Zinc
A bold new brand for social impact innovation
Zinc is on a mission to address some of the developed world’s most pressing social issues by building new tech companies. By combining insights from social sciences with entrepreneurial expertise and venture capital, Zinc creates scalable businesses with the potential to impact over 100 million people. The Zinc Programme brings together 50 bright minds for six months to find their co-founders and create commercial ventures from scratch – each focused on solving real-world problems.
When Zinc approached designlaboratory*, they needed a visual identity that would reflect their unique approach – combining collaboration and diverse expertise to develop mission-driven businesses. Our role was to create a brand that spoke to these values – ensuring it was both future-focused and rooted in community-driven innovation.
Discipline
Sector
Deliverables
Logo design
Team
Boris Thuery
Jack Frost
Pierre-Félix So
Ilaria Basso
Ed Kirwan
Abbie Lysaght-Mason
Date
2017
The design concept developed by designlaboratory* reflects Zinc’s collaborative approach to solving social challenges. The logo is a visual metaphor for this journey of discovery and problem-solving. Presented with 50% opacity, it invites engagement from the viewer – encouraging them to complete the equation and take part in the mission. This reflects the brand’s philosophy of seeing only part of the picture initially – with every issue requiring a deeper, more innovative understanding to unlock the full solution.
Through this identity, Zinc’s branding embodies its ethos – welcoming pioneers, innovators, and collaborators to join the cause. The brand’s visual language supports the message of transformation, community, and the big-picture thinking necessary to create lasting change.
Ella Goldner - Co-Founder & Managing Director