Designer • Builder • Advisor
about me
→ Grew up in California. AAU, Stanford alum.
→ Built and led teams at two VC-backed startups (three failed—learned more from those)
→ Former Entrepreneur in Residence at a venture firm.
→ Currently a design partner with early-stage founders, and building Moonrise on the side — an ai platform for wellness practitioners—and RealOrNot (in private beta), an app to help elderly people avoid scam text messages. In 2024 alone, Americans lost $470M to text message scams—nearly five times more than in 2020.
what i believe in
→ Design is leverage. Good design tells the truth, moves people, and drives business outcomes.
→ Momentum > perfection. Fast feedback wins.
→ Founders need real partners. Whether it’s design, product, or strategy, execution matters more than pitch decks.
→ You grow by doing. Most of the best opportunities in my life came from putting myself out there.
what I’m working on
→ Moonrise – Building the go-to platform for booking world-class mystical creators: sound healers, breathwork guides, tarot readers. Think Airbnb meets your higher self.
→ Advising & Consulting – Helping early-stage founders refine product direction, improve UX, and move fast with purpose.
past work
→ Apple – Built internal tooling for product teams.
→ SAP – Led design for enterprise developer tools.
→ Imgur – Redesigned the brand and product experience, boosting engagement and revenue.
→ RecurPal – Venture Backed and launched a SaaS tool for subscription tracking.
→ Dozens of early design systems, launches, and brand foundations for startups across AI, fintech, and wellness.
other things
→ I occasionally mentor designers transitioning into UX or launching startups.
→ I advise a handful of early-stage companies.
→ I’m always happy to jam on a good idea, especially if it blends design, AI, or wellness.
contact
Feel free to reach out or email me at if you have something specific in mind.
20
°F
11:35:35 PM UTC
Markus Chen