Ragged Edge rebrands venture capital fund Northzone, taking cues from classic editorial design

Northzone is an early-stage venture capital fund that partners with founders “who take on whatever the world throws at them”. Since 1996, they’ve made over 150 investments across Europe and the US, raising over €1.5 billion and surviving two financial crisis unscathed. Having invested in Spotify, Trustpilot and more, Northzone employed London-based agency Ragged Edge to rebrand them in line with their formidable track record. “Instead of relying on an overarching operating thesis like most firms, the partners at Northzone have the freedom to back their own conviction in order to identify true outliers”, explains Ragged Edge Co-founder Max Ottignon, adding that “they look for that same sense of conviction in the entrepreneurs they back”. That strength of character underpins the fund’s new positioning, informing the visuals, tone of voice and website structure. Northzone’s previous identity was deliberately neutral, whereas the new approach takes on a more dynamic, characterful direction. Visually, Northzone’s unwavering honesty inspired Ragged Edge to take cues from editorial design. Informed by magazine mastheads, the sharp serif logotype sits proudly along the top of every canvas, contrasting boldly with playful applications of Commercial Type’s Marr Sans Condensed Semibold. The black and white palette was “the natural choice”, directly reflecting Northzone’s unyielding commitment to say it like it is. The strength and distinctiveness of the identity’s core elements, from the typographic expression to the bold tone of voice, allow photography and illustration to flex. “It felt important to make room for the personalities of the individuals – from the founders to the entrepreneurs they back”, Ottignon concludes.