The Best Design Agencies in New York for Startups in 2026

The short answer

Five design agencies worth a first call for a New York startup in 2026 are Red Antler, Koto, Order, Work & Co and Clay. All five state a New York base on their own websites. We have added ourselves, Studio Huncho, as the remote option: we are a creative studio in Bengaluru that designs brands, websites and launch films for funded startups in the US, including Avallon in New York City and Further AI, Coris and Nanonets in San Francisco. The six differ most on what they design (brand, website or digital product), the size of company they usually work with, and whether you want a team in the city or one that meets you each morning and keeps building through your day.

How we picked

We're a studio that works with US startups, so we know which agencies founders compare us with. Every agency here had to meet three tests, checked on its own website:

• A stated New York base. A headquarters or office in New York City, named on its own site. We are the one exception, and we say so in our entry.
• Startup or tech work on show. Named software, consumer tech or startup clients in the public portfolio.
• Clear about what it does. Brand, website or product design stated plainly, so you know which part of the job it covers.

We wrote this list and included ourselves. Every other agency here was checked on its own website, and each entry says who it suits best, so you can see where another agency may be a better fit than us. Where we name the city of one of our own clients, it comes from that company's own website, its Y Combinator page or its press releases. Last checked: 11 November 2026.

The list isn't ranked. Each entry says who the agency is best for.

The agencies

1. Studio Huncho (Bengaluru, India, working with New York startups)

Best for: funded AI and B2B SaaS startups in New York that want brand, website and launch film from one team, timed to a raise, and are happy to work remotely.

That's us, and we are not a New York agency. We are a creative studio in Bengaluru that designs brand identities, websites in Webflow and Framer, product UI and launch films for AI and SaaS companies. Some of the US companies we work with:

• Avallon (New York City). Ongoing marketing design for its AI agents that automate insurance claims operations. Avallon raised a $4.6M seed led by Frontline Ventures and is backed by Y Combinator.
• Sprinto. A full brand and website rebuild for its $20M Series B, backed by Accel.
• Itilite. A website redesign and Webflow build. Its organic deals now land about 2.5x better on conversion and deal size.
• Further AI (San Francisco, YC W24). Brand, website, motion and Webflow build, live before its $25M Series A led by a16z.
• Coris (San Francisco, YC S22). Website, Webflow build and motion for its AI platform for merchant risk.

We are also the motion design partner of Pine Labs. Our New York page explains how the working day fits together.

Worth knowing: a New York morning is our evening, so calls and reviews sit at the start of your day and the work carries on while you get on with yours. There is no one to meet in person in New York. 5.0 on Clutch.

2. Red Antler (New York, USA)

Best for: startups and consumer brands that want brand strategy, identity and advertising from one New York agency.

A branding agency in New York City that says it works with startups and established businesses. Its site lists branding, advertising and AI among its services, alongside brand strategy and digital experiences. Clients shown on its site include Ramp, Chime, Hinge, AllTrails, Cotopaxi, Supergoop! and Knix.

Worth knowing: it is part of Red Antler Group, which also includes Fat Earth Creative for performance marketing and Wild Fruit for presentation design. Many of the brands on its site are consumer companies, so B2B and AI founders should ask for relevant examples.

3. Koto (New York studio, USA)

Best for: companies that want a brand identity from a global studio with a New York office.

A creative studio with five offices: New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin and Sydney. It describes itself as a creative company that works with ambitious brands. Work shown on its site includes projects for Instagram, Amazon, Microsoft, Fitbit and Tripadvisor.

Worth knowing: the names on its homepage are large companies, so ask how it works with early-stage teams and who in the New York studio would be on your project.

4. Order (Brooklyn, USA)

Best for: founders who care most about a rigorous identity system: logo, type, guidelines and print.

A design studio with offices in Brooklyn and Miami. Projects on its site cover identity, guidelines, naming, typefaces, packaging, websites, motion and signage. Work shown includes Kickstarter, Notion, Justworks, Herman Miller, MoMA and Google.

Worth knowing: its work is identity-led and spans books and exhibitions as well as tech. If you need a marketing site built or a product designed, check how much of that it takes on.

5. Work & Co (Brooklyn, USA)

Best for: companies building a large digital product or platform that need strategy, design and development together.

A digital product agency headquartered on Front Street in Brooklyn. It says it handles strategy, design and development of digital platforms and experiences. Work on its site includes the Canada Goose digital flagship, Pfizer's Health Answers and a website redesign for JW Anderson.

Worth knowing: the projects it shows are for large companies, and it is a product agency first, so it is not the obvious choice for a brand identity or a small marketing site.

6. Clay (San Francisco, with a New York office)

Best for: companies that want brand, website and digital product designed by one large agency.

A branding and UX design agency headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York, Austin, Denver, Lisbon and Belgrade. Its services cover branding, digital products, websites, development, content and generative AI work. Clients shown on its site include Meta, Google, Stripe, Coinbase, Slack, Snapchat, Uber and Amazon.

Worth knowing: the client list leans towards large companies, so ask what a project looks like at your stage. If you are comparing, see our guide to Clay alternatives.

Where each agency is based

• Studio Huncho: Bengaluru, India. Remote for New York clients
• Red Antler: New York City
• Koto: New York, with offices in Los Angeles, London, Berlin and Sydney
• Order: Brooklyn, with an office in Miami
• Work & Co: Brooklyn
• Clay: San Francisco, with offices in New York, Austin, Denver, Lisbon and Belgrade

What each one mainly does

• Studio Huncho: brand, website, product UI and launch films
• Red Antler: branding, advertising and digital experiences
• Koto: brand and creative work for large and growing companies
• Order: identity systems, guidelines, type and print
• Work & Co: digital product strategy, design and development
• Clay: branding, digital products, websites and development

What New York startups usually hire a design agency for

Most New York founders we speak to need one or more of these five things, usually against a date.

• Brand identity. Positioning, logo, colour, type and guidelines before a raise or a launch. See startup branding.
• Website design and build. A marketing site that explains the product to careful buyers, built in Webflow or Framer so the team can edit it. See web design for New York startups.
• Product and UI/UX design. Flows, screens and a design system for the product itself. See product design.
• Launch video. A short film for a funding or product announcement. See product launch video.
• Pitch deck. A deck that matches the brand and the site. See pitch deck design.

A local agency or a remote studio?

A New York agency makes sense when you want workshops in the room, a team at your launch event or a partner your board already knows. A remote studio makes sense when speed, one team across brand, site and film, and the fit with your stage matter more than a shared postcode. Neither is better in general. Decide which you will value in week three of the project, when the first directions land.

How a remote project runs with a New York team

• Morning calls. A New York morning is our evening, so reviews and decisions happen at the start of your day.
• Work while you work. After the call we keep building through your afternoon and night.
• Written updates. You get a short note on what changed and what we need next, with links to Figma or staging.
• One date. We plan back from your raise or launch, so brand, site and film land together.

How to choose

• Need a consumer brand launched with advertising? Start with Red Antler.
• Want a global brand studio with a New York office? Look at Koto.
• Care most about a rigorous identity system? Look at Order.
• Building a large digital product? Talk to Work & Co.
• Want brand, site and product from one large agency? Talk to Clay.
• Funded AI or B2B SaaS startup that wants brand, website and launch film from one team, remotely? Talk to us.

FAQ

What is the best design agency in New York for a startup?

It depends on what you need. Red Antler suits startup and consumer brand launches, Koto suits companies that want a global brand studio, Order suits identity-led work, Work & Co suits large digital products and Clay suits companies that want one large agency for brand and product. Studio Huncho is the remote option for funded AI and B2B SaaS startups.

Do I need a design agency based in New York?

No. Most brand and website projects run over video calls, Figma and staging links. A local agency helps if you want in-person workshops. A remote studio can give you more working hours in a day, because the work continues after your team logs off.

Which branding agencies work with New York startups?

Red Antler, Koto and Order are branding-led and have New York bases, and Clay has a New York office. Studio Huncho builds brands remotely for funded startups, including Sprinto for its $20M Series B and Further AI before its $25M Series A.

Is there a Webflow agency for New York startups?

Yes. Studio Huncho is a Webflow Premium Partner that designs and builds Webflow websites for US startups remotely, including Itilite and Further AI. See web design and Webflow builds for New York startups.

How long does a brand and website project take?

For us, brand projects usually take 4 to 6 weeks and most websites ship in 2 to 6 weeks, often in parallel. Large agencies planning research-heavy programmes usually work in months, so ask each agency for a dated plan.

How much does a New York design agency cost?

None of the New York agencies on this list showed prices on the pages we checked, so you will need a quote. Budget depends on scope: a brand identity, a website and a digital product are very different projects. We scope each project after a short call.

Can a studio outside the US work with a New York startup?

Yes. Studio Huncho is based in Bengaluru and has delivered 250+ projects across 16 countries. One of our clients, Avallon, is based in New York City, and calls sit at the start of the New York day.