Industrial design for

Industrial design

hardware that matters

FOR HARDWARE
THAT MATTERS

Products

for

Products

for

Products

for

Products

for

people & planet

01

MANIFESTO


We partner with early-stage hardware founders building products

that make the world safer, healthier, & more sustainable.


We partner with early-stage hardware

founders building products

that make the world

safer, healthier, & more sustainable.


We partner with early-stage

hardware founders building products

that make the world safer,

healthier, & more sustainable.

The world doesn't need more disposable gadgets, more plastic clutter, more hardware built to break. What it needs are products that solve real problems: devices that keep people safe, improve health outcomes, and protect the environment.

Early-stage hardware founders often struggle to find the right design partner. Many firms aren't set up for the pace or uncertainty of early-stage product design. So founders are left to figure it out themselves, compromise on design, or wait until they've hit milestones that feel impossibly far away.

We started general populace to fix this

We believe the best design talent should be working on hardware that helps people and planet, not just hardware that sells. And we believe early-stage founders building these products deserve a design partner who understands startup constraints, respects their budgets, and genuinely cares about what they're trying to put into the world.

That's why we exist.

The world doesn't need more disposable gadgets, more plastic clutter, more hardware built to break. What it needs are products that solve real problems: devices that keep people safe, improve health outcomes, and protect the environment.

Early-stage hardware founders often struggle to find the right design partner. Many firms aren't set up for the pace or uncertainty of early-stage product design. So founders are left to figure it out themselves, compromise on design, or wait until they've hit milestones that feel impossibly far away.

We started general populace to fix this

We believe the best design talent should be working on hardware that helps people and planet, not just hardware that sells. And we believe early-stage founders building these products deserve a design partner who understands startup constraints, respects their budgets, and genuinely cares about what they're trying to put into the world.

That's why we exist.

02

APPROACH

YOUR
design
 partner



Your
Design
Partner

general populace was founded by an award-winning, IDSA-recognized industrial designer and two-time hardware entrepreneur who knows what it's like to bootstrap a prototype, pitch to skeptical investors, and make impossible decisions with limited resources. We're not a big agency that sees your project as a line item. We're a focused studio that treats your product like it matters, because we only take on work that does.

When you work with us, you get:

A founder who gets it. We've been in the trenches. We understand that timelines slip, budgets are tight, and priorities shift overnight. We adapt with you.

A team that designs like they give a damn. We're selective about the projects we take on. If we're working with you, it's because we believe in what you're building, and our designers bring that same conviction to every detail.

Design that fits your team. We handle form and fit. Your engineers handle the rest. No turf wars, no bloated scope. Just focused collaboration.

Pricing that makes sense. One flat monthly fee. Pause or cancel anytime. No surprise invoices, no nickel-and-diming.

Total transparency. Our client platform shows you exactly where your project stands. No black boxes, no chasing updates. You see what we see.

general populace was founded by an award-winning, IDSA-recognized industrial designer and two-time hardware entrepreneur who knows what it's like to bootstrap a prototype, pitch to skeptical investors, and make impossible decisions with limited resources. We're not a big agency that sees your project as a line item. We're a focused studio that treats your product like it matters, because we only take on work that does.


When you work with us, you get:

A founder who gets it. We've been in the trenches. We understand that timelines slip, budgets are tight, and priorities shift overnight. We adapt with you.

A team that designs like they give a damn. We're selective about the projects we take on. If we're working with you, it's because we believe in what you're building, and our designers bring that same conviction to every detail.

Design that fits your team. We handle form and fit. Your engineers handle the rest. No turf wars, no bloated scope. Just focused collaboration.

Pricing that makes sense. One flat monthly fee. Pause or cancel anytime. No surprise invoices, no nickel-and-diming.

Total transparency. Our client platform shows you exactly where your project stands. No black boxes, no chasing updates. You see what we see.

general populace was founded by an award-winning, IDSA-recognized industrial designer and two-time hardware entrepreneur who knows what it's like to bootstrap a prototype, pitch to skeptical investors, and make impossible decisions with limited resources. We're not a big agency that sees your project as a line item. We're a focused studio that treats your product like it matters, because we only take on work that does.


When you work with us, you get:


A founder who gets it. We've been in the trenches. We understand that timelines slip, budgets are tight, and priorities shift overnight. We adapt with you.

A team that designs like they give a damn. We're selective about the projects we take on. If we're working with you, it's because we believe in what you're building, and our designers bring that same conviction to every detail.

Design that fits your team. We handle form and fit. Your engineers handle the rest. No turf wars, no bloated scope. Just focused collaboration.

Pricing that makes sense. One flat monthly fee. Pause or cancel anytime. No surprise invoices, no nickel-and-diming.

Total transparency. Our client platform shows you exactly where your project stands. No black boxes, no chasing updates. You see what we see.

03

FIT

fit

Who we
 work with

We partner with early-stage hardware founders who are building something that matters, and need a design team that believes in it as much as they do.


You might be a good fit if:

You're building a physical product that makes the world safer, healthier, or more sustainable.

You have engineering covered, but need a design partner who obsesses over every curve, every surface, every detail that makes a product feel right.

You're early. Pre-seed, seed, grant-funded, bootstrapped. Whatever the path, you're in the messy, exciting stage of bringing something new into the world.

You want a partner, not a vendor. Someone who'll be straight with you, adapt when things change, and care about getting it right.


If that sounds like you, we should talk.

We partner with early-stage hardware founders who are building something that matters, and need a design team that believes in it as much as they do.


You might be a good fit if:

You're building a physical product that makes the world safer, healthier, or more sustainable.

You have engineering covered, but need a design partner who obsesses over every curve, every surface, every detail that makes a product feel right.

You're early. Pre-seed, seed, grant-funded, bootstrapped. Whatever the path, you're in the messy, exciting stage of bringing something new into the world.

You want a partner, not a vendor. Someone who'll be straight with you, adapt when things change, and care about getting it right.


If that sounds like you, we should talk.

We partner with early-stage hardware founders who are building something that matters, and need a design team that believes in it as much as they do.


You might be a good fit if:


You're building a physical product that makes the world safer, healthier, or more sustainable.

You have engineering covered, but need a design partner who obsesses over every curve, every surface, every detail that makes a product feel right.

You're early. Pre-seed, seed, grant-funded, bootstrapped. Whatever the path, you're in the messy, exciting stage of bringing something new into the world.

You want a partner, not a vendor. Someone who'll be straight with you, adapt when things change, and care about getting it right.


If that sounds like you, we should talk.

"We needed someone who could help us create a beautiful, attractive design for our customers. Our project was implemented according to the scope. general populace paid attention to our asks and beyond. The result looks absolutely great, and it helped a lot in terms of our marketing and our presentation to investors and stakeholders."

"We needed someone who could help us create a beautiful, attractive design for our customers. Our project was implemented according to the scope. general populace paid attention to our asks and beyond. The result looks absolutely great, and it helped a lot in terms of our marketing and our presentation to investors and stakeholders."

Aleksandr Malashchenko, Founder, ReviMo

"general populace delivered exactly what was promised within the proposed timeline. Personal care, going above and beyond, very communicative and open to feedback and direction. We really appreciated and could feel that you deeply cared about our mission and vision. This is not something we always experience with companies that we partner with."

"general populace delivered exactly what was promised within the proposed timeline. Personal care, going above and beyond, very communicative and open to feedback and direction. We really appreciated and could feel that you deeply cared about our mission and vision. This is not something we always experience with companies that we partner with."

Alec Leddon, Co-Founder, TaeSun Kit

06

SERVICES


We offer a simple, subscription-based model designed for the reality of startup life. One flat monthly fee. No surprise invoices. Pause or cancel anytime.


We offer a simple, subscription-based model designed for the reality of startup life. One flat monthly fee. No surprise invoices. Pause or cancel anytime.

01 PRODUCT
DESIGN

Monthly

$7,999/month

Our core offering. We work alongside your engineering team to design the form and fit of your product. That means the physical shape, appearance, and how every component comes together. This is what you get:

• Prototype-ready 3D files with form and fit specs • Orthographic technical drawings • Design research and concept ideation • Visualization package with product renders • Color, material, and finish specifications • Full access to our client platform, so you see exactly where your project stands, always.

This is industrial design done right, at a pace and price that makes sense for early-stage hardware startups.




Ready to make it real?


Ready to make it real?

Ready to make it real?







Ready to make it real?

02
production

Project Dependent

Price Upon Request

Prototyping & DFM: Great design doesn't end at the render. We guide you through prototyping with our network of manufacturing partners, then help optimize your product for production through design for manufacturing. From first prototype to factory-ready files.




Need something more focused?

We also offer flat-fee packages for founders at different stages:



Need something more focused?

We also offer flat-fee packages for founders at different stages:



Need something more focused?

We also offer flat-fee packages for founders at different stages:





Need something more focused?

We also offer flat-fee packages for founders at different stages:

03
Concepting

6 Weeks

$9,999 flat fee

Concepting: Have an idea but need to visualize it first? We'll help you refine your vision through form exploration, storyboarding, and a full visualization package.

04
Branding

4 Weeks

$5,499 flat fee

Branding: Build a memorable identity with logo development, typography, color palette, and brand guidelines.

05
packaging

4 Weeks

$5,499 flat fee

Packaging: Get your product market-ready with mockups, final packaging design, and vendor coordination.

"general populace is a highly detail-oriented and customer-focused design studio that delivers exceptional value at a quality-for-price ratio that's hard to beat. Sebastian, you are really good at your job."

"general populace is a highly detail-oriented and customer-focused design studio that delivers exceptional value at a quality-for-price ratio that's hard to beat. Sebastian, you are really good at your job."

Guy Gober, Pool Protection Technologies

07

ABOUT US

We're a focused team of designers who care deeply about the work we take on. We're selective because we want to pour ourselves into projects that matter, and we want every founder we work with to feel like a partner, not a client.


We're a focused team of designers who care deeply about the work we take on. We're selective because we want to pour ourselves into projects that matter, and we want every founder we work with to feel like a partner, not a client.

We're a focused team of designers who care deeply about the work we take on. We're selective because we want to pour ourselves into projects that matter, and we want every founder we work with to feel like a partner, not a client.


We're a focused team of designers who care deeply about the work we take on. We're selective because we want to pour ourselves into projects that matter, and we want every founder we work with to feel like a partner, not a client.

sebastian

Sebastian Gomez Puerto

Managing Director

Sebastian is a two-time hardware founder, award-winning industrial designer, and entrepreneur based in Boston.

He co-founded Cafe X, a robotic coffee company backed by Khosla Ventures, Social Capital, Founders Fund, and Craft Ventures. He then founded SunVessel, a sustainable micromobility company that partnered with Pininfarina (the design firm behind Ferrari) and went through over 100 design iterations across six years. Along the way, he received the Keys to the City of Miami, made the cover of the Miami Herald, and was featured on CNN.

Sebastian holds an MBA from Babson College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and served as the 2014 Commencement Speaker, and an MA in Industrial Design from SCAD. He is an IDSA GSMA 2024 Winner, recognized for design excellence among emerging talent.

He started general populace because it's the company he wished existed when he began his own entrepreneurial journey: a design partner that understands startup constraints, genuinely cares about what founders are building, and believes that great design should be accessible to anyone creating products for the greater good.

LinkedIn

GERMÁN

Germán Monetti

Industrial Designer

Germán specializes in creating meaningful, nuanced product experiences. His portfolio spans healthcare devices, precision tools, and consumer electronics, always with an empathetic, user-first approach. He's constantly curious, eager to dive deep into whatever industry a project demands, and uses insights and market trends to guide thoughtful design decisions.

LinkedIn

aref

Aref Zebian

Jr. Industrial Designer

Aref is a designer with generalist tendencies and a passion for creating products that reflect how we actually live. A graduate of SCAD's Industrial Design program, he combines storytelling, craft, and a global perspective to connect people and ideas. He brings fresh energy to concept ideation and excels at rendering, visualization, and branding, contributing cutting-edge insights to every project.

LinkedIn