Im a Brand Designer and Strategist specializing in building clear, cohesive visual identities for early-stage and growing startups. I work closely with founders and small teams to translate vision, values, and positioning into a strong visual language that can scale as the brand evolves. My experience includes developing brand identities from the ground up: From logos and visual systems to color palettes, typography, and concise brand guidelines that support consistent decision-making across touchpoints. I’ve worked on projects where clarity, cultural nuance, and longevity were essential, often in fast-moving startup environments with limited constraints and evolving direction. I’m comfortable balancing creative direction and hands-on design, and I value close collaboration, clear communication, and thoughtful feedback loops. My approach is intentional and practical: I focus on creating bespoke design systems that not only feel refined and authentic at launch, but also remain flexible as products, packaging, and marketing needs grow. I primarily work with product-based brands and startups looking to establish a durable brand foundation and am available for both initial brand projects and ongoing collaboration.

Johanna Pauer

Im a Brand Designer and Strategist specializing in building clear, cohesive visual identities for early-stage and growing startups. I work closely with founders and small teams to translate vision, values, and positioning into a strong visual language that can scale as the brand evolves. My experience includes developing brand identities from the ground up: From logos and visual systems to color palettes, typography, and concise brand guidelines that support consistent decision-making across touchpoints. I’ve worked on projects where clarity, cultural nuance, and longevity were essential, often in fast-moving startup environments with limited constraints and evolving direction. I’m comfortable balancing creative direction and hands-on design, and I value close collaboration, clear communication, and thoughtful feedback loops. My approach is intentional and practical: I focus on creating bespoke design systems that not only feel refined and authentic at launch, but also remain flexible as products, packaging, and marketing needs grow. I primarily work with product-based brands and startups looking to establish a durable brand foundation and am available for both initial brand projects and ongoing collaboration.

Available to hire

Im a Brand Designer and Strategist specializing in building clear, cohesive visual identities for early-stage and growing startups. I work closely with founders and small teams to translate vision, values, and positioning into a strong visual language that can scale as the brand evolves.
My experience includes developing brand identities from the ground up: From logos and visual systems to color palettes, typography, and concise brand guidelines that support consistent decision-making across touchpoints. I’ve worked on projects where clarity, cultural nuance, and longevity were essential, often in fast-moving startup environments with limited constraints and evolving direction.
I’m comfortable balancing creative direction and hands-on design, and I value close collaboration, clear communication, and thoughtful feedback loops. My approach is intentional and practical: I focus on creating bespoke design systems that not only feel refined and authentic at launch, but also remain flexible as products, packaging, and marketing needs grow.
I primarily work with product-based brands and startups looking to establish a durable brand foundation and am available for both initial brand projects and ongoing collaboration.

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Language

German
Fluent
English
Fluent
French
Advanced

Work Experience

Co-Founder, Brand Strategist & Designer at NOI Techpark Incubator
September 1, 2023 - July 31, 2025
Co-founded NOI Techpark Incubator and led end-to-end brand strategy, design, and positioning. Conducted market research, developed sustainable sports nutrition products and reusable packaging through design thinking with a sports nutritionist. Led MVP testing with endurance athletes to align with user needs. Defined business model and marketing strategy to support market entry and brand growth. Created high-impact pitch decks and delivered winning pitches. Delivered public talks advocating for sustainable fueling in endurance sports.
Co-Founder, Brand Strategist & Designer at trephor – Endurance Sports Nutrition Startup
February 1, 2024 - November 1, 2025
Co-founded trephor and led brand strategy, content creation, and visual identity. Created social media and website content, produced illustrations and iconography for campaigns and major destinations. Designed presentation decks and pitch deliverables for branding and strategy competitions, helping win new clients. Co-developed brand identities through iterative collaboration and supported client onboarding and strategy workshops. Led production design for apparel and merchandise, delivering production-ready files through final output.
Communication Designer & Strategist at zukunvt – Strategy, Branding & Design Agency
February 1, 2024 - November 1, 2025
Led a brand refresh and created updated identity guidelines aligned with company vision and audience. Designed POS materials under tight deadlines for trade fairs to support B2B and B2C lead generation. Created layouts for product catalogues and social media content to boost clarity and engagement. Developed educational infographics based on dermatological research to communicate skincare benefits. Designed packaging balancing aesthetics, compliance, and production feasibility.
Lead Communication Designer at Skinmade – Skincare Startup (Fraunhofer Institute Spinoff)
January 1, 2021 - August 1, 2022
Led communications design for Skinmade, a skincare startup spun out from Fraunhofer. Directed branding, packaging, and educational materials; developed product communication assets; balanced aesthetics with regulatory and production constraints; enhanced visitor experiences through event visuals and infographics.
Communication Design Intern at KAKOII – Creative Agency for Corporate Design
April 1, 2020 - September 1, 2020
Collaborated with clients as lead designer on B2B informational materials, supporting product promotion and sales through clear, well-structured visual communication. Designed packaging for drugstore products with print production considerations and target audience appeal. Created infographic materials for events to guide visitors through exhibition spaces.
Communication Designer Intern at KAKOII – Creative Agency for Corporate Design
April 1, 2020 - September 1, 2020
Collaborated with clients as lead designer on B2B materials, supported product promotion and sales through clear visual communication; designed packaging for drugstore products; created exhibition infographics to guide visitors.

Education

Master of Arts in Eco-Social Design at Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2021
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design at Technical University Nuremberg Georg Simon Ohm
January 11, 2030 - January 21, 2026
Bachelor of Science in Geography (Incomplete) at Ruprecht-Karls-University
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2018

Qualifications

WES Verified Degree
January 11, 2030 - January 21, 2026
Bachelor of Arts in communication Design
January 11, 2030 - January 21, 2026
Grade: Very Good (1.5/6)

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Software & Internet, Education, Retail, Manufacturing