DESIGN
Retainer · Starting at $8,000/mo
Ongoing product design for startups that move fast.
- AI Product strategy
- Product Innovation
- UX research & flows
- UI design & systems
- Prototyping & validation
- Ongoing iterations
Design & AI
for startups.
We partner with founders to design and build products that go from concept to traction.
Human craft, AI speed.
Book a Strategy Call →
Portfolio
How we partner
We bring everything you need to go from idea to product and keep it moving.
BUILD
Retainer · Starting at $12,000/mo
Design and engineering, shipped continuously.
- Everything in Design
- Full-stack development
- AI/ML implementation
- API integrations
- Deployment & infrastructure
- Ongoing maintenance
ALLIANCE
Equity + Retainer · Custom terms
For startups we believe in, we go all-in. Reduced retainer, shared equity, long-term commitment. We work closely with founders to shape product strategy and build what matters.
- Strategic product guidance
- Hands-on design & engineering
- Shared risk, shared upside
- Network & introductions
How we're different
We're builders, not consultants. 15 years of shipping products that turned into eight figure exits, acquisitions, and profitable ventures.
Outcomes, not hours
We don't track time. We track what ships. Every engagement is retainer-based because great work needs focus, not timesheets.
Long-term by design
We work with 3-4 clients at a time. That's it. This isn't a revolving door, it's a studio built for depth, not volume.
AI-native, human-led
We use AI to move faster, so we can focus on craft, strategy, and the work that matters. Modern tools, senior thinking.
Founder-led
You work directly with people who've shipped products at startups and Fortune 500s, through exits and acquisitions.
- 15+
- Years building products and helping teams ship.
- 50+
- Products designed and launched with partners.
- $250M
- in client funding raised post-launch.
- 5x
- Startups founded. We know the builder's journey firsthand.
Notes
Weekly updates from our team. What we're building, discovering, and learning about design and AI development. Real insights from the field.
Design
AI flipped my design workflow
I used to spend days in Figma. Pixel-perfect prototypes. Auto-layout nightmares. Obsessing over spacing and hover states before I even knew if the idea worked. The process felt …
Updates
Hello World
I’ve been building products for over 18+ years. Started as a designer, learned to code, ran teams, hired hundreds of people, watched startups succeed and fail. Along the way, …
Development
Building This Site With AI
I just shipped this site. Built it myself, as one person, in about a week of focused work. Here’s how. The Stack Figma for design. I started there because I think visually …
Updates
A Forming Idea
I keep having the same conversation. A founder reaches out. They have a good idea, maybe funding, definitely urgency. They need to build something. And they’re stuck. The …
FAQ
We know you have questions. Here are the answers to the ones we hear most often from founders and product leaders.
Who are you guys?
We're a small team of senior designers and developers who've spent 15+ years building products in Silicon Valley. We've worked with early-stage startups and Fortune 500s, shipping products that led to multi-million dollar exits and acquisitions. Now we help founders build faster without the overhead of a full team.
What kind of work do you do?
We specialize in AI-powered products, MVPs for startups, and automation systems. This includes designing and building user interfaces, developing AI agents and integrations, and creating workflows that save your team hours of manual work.
How does pricing work?
We offer three tiers: Design starts at $8k/month for ongoing product design. Build starts at $12k/month and includes everything in Design plus full-stack development. Alliance is for startups we believe in, with equity plus a reduced retainer. No project scoping or surprise charges. Most clients stay 6+ months as we become an extension of their team.
Do you work with early-stage startups?
Yes, from pre-seed through Series A+. The key is budget fit and product clarity. We're not the right partner for "I have an idea but no funding."
What if I only need help for a month or two?
That's fine. There's no long-term commitment required. But most clients find that having dedicated design and dev support on tap is valuable enough to stick around. You can pause or cancel anytime.
How do you handle communication and updates?
We work async via Slack or your preferred tool, with regular check-ins as needed. You'll have direct access to the team working on your product. No account managers or layers in between.
How is mx.works different from agencies, freelancers, or in-house?
Agencies sell projects with fixed scope and timelines, then disappear. Freelancers mean juggling contracts and hoping they deliver. In-house costs $150k+ per year plus benefits and recruiting. We're a senior team that's worked together for years, available month-to-month starting at $8k, deeply familiar with your product, for a fraction of the cost.
What if I only need design?
That's what the Design tier is for. Some clients stay design-only for years. Others eventually add engineering. The model adapts to what you need.
How fast can you start?
Usually within 1-2 weeks. We keep our roster intentionally small so we can move quickly when there's a fit.
What does "Alliance" actually mean?
We take equity in exchange for a reduced retainer. We become invested in your outcome, literally. This is reserved for startups we're genuinely excited to build with long-term.
How big is the mx.works team?
Small and senior. I lead every engagement directly, supported by a tight network of specialists I've worked with for years. No junior handoffs, no account managers in between.