Work

Blue Ridge Foundation New York

Incubating ventures that advance upward mobility.

Service
Brand Refresh
Capabilities
The image shows multiple blue and white boxes with the text "BLUE RIDGE FOUNDATION NEW YORK" and the URL "brfny.org". Additionally, there is an address: "150 Court St., 2nd Fl., Brooklyn, NY 11201". The boxes are arranged in a repetitive, neat pattern.

Background

All impactful change-makers need to get their start somewhere. The Blue Ridge Foundation helps startups—new businesses with a mission to make a difference—become successful organizations. The foundation provides money, expertise and even office space, helping to transition great ideas into meaningful impact. For 20 years they’ve helped launch socially conscious initiatives. In its later years, Blue Ridge shifted its attention towards technology-focused ideas, and asked Hyperakt to help them communicate to their a new audience.

The opportunity

Blue Ridge knew that in order to be credible in the tech-startup and social entrepreneurship sphere, their brand would need to become more outward-facing and innovative. Yet over the past decades, they’d built a tremendous amount of brand equity among nonprofits and other foundations. We needed to negotiate between appealing to a new, youthful, technology-centered audience, while still remaining authentic to its history.

A computer monitor, tablet, and smartphone displaying a website for a New York City social innovation incubator. The website highlights their mission and services, featuring the Blue Ridge Foundation logo and images of people collaborating in a modern office.

Technology and transparency

The brand we created for the Blue Ridge Foundation reflects its multi-faceted role. A three dimensional cube as a core mark visualizes Blue Ridge as an incubator space. This logo communicates the building blocks that Blue Ridge provides its portfolio organizations to help them build a solid foundation. We extended the brand through a visual language of pixellation, mirroring Blue Ridge’s new focus on technology, and transparency.

The image shows a logo featuring a geometric design of three overlapping blue squares on the left and the text "BLUE RIDGE" in bold, uppercase letters on the right. The squares transition from light blue to dark blue, creating a 3D effect.
A webpage from the Blue Ridge Foundation New York. It outlines their mission of helping people in high poverty communities, lists their beliefs such as technological integration and community, and details their offerings in areas like coaching, funding, and workspace.
An image featuring eight flat design icons in a grid. The icons represent various concepts: mathematical operations, a lightbulb with gears, a triangle with shapes, an electrical plug, people under a roof, a pencil and ruler crossing, a person with connected nodes, and a globe with arrows.
A set of stationery items including two letterheads, an envelope, two business cards, and three folded note cards. All items have a blue and white color scheme with the "Blue Ridge Foundation New York" logo on them.
Image of a letterhead featuring the Blue Ridge Foundation New York logo. The logo includes the words "BLUE RIDGE FOUNDATION NEW YORK" in a mix of bold black and blue uppercase letters, with a blue and white geometric design above the text.
A graphic image of a radar screen in shades of blue against a yellow background. The radar screen displays geometric shapes and grid lines, with a few highlighted points and lines indicating detected objects or signals.
A circular diagram with interconnected blue and grey geometric shapes on a white background. The circular graphic is set against a red square backdrop. Lines connect the shapes, resembling a network or circuit design.
A blue T-shirt featuring a large geometric cube design on the front, composed of different shades of blue to create a three-dimensional effect. The cube is centered on the chest, standing out against the solid blue background of the shirt.
A close-up photograph shows a geometric arrangement of blue, black, and white folded paper shapes. The paper shapes appear to be rectangular with hollow centers, creating a layered and interlocking pattern. Text reading "BLUE RIDGE PRINTING NEW YORK" is partially visible.
A composite image of three web pages from the Blue Engine collaborative website. The first page details the team, the second focuses on news and ideas with various articles, and the third provides information about Blue Engine itself, including mission and leadership.
A person carrying a tote bag with a geometric blue and gray pattern and the text "BLUE RIDGE." The bag is over their shoulder and filled with vibrant yellow and purple flowers. The person is wearing a black shirt and their face is not visible.

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