Project Nova
Role
Timeline
Client
Tools
Lead UI Designer
4 - 6 months
Constellation Technologies, Inc.
Figma, Procreate, Maze, Optimal Workshop
Responsive Web Design | Dashboard & Analytics | UX/UI Design Lead | 2025
Designing a comprehensive dashboard and resource hub for Project Nova, a platform aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs
Challenge
Solution
Early-stage founders often struggle with turning ideas into viable businesses due to a lack of structured guidance, hands-on experience, and access to expert mentorship. Many existing platforms provide resources but lack a clear, actionable framework that supports entrepreneurs through each phase of their journey.
The landing page introduces The Nova Project with a clear overview of its mission, guiding students toward the platform and outlining what to expect. It sets the foundation for engagement with a clean visual structure and intuitive navigation.
From there, students enter The Nova Portal—an intuitive and centralized platform designed specifically to meet the needs of early-stage startup founders. Based on insights from user research, the portal offers a structured roadmap that guides students through the process of launching their venture, while integrating mentorship at every step. Mentor-assigned tasks, scheduled meetings, and collaborative tools are embedded throughout the experience, helping students stay accountable and supported. The design focuses on making complex processes feel manageable, ensuring that young entrepreneurs feel confident and capable as they move from idea to execution.
View prototype
90% of startups eventually fail - How can we empower early-stage founders with an intuitive, mentorship-driven platform that increases startup success rates?
I kicked-off this project by doing some white paper research and user / stakeholder interviews. I was given a 6 month timeline to carry out research, build insights, design, and deliver.
White paper research
We reviewed trends in edtech, youth entrepreneurship programs, and self-paced learning environments to better understand the expectations and motivations of our audience. We found that:
Gen Z learners expect intuitive, modern interfaces and are quick to disengage with clunky tools.
Many youth-focused startup programs lean heavily on in-person support, leaving room for asynchronous, digital-first approaches like Nova’s.
High schoolers often explore entrepreneurship through passion projects, so flexibility and autonomy are key.
Our goal was to create a digital experience that reflects the Nova Project’s mission: to inspire, inform, and activate young entrepreneurs. The portal needed to clearly communicate the program’s value, while guiding users to explore resources, join the community, and take action.
Gotham
While the landing page was primarily a UI-driven deliverable, the UX research and usability testing played a much greater role in shaping the Project Nova portal. That’s where the bulk of our user insights and feedback loops were applied.
To gain a deeper understanding of the challenges young entrepreneurs face, I conducted workshops with stakeholders and in-depth interviews with high school students aspiring to start their own businesses. These sessions provided valuable insights into their needs, expectations, and pain points, allowing us to shape The Nova Portal into a truly user-centered platform.
In addition to primary research, I conducted a competitive analysis of existing entrepreneurship platforms targeted at young people. This secondary research revealed gaps in the market—many platforms focus on adult entrepreneurs and fail to provide the simplified, age-appropriate resources needed for high school students. This informed our design decisions, ensuring that the Nova Portal offers both structured learning and mentorship that is specifically tailored for aspiring young founders.
During the research process, we identified that young founders need a balance of structure and flexibility, with a clear path forward that doesn't overwhelm them. The portal must reduce organizational friction, offer visual indicators of progress to maintain motivation, and provide easy access to community support to help users overcome roadblocks.
Insights
Young founders want structure, but not hand-holding.
They need a clear path forward, with the flexibility to move at their own pace.
Visibility into progress is motivating.
Visual indicators of task completion or startup milestones can help students feel momentum and stay engaged.
Organization is a major barrier.
Community access is expected.
Students often struggle to juggle school, startup responsibilities, and life — the portal needed to reduce friction, not add to it.
Even self-paced founders crave peer support and quick access to mentors when they hit roadblocks.
With the groundwork laid, I shifted focus to designing the actual portal experience.
From this point, I knew that I had to create a user-centric, streamlined solution with features that prioritize structure, access to resources, and meaningful connection while seamlessly integrating mentorship across key features throughout the platform. The design purposefully incorporates opportunities for students to engage with mentors at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey.
The Nova Portal
Designing for The Nova Project was as much about collaboration and adaptability as it was about creating intuitive, student-focused experiences. Working in an agile environment allowed me to iterate quickly, gather feedback early, and make meaningful refinements throughout each phase of the project. From defining user flows to building out detailed wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes, the process was deeply rooted in user needs and responsive to stakeholder input.
Establishing a flexible design system was key—it ensured visual consistency while leaving room for the platform to evolve. Whether developing components for the dashboard or planning interaction patterns across modules, every decision was guided by clarity, usability, and intention.
Conclusion