First Look
First Look began with a simple belief: bold ideas can come from anywhere, but access rarely does. Women and diverse founders continue to face unnecessary barriers—not because their ideas are unproven, but because the system wasn’t designed with them in mind.
As a new VC firm in the European landscape, First Look wanted to shift that narrative. Their aim wasn’t just to secure investment for an underserved market of entrepreneurs, but to recast what the industry labels as ‘risky’ into what it truly is: a powerful, largely untapped source of innovation.
When they approached us, the brief was clear in spirit, if not yet in form. They wanted an identity that could hold their optimism and their pragmatism—a brand that felt warm, human, and quietly confident. We worked with the founders to translate their values into a visual and verbal system, designing a fresh identity, a cohesive brand narrative, and a landing page that captured the heart of First Look.
Overview—
A while ago, a good friend and founding partner of First Look came to us to develop an identity for her new venture, based on a conviction shared among its founders: that access shapes opportunity.
Based in London, they set out to create a venture firm that didn’t just invest capital, but invested in possibility—unlocking doors for women and diverse entrepreneurs while providing investors with a meaningful way to engage with innovation.
From the very first conversation, their clarity of purpose was apparent. They wanted to build a space where founders could be seen, heard, and supported—and where investors could participate in something larger than financial return alone. What emerged was a vision for a connected ecosystem, where opportunity, mentorship, and capital could flow in tandem.
First Look’s focus spans technology in finance, health, property, and the future of work. But more than sectors, it’s about perspective: supporting founders who approach challenges differently, who see patterns where others see problems, and who redefine what is possible. This way of seeing the world became the starting point for the identity we helped shape—one that could hold both ambition and approachability, rigour and warmth.
“We exist to empower them as they look at the world differently.”
— First Look
Process—
Our work with First Look began with listening. We wanted to understand not just what the firm was doing, but why—how the founders saw their role in shaping opportunity, and how their identity could reflect that stance.
From discovery emerged a clear insight: First Look’s greatest strength wasn’t just capital, but the relationships it nurtured. The bond between investor and founder, built on trust and shared purpose, is what gives the firm its momentum. It became evident that the brand needed to express this ecosystem of support, where careful guidance meets fearless exploration.
Through collaborative workshops and research, we distilled these ideas into a conceptual framework. The brand would celebrate curiosity, nurture potential, and illuminate opportunity. It needed to feel approachable yet confident, structured yet alive with possibility. Every decision in typography, colour, and form would be guided by this principle: the identity should move as fluidly as the ecosystem it represents.
Outcome—
The visual identity for First Look grew directly from the ideas and values uncovered in our process. It draws on the founders’ love of detail—calligraphic flourishes, typographic ligatures—and transforms it into a system that feels both contemporary and human. The aim was to capture the balance at the heart of First Look: optimism tempered with rigour, curiosity grounded in trust.
Colour plays a central role in this narrative. Rather than adopting the familiar blues of tech and finance, we chose a deep green as the anchor—evoking growth, stability, and a quiet confidence. Warmer tones punctuate the palette, reminiscent of summer light, bringing approachability and energy without spectacle. Together, they signal a brand that is trustworthy, bold, and alive to possibility.
Structured editorial grids meet organic gestures—ligatures, hand-drawn marks, and subtle textures. This language evokes care, motion, and connection, reflecting the nurturing network First Look builds for founders and investors.
The wordmark itself reflects this philosophy. A humanist sans serif provides clarity and accessibility, while carefully considered ligatures nod to connection, collaboration, and a subtle tech sensibility. It is practical yet playful, unpretentious yet refined—a visual metaphor for the ecosystem First Look cultivates.
Across touchpoints, from brand guidelines to digital presence, the identity balances structure with warmth, intellect with intuition. It tells a story of a venture firm that invests not just in ideas, but in the people bold enough to pursue them. First Look’s brand is at once grounded and aspirational, a quiet manifesto for rethinking what venture capital can be.
First Look Capital
—Bridging the Economic Access Gap in Entrepreneurship
Website: firstlook.capital (no longer live)
Year completed: 2022
Services: Creative Vision, Identity, Logo, Landing Page
Kind Words
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© 2025