CDL fosters the next generation of Canadian tech startups, giving founders practical experience working with world-class investors and entrepreneurs.

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies.

CDL’s Super Session event is the annual showcase for the graduating companies, bringing together a global community of founders, mentors, investors, and thought leaders for two days.

To mark the accomplishments of each year’s graduating cohort, an extensive catalogue — Year in Review — was published and distributed at the event. However, due to the global pandemic the annual catalogue had been re-envisioned as a microsite in 2021.

As 2022 marked a decade in the program’s existence, we initially approached the project as a timeline celebration. However through discovery we learned the client wanted to build on and improve the existing design (UX/UI).

Looking into the legacy of the printed book next to the microsite, it became apparent there was a disconnect between the boldness of the editorial spreads and some of the interactive solutions. I decided to re-introduce some of the visually impactful editorial elements — oversized quotes, edited stats, colour blocking, and overlapping photos. In doing so the focus shifted back to people — their experiences, voices, and the element of community that is at the core of the program.

The typography and hierarchies were also reconsidered, with the introduction of a new sans-serif family that better balaced modern precision with friendliness.

Several changes were made to improve the user experience and interface across all pages.

Venture Pages

Due to the long-form nature of these pages, the content needed targeted optimization and restructuring.

➊ The header hierarchy was refreshed, with bolder typography and revised proportions for the cover image. The result is a stronger, more approachable page summary.

➋ The multi-column layout was reduced to a single column, to help create a more comfortable reading experience.