About Summer with Skandy

This blog is part of the Summer with Skandy series, highlighting the experiences of participants in the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s summer programs at Washington University in St. Louis.

Throughout the summer, Launchpad founders, Launchpad interns, and Skandalaris Internship Program (SkIP) participants work alongside startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the St. Louis region while engaging in professional development, networking, and entrepreneurial programming through the Skandalaris Center.

The Summer with Skandy series offers a firsthand look at the ventures, organizations and experiences shaping the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurial leaders.

Designing With Startups: My Experience with the Skandalaris Design Agency

Author: Lydia Park

When I first joined the Skandalaris Design Agency during my sophomore year, I expected to gain experience working with real clients. What began as a single startup project quickly became an opportunity to see the impact design can have on early-stage companies. Through collaborating with founders, I learned how design can shape ideas, communicate a vision, and bring products to life. That experience inspired me to continue my work with SDA throughout the summer.

I’m a rising junior at Washington University in St. Louis studying Communication Design with a minor in Human-Computer Interaction. As a student interested in product design, I am drawn to opportunities where I can collaborate with real people, solve meaningful problems, and understand the strategy behind design decisions. SDA provided that environment by connecting student designers with startups looking for support in building their brands, products, and user experiences.

I am especially grateful to my past manager, Yannic Dosenbach, for introducing me to SDA and helping me develop a stronger product design mindset within the agency. I also appreciate my current managers, Samantha Page and Kelly Nyikes, for supporting me throughout the summer, and Sergiu Celebidachi for his founder-to-designer internship over the past year (shoutout SPARC!).

About the Skandalaris Design Agency

The Skandalaris Design Agency works with early-stage startups from the Launchpad and SKIP programs, helping founders develop their ideas through branding, product design, and creative solutions. Many of these companies are still defining their products or building their first MVPs, making design an important part of shaping their direction.

Throughout the summer, I had the opportunity to work with 15+ B2B and B2C startups across different industries, each with unique challenges and goals.

My Role as a Designer

As a designer, I collaborated with one other designer while working directly with founders through client meetings, presentations, and design reviews. Each project required me to understand a company’s vision before translating it into a design solution.

Some projects I worked on included creating branding and logo concepts for ReferencePoint, developing the visual identity for AMASS, creating animations for Chichi, and designing product experiences for KaynoLabs and TrustedTap.

Working across different projects allowed me to explore various areas of design, from brand identity to product experiences. It also taught me how to adapt my process based on each company’s needs and navigate real-world constraints, including data privacy considerations and confidential information.

Selected Work + More to Come

What I Learned About Designing With Founders

One of my biggest takeaways from SDA was that communication is at the center of good design. Founders often came in with strong ideas but needed help translating those ideas into experiences their users could understand. The best outcomes came from asking thoughtful questions, listening carefully, and creating designs that aligned with both company goals and user needs.

I also learned the importance of organization and adaptability in a fast-paced environment. Working with multiple startups meant balancing timelines, managing feedback, and taking greater ownership over my design process.

Why the Skandalaris Design Agency Matters

What makes the Skandalaris Design Agency impactful is its ability to support startups during some of their earliest stages. Many founders have innovative ideas but need help finding direction and communicating their vision. Through design, SDA becomes a bridge between an idea and the people who will eventually experience it.

Looking Back

Looking back, my experience with SDA has helped me grow not only as a designer but also as a collaborator and strategic thinker. From my first client experience during sophomore year to working with over 15 startups this summer, I have learned that design is not just about creating something visually appealing. It is about understanding people, solving problems, and helping ideas become reality.

“The best part of this summer wasn’t designing for startups, it was learning how to design with them.”

About the Skandalaris Center

The Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis empowers students, faculty, researchers and alumni to explore innovation, launch ventures and create meaningful impact. Through experiential learning, startup programs, mentorship, funding opportunities and a vibrant network of entrepreneurs and industry leaders, the Skandalaris Center helps transform ideas into action and prepares the next generation of innovators to solve complex challenges and build thriving ventures.