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§ Private Profile · Melbourne, Australia
Freelance marketplace for graphic design, connecting clients with designers for custom logos, websites, and branding via contests or direct hire.
Based in Melbourne, Australia, 99designs operates a global freelance marketplace that connects graphic designers with clients through crowdsourced design contests and direct hiring arrangements. The platform primarily serves small-to-medium businesses, startups, and marketing agencies seeking custom logos, websites, and comprehensive branding materials. Prior to its strategic acquisition, the company raised approximately $45 million in venture funding and scaled its supply network to include over 1 million freelance designers who have facilitated more than 1 million creative projects. Originally spun out of the SitePoint developer forums, the enterprise secured institutional backing from lead investor Accel Partners before being acquired by Cimpress and integrated into its Vistaprint subsidiary in October 2020. Following the transaction, the platform officially rebranded as 99designs by Vista. The company was founded in 2008 by Matt Mickiewicz and Mark Harbottle.
99designs has raised $45.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at 99designs.
99designs was founded in 2008 by Mark Harbottle (Co-Founder).
99designs has raised $45.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at 99designs.
99designs is a technology company that operates a global online marketplace connecting freelance graphic designers with businesses and entrepreneurs. At its core, 99designs is a two-sided platform that enables clients to source design work—ranging from logos and branding to websites, packaging, and marketing materials—while giving designers access to a worldwide client base and income opportunities.
The company serves three primary groups: small and medium businesses seeking affordable, high-quality design; freelance designers looking for work and portfolio-building opportunities; and agencies that outsource design tasks. 99designs solves the problem of fragmented, inefficient design hiring by offering a structured, contest-based and direct-hire model that streamlines project briefs, submissions, feedback, and payments. Over the years, it has grown into one of the largest on-demand design marketplaces, with over a million registered designers and hundreds of thousands of completed projects, paid out more than $200 million to designers globally.
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99designs was founded in 2008 in Melbourne, Australia, by Matt Mickiewicz and Mark Harbottle, who had previously co-founded SitePoint, a popular online community and learning platform for web developers and designers. The idea for 99designs emerged organically from SitePoint’s design forums, where members engaged in informal “Photoshop tennis” contests—friendly competitions where designers would create mock designs for fictional client briefs and vote on the best work.
Recognizing the energy and creativity in these contests, Mickiewicz and Harbottle began experimenting with real-world design briefs, charging clients a small fee to post projects and rewarding the winning designer. The response was strong, and demand grew quickly. In February 2008, they spun this concept into a standalone brand: 99designs, named after the typical volume of design submissions per contest in the early days. The platform launched as a design contest marketplace, later evolving to include direct hiring and a broader range of design services.
Early traction came from the U.S. market, prompting the company to open a San Francisco office (later moved to Oakland, California) to be closer to its core user base. By 2012, 99designs had hosted over 120,000 projects and paid out tens of millions to designers, scaling rapidly without traditional venture capital in its earliest years.
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99designs is riding several powerful trends in the modern economy: the rise of the gig economy, the globalization of freelance work, and the increasing importance of design and branding for digital-first businesses. As more startups, SMBs, and solopreneurs launch online, the demand for fast, affordable, and professional design has exploded—especially for logos, websites, and marketing assets.
The timing of 99designs’ emergence was ideal: it launched just as cloud computing, global internet access, and digital payment systems matured, enabling a truly global marketplace. It also capitalized on the shift from traditional agencies to on-demand, project-based creative work, aligning with how modern companies want to buy design—quickly, flexibly, and without long-term commitments.
Beyond just connecting buyers and sellers, 99designs has influenced how design is commoditized and democratized. It helped normalize the idea that high-quality design can be sourced competitively and remotely, paving the way for other creative marketplaces. It also played a role in professionalizing freelance design by providing structure, visibility, and income opportunities for designers in emerging markets.
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Looking ahead, 99designs is well-positioned to continue shaping how businesses access creative talent, but its future will depend on how it evolves beyond the classic contest model. The trend is moving toward faster, more personalized, and AI-augmented design workflows—think instant logo generators, AI-powered mockups, and tighter integrations with no-code and e-commerce platforms.
To stay ahead, 99designs will likely deepen its focus on:- Hybrid models that blend human creativity with AI tools for faster turnaround.- Vertical specialization, offering tailored design solutions for specific industries (e.g., SaaS, e-commerce, restaurants).- Product-led growth, embedding design capabilities directly into business tools and workflows.- Designer empowerment, with better tools for discovery, pricing, and career development.
As part of the Vista family (a global software investor), 99designs has the backing to scale its platform and integrate more deeply into the small business tech stack. Its long-term impact may not just be as a design marketplace, but as a foundational layer in how millions of businesses around the world create, launch, and grow—with design at the center.
In that sense, 99designs is more than a tech company—it’s a bridge between creativity and commerce, turning pixels into brands and freelancers into entrepreneurs.
99designs has raised $45.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $10.0M Series B in April 2015.
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2021 | Flippa | $11.0M Series A | Nigel Dews | Tsvc Capital, Andrew Walsh, Bevan Clark, Gabby Leibovich, GUY King, Hezi Leibovich, Mark Harbottle, Matt Mickiewicz, TIM Fouhy, TIM O'neill |
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2015 | $10M Series B | Akihiko Okamoto | Accel, AirAngels, Benchmark, Climate Capital, Earthshot Ventures, Endeavor8, Ensemble VC, Harrison Metal, Index Ventures, Kapor Capital, Ligature, LombardStreet Ventures, Meritech Capital Partners, Obvious Ventures, S2G Ventures, Sequoia Capital, MAX Ventilla | Announced |
| Apr 1, 2011 | $35M Series A | Accel | AirAngels, Benchmark, Climate Capital, Earthshot Ventures, Endeavor8, Ensemble VC, Harrison Metal, Index Ventures, Kapor Capital, Ligature, LombardStreet Ventures, Meritech Capital Partners, Obvious Ventures, S2G Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Version ONE Ventures, MAX Ventilla, ROB Glaser, Steve Olechowski, Anthony Casalena, Dave Goldberg, Michael Dearing, Stewart Butterfield | Announced |
99designs was founded in 2008 by Mark Harbottle (Co-Founder).
99designs has raised $45.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
99designs's investors include Akihiko Okamoto, Accel, AirAngels, Benchmark, Climate Capital, Earthshot Ventures, Endeavor8, Ensemble VC, Harrison Metal, Index Ventures, Kapor Capital, Ligature.
