For Designers
We're looking for 50 designers to build the future of design technology.
Not as beta testers. As co-creators. The Founding 50 will shape the taxonomy, test the tools, and own the narrative that they helped build the platform the industry actually needs.
Apply to Join the Founding 50What this is
More than early access. Real co-creation.
Shape the Taxonomy
The Aesthete Engine learns from your vocabulary — not generic categories. You define how products are classified, matched, and recommended.
Test the Portal
Get early access to the Designer Portal — the classification and project management tools — and tell us what's missing before anyone else sees it.
Private Community
A private Slack channel with the founding cohort. Monthly town halls with Kody & Leah. Direct input on product decisions.
Qualified Leads
When the consumer app launches, the Founding 50 are the first designers consumers can connect with. Your expertise built the system — you get the first clients from it.
Named Recognition
Founding 50 designers are credited by name at launch. This platform was built by working designers, and the world should know who they are.
Zero Cost
There's no fee. Your expertise is the contribution. In exchange, you get tools that make your practice more efficient and a lead pipeline you didn't have before.
Who belongs
Who belongs in the Founding 50
We're looking for working interior designers — solo practitioners and small firms — who are actively sourcing products for real clients. You don't need to be famous. You need to have taste, opinions, and a willingness to teach a system what “good” looks like. A mix of experience levels, style perspectives, and regional markets makes the cohort stronger.
Apply
Join the Founding 50
Applications reviewed weekly. We'll be in touch within 7 days.
The team
Built by a designer and a technologist
Leah runs Middlewest Studio, an interior design practice in Madison, Wisconsin. Her clients trust her taste — and her taste is what teaches the Aesthete Engine.
Kody builds the technology. Together, they're creating what they wish existed: tools that actually help designers do better work.
Read our full story