Web design in Kitchener-Waterloo for startups and product teams
I'm Elias Chapuis, a design engineer and product designer. I work with Kitchener and Waterloo startups, from founders preparing a first launch to product teams that have outgrown their early website, and I take projects from the first Figma frame to the live product.
I've done launch work for Bravi, a Y Combinator-backed startup, and I build my own products, like Plume, a self-hosted SEO and GEO studio. I'm based in Saskatoon and work with Kitchener-Waterloo teams remotely, with working days that overlap almost entirely.
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Websites for the Kitchener-Waterloo startup corridor
Between the University of Waterloo, Communitech and the companies that grew out of them, Kitchener-Waterloo has a dense, technical startup community. Founders here are often engineers first, which usually means the product is strong and the website is an afterthought. The site gets built in a weekend before a demo day, then stays untouched while the product moves on.
I help close that gap: a clear narrative, a credible brand and a site that can carry you from launch to your next round without a rebuild. I've worked with companies from Series A to pre-IPO, so I know what investors and enterprise buyers look for.
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What a startup launch project includes
For Bravi, this meant a brand identity, a landing page and launch assets delivered together, so the company looked consistent everywhere on launch day. A launch project usually covers:
- A positioning session and homepage narrative
- Brand identity: logo, type, color and key visuals
- A launch website or landing page
- Launch assets for social, product directories and pitch decks
- A Figma component system to grow from
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A designer who speaks to engineering teams
As a design engineer, I work in Figma with variables and tokens, write HTML and CSS, and prototype in code with tools like Claude, Cursor and Lovable. I've built and deployed my own products with Supabase and Vercel, and I prototype interactions in code before committing to them, so we validate motion in the browser instead of guessing from static frames.
That makes handoff with your developers simple: shared tokens, components that map to code, and fewer surprises during implementation. If you're further along, the SaaS website design page covers larger site projects.
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What a project costs and why
I don't publish fixed packages, because a landing page for an early launch and a multi-template site for a scaling company are different jobs. Price depends on brand work, the number of templates, content readiness, integrations and motion.
After an intro call, I send a fixed quote so you can plan your runway with certainty. Want context first? Browse my work.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you meet clients in Kitchener or Waterloo?
Projects with Kitchener-Waterloo teams are remote. I'm based in Saskatoon with no Ontario office, and we work through video calls, shared Figma files and async updates. For a kick-off where meeting in person adds real value, I can travel.
Do you work with early-stage startups?
Yes, when the scope fits the stage. A focused launch package (brand, landing page and launch assets) is often the right start, and the design system grows as the company does.
Can you work with our developers instead of building the site yourself?
Yes. I can hand over a Figma file with components, variables and tokens ready to map to code, or build the marketing site myself while your engineers focus on the product.
What time zone are you in?
Central Standard Time, all year, since Saskatchewan doesn't observe daylight saving. That's one hour behind Kitchener-Waterloo in winter and two in summer.
Can you help us after launch?
Yes. After launch I can stay on for new pages, campaign landing pages, product release pages and updates to the design system. For a growing startup, that is often more useful than a full redesign every year or two.
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Web design in other cities
Have a project in mind?
Tell me where you are and what you need. I reply within a day, usually with a few questions and a time to talk.