Recently, during a conversation with a local investor, I mentioned that startups in our region are great at building good products. His quick response was “but not necessarily beautiful products”. He was absolutely right. We might excel at functionality, but we often overlook design.

UI/UX in products

When it comes to user experience, simplicity delivered smoothly can elevate a product from being just “good” to “10x better.” This is especially true for B2C and product-led growth (PLG) businesses, where seamless design isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a competitive edge. A clunky, complex product, no matter how feature-rich, can alienate users. Beautiful branding and a well-thought-out interface make products not only more enjoyable, but also easier to adopt.

UI/UX for investors

The importance of good design doesn’t stop with customers though - it extends to investors, too. Think about the first impression a startup gives during a pitch. Two companies with identical metrics but different levels of design polish will likely have different outcomes. A well-designed pitch deck, a user-friendly website, and even a thoughtfully organized data room signal diligence and attention to detail. These elements show investors that the team can build something customers want & can market accordingly.

Additionally, complete & beautiful commercial data rooms (or documents included in them) help in building up momentum. They limit friction (going back & forth asking for docs, answering questions) and puts you in control of the process. All investors have the same information and depending how you time your process, you can infer more about their interest, process, speed.

Investors are human, and like everyone else, they’re influenced by aesthetics, often unconsciously. We see hundreds of decks and websites, and when a company’s design aligns with what we associate with success, the impression sticks. Not all companies take advantage of this, so if you do, you’ll set yourself apart. 

A call for beauty

As a region, we’re strong technically, but we need to be “beautiful”, too. This isn’t just about vanity; it’s about creating trust, signaling competence, and resonating with both users and investors. Look at any startup you admire - branding is one of the first things they prioritize as they scale.

Humans are naturally drawn to beauty. We should leverage that bias, not just to attract attention, but to showcase the strength and potential behind our work. Great teams build great products together with beautiful support - decks, presentations, websites, data rooms. So please, take some time to make it beautiful!