brand engineering for
PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS.
Noun is a distinctly evolved version of what an incubator or accelerator should be.
We’re a company that builds disruptive companies.
We then help fund, operate, and scale these companies to exit.
We’re a hybrid mix.
Part Innovation Engine. Part Investment Firm.
Part Retail Accelerator.
We fill a unique sweet spot between the worlds
of Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship & Branding/Marketing.
Our Mission
To create, operate, and grow purpose-built brands & companies that positively disrupt their respective categories—brands and products that people want to talk about and fall in love with.
We partner from idea to exit.
We join forces with A-list founders of nascent consumer brands who want to take their companies to the next level. In lock-step, we work together to build a challenger brand that achieves outstanding economic success. This partnership framework radically mitigates risk, while creating a 1 + 1 + 1 = 12 Multiplier Effect that enables huge valuation swings.
What we do
(And Don’t Do)
We don’t offer cookie-cutter solutions, follow formulas or sell a process. We do what needs to be done to protect our investments. We take a holistic approach to building brands—we aren’t just designers—we are product developers, strategists, operators, sales experts, marketers, and financial managers. Our broad, vertically integrated expertise allows us to maintain total integrity as we create companies—never diluting the authenticity of our brands. Each company is a custom build, tailored for disruption, and crafted with tremendous care.
Brand Engineering
We evolve and dimensionalize brands. We start by immersing ourselves in the category, understanding the core equities and values of the company, pinpointing the target consumer, and grasping cultural trends. We will distill our findings into compelling insights which we use to inform the creation of a purpose-built brand identity that has an iconic, thought-leadership position and a strong platform of expansion for additional product extensions and growth.
Operational Optimization
We improve and optimize the operation, positioning our brands for sustainable growth. We have experience in every area of brand operations, from product development, to manufacturing, production management, customer service, analytics, and distribution logistics. Every brand we partner with has access to this knowledge of our operational leadership, helping them avoid the common pitfalls experienced by smaller brands.
Retail and Digital Growth
We lead profitable sales and marketing initiatives to strategically grow the retail and digital footprint for our brands. Through a comprehensive sales strategy, we target key retailers at specific stages of a brand’s lifecycle to prudently grow revenues and brand awareness both online and in-store. Our brands have access to our relationships with retailers, distributors, brokers, and online sales experts which have been cultivated over decades.
Come visit us
We are fortunate to operate from the beautiful city of Boulder, Colorado. It has an outdoor-centric culture, independent spirit and inspired terrain, with an entrepreneurial business dynamic that is uniquely complementary and benefits our brands in distinct ways.
boulder, CO
Over the past few decades, Boulder has developed a strong, pervasive entrepreneurial spirit. The people are highly-educated, progressive, and forward-thinking—willing to try new things and find new solutions to problems. The city is a fertile ground for startups to blossom—having both VC’s and entrepreneurs in the same location creates a self-perpetuating engine for startups. Boulder has a strong track record as an incubator of technology, the natural foods industry, and alternative energy. The quality of life is highly unique and the people are amazing, making it an ideal place to raise a family.
“The world is full of soulless brands and careless products. We aim to create companies that matter. When we do it well, people write about it. Customers can feel the difference. It rallies them. They evangelize our brands. They feel the belief, the passion and the special qualities baked into each company’s ethos.”
