About us
An independent studio with a long-term view
We started Northstar in 2014 with a simple idea: small, senior teams make better products. Twelve years later, we still believe it.
Our story
Guided by craft
Northstar began in a small attic studio with three people and one client. Today we are a team of 38 across two studios, but the way we work hasn't changed: we keep teams small, we involve our clients in every decision, and we don't ship anything we wouldn't use ourselves.
That last principle led us somewhere unexpected. Frustrated with the tools on our own desks, we started designing them — first a lamp, then a keyboard, then a small collection of considered objects for focused work.
What we value
- Clarity over cleverness
- Craft in the details nobody asked for
- Honesty about trade-offs, timelines and budgets
Two studios
Rotterdam and Lisbon
Our home studio sits in a former warehouse on the Rotterdam waterfront. In 2026 we opened a second studio in Lisbon to be closer to clients in Southern Europe and to welcome new talent.
Northstar today
- PeopleDesigners, engineers and strategists
- 38
- StudiosRotterdam and Lisbon
- 2
- ClientsFrom start-ups to enterprises
- 120+
Testimonials
What our clients say
“The design system Northstar delivered has become the shared language between our designers, developers and content team. It paid for itself within a quarter.”
Sofia Marín
Head of Digital, Arcadia Living
We’re always looking for great people
Designers, engineers and strategists who care about craft — we would love to meet you.