AI Pitch Competition

A competition between AI startups in Brabant.

About

The AI Pitch Competition is a platform for AI startups in Brabant to present their groundbreaking ideas and connect with industry leaders. For this competition, I was tasked to revitalize its visual identity, to make it more impactful compared to its previous editions: more professional and resonant with its tech-savvy audience.

My role in this project was to give the competition a clear and consistent visual identity that would connect with its audience. I worked on everything, from the logo to event materials, focusing on a style that felt both innovative and approachable.

Follow along to see the design process I lead and how it all started!

My roles

  • Lead graphic designer (Print, digital, website)

  • Brand and logo development

  • Ideation and brainstorming

  • On-site support

The Process

For this competition, I was tasked with developing its entire visual identity, including its logo, digital assets and event materials along with brainstorming on what would be ideal to have in the event. Since the goal was to make the AI Pitch Competition more recognizable and impactful than its previous editions, I came up with a style from scratch. One that gave the competition a strong, techy look while being appealing and approachable for early-stage AI startups.

Here is how I approached it:

1. Competitor Research
I began my work by looking into similar AI and tech competitions/events, analyzing how they communicated with their audiences and what style and language they used. This helped me understand what direction would work better with the target audience: AI startups, techy professionals etc.

2. Define
Based on my research, I defined the keywords that would guide the branding: tech, code, data, futuristic, connection, innovation, ideation and machine learning.

3. Design
Based on these, I started brainstorming and sketching. I experimented on which use of colors, shapes and typography would best communicate the message to the target audience.

4. Develop
Finally, I brought it all together to create the visual identity. This became the foundation across all materials, from digital to print assets.

Branding

1. Logo

For the logo creation of AI Pitch Competition, I focused on reflecting the event’s core themes: technology, artificial intelligence, innovation and of course, it had to resonate with early-stage AI startups.

Hence, I created the final design with the elements that were commonly associated with the tech field, such as programming structures and simplified coding shapes.

That’s not all! See here for the other logo proposals I made for the AI Pitch Competition!

2. Visual Language

I chose following key fonts and colors to align with AI Pitch Competition’s tone and target audience, ensuring visual consistency across all materials.

Website

I designed and constructed the website as the competition's common ground, a place for participants to find information, register and stay updated. My aim was to make it as simple and user-friendly as possible.

Hence, I focused on clear navigation and content, along with a visually appealing layout for its techy audience. Using WordPress as the content management system and Elementor for its design, I built a site that was:

  • Clear: Content was short and to the point with clear CTAs.

  • Structured: A clean, organized layout with visual hierarchy that supported the content without distraction.

  • Accessible: Optimized for mobile, easy to read and smooth to navigate across devices.

Social Media

Social media was key to reaching startups and building excitement for the competition. I designed templates that were easy to customize while maintaining a consistent visual identity.

I focused on clean layouts and high-contrast visuals that made information easy to digest and similar to what the target audience is used to see often, whether while coding or scrolling through many tech-related socials. These templates allowed the team and partners to post updates, announcements which resulted in driving engagement and reinforcing the identity of AIPC.

Event Materials

For the physical event, my focus was on creating materials that enhanced the attendee experience. On every material, from badges to cheques, I brainstormed and designed them to be practical and visually cohesive while leaving a lasting impression on the participants and visitors.

Competition Time!

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Competition Time! #

Here’s a look at the AI Pitch Competition’s 2024 edition! See how the branding of the assets brought this competition’s visual identity to life.