Innovation Space
The Innovation Space is more than just a hub for science entrepreneurs—it’s a catalyst for discovery and growth. By offering lab space, funding, and resources, the Innovation Space empowers startups to thrive in the highly competitive world of science and technology. When the Innovation Space approached us, they were ready for a transformation. They needed a new brand and marketing support to elevate their presence, drive applications for flagship programs like Science Inc. and First Fund, and generate leads for their state-of-the-art lab facilities.
Scope of Work
- Logo and Identity Design
- Brand Guidelines
- Website Design and Development
- Organic and Paid Social Media
- Email Marketing
- Search Engine Marketing
- Display Advertising
- Geofencing
- Print Design
A Catalyst for Discovery
A Brand That Matches the Innovation
The Innovation Space needed a brand as bold as the work happening inside its labs. We started with a complete rebrand, creating a new logo and identity that balanced professionalism with a sense of innovation, while still honoring their roots as the Delaware Innovation Space. Updated brand guidelines introduced a sleek color palette and modern typography, ensuring a cohesive and polished look that resonated with stakeholders, entrepreneurs, and the broader science community.
The logo features a lightbulb with an “i” and “s” subtly integrated into the design, representing the initials of Innovation Space. The lightbulb symbolizes the organization’s focus on sparking creativity and driving innovation, and references their original logo. The result is a design that honors their roots while still feeling fresh, modern, and forward-thinking.
To highlight their flagship programs—Science Inc., First Fund, and Spark Factory—we developed three distinct sub-brands. Each program received a unique logo that worked seamlessly within the larger Innovation Space identity. This approach ensured a unified brand while showcasing the individual value and focus of each program.
To support outreach efforts, we designed a range of sales materials, including visually engaging one-pagers for each program. These resources became key tools for the Innovation Space team at events and meetings, helping them effectively communicate the benefits of their offerings to prospective clients and stakeholders.
Building a Launchpad for Science Innovation
The Innovation Space’s website needed to do more than look good. It had to inform, inspire, and convert visitors into program applicants and lab tenants. We designed a site that combined clean navigation with engaging visuals to highlight their programs, services, and facilities. The result was an intuitive user experience that made it easy for startups to find what they needed. Over the course of the yearlong campaign, the site recorded 117,731 users and 299,376 page views, with an 84.91% engagement rate.
Building Community Through Organic Social and Email Marketing
Social media and email became the backbone of our community-focused strategy. Before our collaboration, social content lacked consistency and strategic direction. We changed that, introducing a storytelling approach that highlighted the people, events, and innovative work happening within the Innovation Space. Across platforms, we published 494 posts over the course of a year, garnering 134,201 impressions and over 6,885 engagements.
We also streamlined email communications, creating branded templates to ensure consistency. These campaigns drove awareness and applications for programs like Science Inc. while reinforcing their position as a leader in the science entrepreneurship space.
Amplifying Reach with Multi-Channel Advertising
To connect with startups and science entrepreneurs, we designed a multi-channel advertising strategy tailored to the Innovation Space’s goals. Our search ads focused on capturing high-intent audiences actively looking for lab space and resources, achieving 8,181 clicks, 169 conversions, and an impressive 4.2% click-through rate (CTR), outperforming industry standards.
Display ads expanded awareness, with 6,798 clicks and targeted engagement, while geofencing campaigns strategically reached attendees at science conferences, delivering 25,223 clicks from 6.5 million impressions and ensuring the Innovation Space was visible to key decision-makers. These efforts converted awareness into actionable leads, making the Innovation Space a trusted name for startups and entrepreneurs in the mid-Atlantic and beyond.
“First Ascent has been an amazing partner in transforming our branding and marketing. They took the time to understand our mission and goals, creating a bold brand identity and website that truly reflect who we are and how we support science entrepreneurs. Their expertise in marketing—from social media and email to targeted advertising—has helped elevate the Innovation Space’s visibility and draw interest from science companies. Throughout the process, their team has been professional, adaptable, and responsive to our needs.”
Mona A. Parikh, Esq.
Director of Business Development & Marketing, Innovation Space
Award-winning Results
Our collaboration delivered measurable success and earned industry recognition. The revamped website, designed to inform, inspire, and convert, won a Gold W3 Award for its exceptional design and functionality.
Across all campaigns, our advertising efforts lead to 7.3 million impressions, driving thousands of qualified visitors to their site and sparking interest in their programs. By combining strategic branding, storytelling, and targeted outreach, we elevated the Innovation Space’s visibility and solidified its position as the ultimate destination for science entrepreneurs.
