Our Story & Mission

Why Designli?

There are many developers that 'hang a shingle' and start building apps and web-apps as a service for others. However, if you've ever spoken with someone who has paid a company to build custom software, you'll know that there are more horror stories than successes.

This is what makes Designli different. Not only do we build bug-free, polished software, but we also do it with a very clear mission: to make your experience along the way an enjoyable one. We exist to deliver peace of mind for nontechnical software founders like you. The reason for this is derived from our story, deeply inspired by our founders’ own experiences:

The journey begins.

Our founders launched a college startup in 2012, named Applits, with a bold vision: revolutionize the mobile app industry through crowdsourced app ideas. The Applits community submitted concepts for the next big app, and public votes decided which ideas came to fruition. With initial funding, we aimed to grow the community and outsourced app development to established agencies.

Building apps is hard.

Fast forward three years of running monthly contests deeming winning app ideas to be built (with over 2,000 ideas submitted in total) - and we had only successfully launched 16 apps to the public. If you’re doing the math, that’s much fewer than 1 app per month! We understood first-hand the strategies and struggles of designing and developing quality mobile apps. We found a severe lack of agencies that were conscious of the business case behind why the software was being built and that had a process that didn’t feel like a black box where money is put in and a buggy app pops out the other side. We wished we could find a firm that was able to marry cutting-edge design with quality engineering talent, with a reliable & transparent process.

Designli is born.

It became clear to us what to do next: we decided to close Applits so we could forge our own agency to solve these exact problems. Following the classic “necessity is the mother of invention” philosophy, we built what we wish we could have found as paying clients years ago. We have poured over our process to identify the key actions and steps for success when building custom software for demanding consumers, and doing so with an eye for making it the best possible experience for our clients.

Making software accessible.

Talented members of our team will dedicate themselves to the success of your project. They’ll guide you through the entire process of creating custom software. We’ve proven time and again that application development doesn’t have to be complicated, even in complex software ecosystems. Thoughtful communication along the way eliminates mysteries, misunderstandings, and mistakes.

Our values.

Our customers love us because we're cupid 🤍

Communicative

People who are Communicative are quick, clear, and transparent. At Designli, this means our clients are kept in the know, feeling confident and informed about their software projects.

Universal Respect

People who embody Universal Respect are humble collaborators. At Designli, we share our expertise with humility and work respectfully alongside our clients and colleagues.

Proactive

People who are Proactive anticipate and overcome roadblocks. At Designli, we foresee and address technical, administrative, and timeline challenges before they hinder progress.

Inquisitive

People who are Inquisitive crave knowledge and strive for mastery. At Designli, we deeply understand our client's business, goals, and user needs while continuously honing our craft. This commitment to ongoing learning ensures that we offer expert guidance and deliver innovative solutions that exceed expectations.

Dependable

People who are Dependable are individuals you can rely on. At Designli, this entails doing what we say we'll do, showing up on time to meetings, and feeling a sense of ownership over our results.

Our technology.

We hire talented developers before we need them. That way they’re ready to be assigned to your dedicated software development team as soon as possible. In the meantime, they work on the Designli Engine.

The Designli Engine is our proprietary backend development tool. It expedites as much as 80% of the time and effort it takes to lay the foundation for your application. You can leverage it to keep your timeline short, keep costs down, and set up dependable integrations with your enterprise applications.

Keith’s passion for technology started early: he asked for a domain name for his 10th birthday and launched his first business before graduating from high school. While studying Mechanical Engineering at The Ohio State University, he built websites, led creative projects, and co-founded Applits, named Inc.com’s “Coolest College Startup of 2014.”

At Designli, Keith has spent 12+ years helping non-technical founders bring their software ideas to life and untangling projects left incomplete by other agencies. Drawing on that experience, he guides founders through uncertainty with a balance of technical expertise and clear communication. From early-stage concepts to complex relaunches, Keith ensures every project moves forward with confidence, clarity, and peace of mind, turning big ideas into market-ready products.

Josh naturally challenges the status quo when he sees a better way forward. A former college athlete and engineering student turned entrepreneur, he left school to team up with Keith and discovered his passion for navigating the technical complexities of launching software systems.

As COO of Designli, Josh orchestrates operations to deliver a best-in-class experience for non-technical founders. He bridges the gap between vision and execution, translating technical complexity into clarity and confidence. By aligning expert talent with clear, predictable workflows, Josh transforms complex development into a smooth path toward market-ready products.

Raúl brings more than a decade of experience in technology, with a background spanning backend development, custom enterprise software, and complex project delivery. As Director of Operations at Designli, he designs clear, predictable processes that ensure our clients’ software development experience is an enjoyable one, whether building from scratch, fixing what’s broken, or scaling for growth.

Raúl serves as the bridge between founders and engineers, translating developer-speak into plain language so clients feel informed, confident, and in control at every step. Before joining Designli, he worked as a backend developer and later directed custom development at a leading enterprise software consultancy.

Diego combines a deep understanding of people with a sharp eye for data, bringing over 13 years of experience in recruitment, coaching, talent development, and people analytics. His specialty lies in connecting the right candidates with each customer’s unique needs, giving non-technical founders confidence that their product is in capable hands.

A lifelong learner, Diego began teaching HR topics in his MBA program by the age of 27. His transition into the IT industry became a natural next step, and today, as Director of HR at Designli, he shapes the employee experience and fosters a culture where every team member is supported, engaged, and set up for success. By building and sustaining strong teams, Diego ensures founders have the skilled, dedicated talent they need to bring their product vision to life.

Félix is a techie at heart. He began his career on the front lines of engineering, quickly advancing from Front-End Developer to Tech Lead on large-scale, complex projects.

As Director of Engineering at Designli, Félix helps non-technical founders succeed by building dedicated product teams and setting the technical direction that ensures products are scalable, stable, and ready for growth. He translates complex engineering challenges into clear, actionable strategies, giving founders confidence that their vision is being transformed into a product built to last.

All Keith wanted for his 10th birthday was a domain name. Fast forward a few years to high school, and when his mom told him to get a summer job he opted to sell his website instead - rather than start mowing lawns.

While working on his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University, Keith spent his time coding websites and launching the Ohio State Freestyle Rap and Beatbox Club, which grew to be one of the largest student-run organizations on campus. Keith paired up with Josh to build a college startup, Applits, named Inc.com’s “Coolest College Startup of 2014,” and has been leading app and web-app projects with Designli ever since.

Josh is a natural contrarian, and often goes against the crowd when he thinks there’s a better way. A college athlete and engineering student turned college dropout, Josh wanted to pursue entrepreneurship rather than getting a degree. That’s when he teamed up with Keith and found his passion for the technical complexities of building and launching new software systems.

As an aspiring private pilot, scuba diver, and personal finance enthusiast, Josh is a “jack of multiple hobbies” and master of, well, some. As the COO of Designli, Josh enjoys learning how customers’ businesses work and figuring out how to design and implement software to solve their problems.

As Designli’s CTO, Nelson has been instrumental in shaping the company’s philosophy and processes. Before joining Designli, Nelson has held roles as a game developer, researcher, professor, and Chief Executive Officer. His background has endowed him with knowledge of finance, emerging technologies, and all things software development.

Most importantly, Nelson’s experience has connected him with a wide network of skilled people. He helps Designli draw from a talent pool that spans the entirety of the Americas. This helps us build a deep roster of the best app designers and developers available.