark and light mode, which can be easily switched by pressing the sun or moon icon in the top right-hand corner.