Energi.design first began in 1994 as a small endeavour in Cambridge, England. As we reflect on the journey since then — from London to San Francisco to Munich — we’re humbled yet proud to be celebrating 30 years of work in this amazing field of creative digital design, and every possible idea those words represent. Though our locations changed throughout the years, our principles have stood firm.

At our core is a passion for creative thought: transforming our client’s initial vision into something wonderful. You bring the lemons and we’ll not only make lemonade but we’ll mix it, pour it into a fancy glass, and top it with a tiny umbrella.

So what exactly do we do? In short, digital design in many forms:

Motion Graphics Design
3D Modelling, Animation & Rendering
Website Design & Creation
UX/UI Design
Brand Identity Design & Development
Unreal Engine Virtual Studio Set Design & Build
Brainstorm InfinitySet Control Setup

Our projects have won Webbys, Daveys, W3s, Platinum AVAs and countless other awards. View more projects on our Works page, or stay and read the rave reviews further down. We’ll convince you one way or another…

Photo: Joseph Linaschke
Photo: Sportograf
Born in Manchester, raised in Cambridge, matured in California, and refined in Bavaria.
An interestingly creative blend of cultures.

ENGLISHMAN

Fe fi fo fum. Despite the mantra of the English to keep calm and carry on, Steve brings a unique energy to everything he does.

ROAM

To say that Steve is a bike rider would be a giant understatement. For 35 years this fella has been riding up mountains, winning races and setting the occasional world record. You definitely want him leading your project team.

CLIMB

Sure, riding up mountains sounds easy — but it takes intense concentration, attention to detail and a lot of experience. And that’s exactly what Energi.design brings to every single project.

LIVE

During the course of his career, Steve has been immersed in unique cultures by not only travelling but also by living. There's something to that: the landscapes, cities, people, languages, cultures and experiences. All shape our lives — and therefore a designer’s integrity.

TRADITION

Steve sketches and storyboards projects by hand. Good things happen when you start with traditional graphic design techniques and apply them to the digital realm.

PRESENTING

“Just picture the audience naked.” Words to live by when you’re travelling the world as a wildly enthusiastic evangelist of Adobe and 3D software, sharing awesome project breakdowns as well as decades of knowledge and experience.

WINNING

Whether it’s the Race Across America or a Webby Award, we like winning just the same. You like winning too, right?

HOME

Ah, sausages, beer and leather shorts… Surprisingly, if you Google “What is Bavaria famous for?” this is the answer.

We call it “Home sweet home.”

THE MUTT’S NUTS

Summarizing Steve, in a nutshell, and just cracking the surface of a self-deprecating digital graphic designer.

The earth is round. True story. So it’s pretty easy to work with clients worldwide, meeting and communicating fluidly across multiple time zones. It’d be harder if we had clients on Mars. Perhaps we do… but we can’t tell you about it. Shhh…

Clients say we show up 20% of the time.
The other 80%, we wear invisible capes.
90% of customers read reviews before hiring someone.
The other 10% just like the cut of our jib and trust us.
Client reviews are awesome.
We feel warm and fuzzy inside when we read them. #gratitude
“Steve’s acumen for design in both motion and web is second to none. He elevates every project we collaborate on in a style that is uniquely his own. Steve is true gentleman and master of his craft, and these traits shine through in every project he touches.”
Todd Perkins
Founder & Creative Director
Hawaii Video Memories, Maui, USA
“Steve Holmes ist unser Firmen-Web-Designer. Wir arbeiten sehr gerne mit Ihm zusammen. Unsere Ware ist kurzlebig und daher muss die Homepage auch schnell geändert werden. Er ist immer greifbar, ändert und designt für uns in kurzer Zeit. Steve Holmes an deiner Seite zu haben, ist eine wahre Bereicherung.”
“Steve is the web designer for our flower wholesale firm, and we really like working with him. Our products have a short shelf-life, so the website always has to be up to date. He is always reachable, and keen to help make edits and design updates at short notice. Having Steve as your designer is an invaluable asset.”
Beate Roelofs
Marketing Manager
Blumen Roelofs, Pfaffenhofen, DE
“Energi.design has been an absolute game changer for us! We’ve done several projects with them going on eight years now, and with each successive project the results just get better and better. The team personifies the definition of professional, and personable, and collaborating with them is seamless. They work relentlessly hand in hand with your team, to deliver stunningly beautiful creative works.”
Jeremy Powell
VP, Marketing
Vectorworks, Columbia, MD, USA
“Steve has the ability to intuitively discern what you are looking for and translate it into outstanding and captivating, cutting-edge designs. The scope of his skills are so comprehensive that you can literally discuss anything—from corporate identity designs of letterheads, business cards, etc, to web design, application UX/UI creation, and even film design with him—and find the results are remarkable on each and every type of project.”
Karina Hesse
Partner
Wavetrack International, München, DE
“Steve ist der Mann. Mit seiner Designarbeit ist unser Laden und das gesamte Geschäft buchstäblich auf das “next level” gegangen. Die Markenidentität, die Website und die Marketingmaterialien sind einfach geil.”
“Steve is the man! Thanks to his creative design work, the bike shop and our whole business has literally gone up to the “next level.” The brand identity, the website and the marketing are just awesome!”
Thomas Maslowski
Owner
Next Level Bikeshop, Pfaffenhofen, DE
“Working with Steve was an absolute pleasure. He is easy to communicate with, gave us multiple design options, and was prompt with changes and adjustments. He created a beautiful website for us, for which we have received many compliments. I highly recommend him.”
Kady Blake
Office Manager
Technical Builders, San Jose, CA, USA
“Wir sollen Dir ein ehrliches Testimonial schreiben? R u crazy? Was passiert wenn andere Leute das lesen und Du dann keine Zeit mehr für uns hast?”
“You want us to write you an honest testimonial? R u crazy? What happens when others read it, and then you have no more time to work with us?”
Daniel Silber
Managing Director
Illusioneer Studio, München, DE
“I have worked with Steve for over 14 years. I love his commitment to our work and to making sure my website looks and functions at its highest level. He has a wonderful eye for design and is a pleasure to work with.”
Claiborne Swanson Frank
Photographer & Author
Greenwich, CT, USA
“We worked with Steve to design a new brand identity, printed collateral and fully-responsive CMS-driven website for our design studio. We are floral artists, and were very particular about our image. Steve was able to take our vague ideas and descriptions, and design a logo which captured the spirit of our artistic work and creative business. The beautiful website and its typographical strength succeeded in taking our business to a new level… we received so many compliments, even from our competitors! The end results were truly amazing, and I would highly recommend him as both an incredible designer and a true gentleman to work with.”
Natasha Lisitsa
Owner & Lead Designer
Waterlily Pond, San Francisco, CA, USA
“Working with Steve for the past several years has been extremely rewarding. He has a very unique ability to take on the plethora of requests that seem almost absurd at the time, and makes them into stunning animations that go beyond our expectations. He has delivered high-quality, extremely professional results time and again. Rather than simply fulfilling requests, Steve takes the time to understand our company’s goals to ensure that we are not only conveying the proper message, but that we are working towards building even greater brand identity.”
Rubina Sidiqqui
Product Marketing Director
Vectorworks, Columbia, MD, USA
“Steve Holmes and Energi.design have been the trusted creative behind our brand development for over 12 years. We have been consistently thrilled with the quality of Steve’s work, but it’s his incredible attention to detail, communication, and service that truly sets Energi.design apart.”
Scott Bruman
Director of Operations
Advantis Global, San Francisco, CA, USA
We’re not just about ideas. We’re about making ideas happen.
and let’s chat.
Contact forms and email are fine and all, but we’re also human. Discussing your project in person over coffee (or tea) makes it much more fun!
Thank you.
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