Discussions of startups continue to be dominated by a business-oriented perspective. Business models, scaling logics, and financing strategies tend to take center stage. Within this framework, storytelling is often treated as a communicative tool that is functional, supplementary, and applied at a later stage.
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From a design perspective, this understanding is insufficient. Narratives cannot be reduced to linguistic constructs or rhetorical devices. They should instead be understood as designed, mediated, and situationally performative systems that play a constitutive role in shaping organizational reality.
This article outlines key considerations derived from my work in design research and teaching. It argues for a shift away from storytelling as a communication discipline toward an understanding of narrative design as a strategic practice.
Narratives as Constitutive Elements of Entrepreneurial Reality
Startups typically operate under conditions of high uncertainty. Resources are limited, structures are unstable, and market positions are not yet clearly defined. In such contexts, narratives fulfill a central function. They structure perception, reduce complexity, and enable alignment with different stakeholder groups. Crucially, narratives do not merely represent existing realities. They actively contribute to their formation. They provide meaning and orientation while simultaneously guiding action. Narratives should therefore not be understood as representations of something, but as operative components of organizational practice.
The Materiality of Narrative
An aspect that remains underexplored in many discussions is the materiality of narrative. In the startup context, stories do not primarily exist as abstract content. They take shape through concrete artifacts and interactions. These include pitch decks and presentation formats, digital interfaces and products, visual identities, and the staging of founders. These artifacts are not neutral carriers of information. They structure what appears relevant, credible, or plausible. Design functions as the medium through which narratives become perceptible and experientially accessible.
A particularly illustrative example is Airbnb. The often-cited idea of “Belong anywhere” does not remain at the level of a communicative claim. It is systematically translated into design. The platform organizes its content not primarily around functional criteria, but around experiential narrative structures. Host profiles, visual imagery, and interface logic frame stays as personal and situated experiences. The narrative of belonging is not only communicated, but becomes tangible within the user experience itself. In this sense, Airbnb exemplifies how narratives can be operationalized through design.
A contrasting case can be observed in Scalable Capital. The company employs strong and attention-grabbing headlines that emphasize simplicity, accessibility, and financial self-determination. At the level of initial communication, this creates a clear and compelling entry point. However, in its further development, a certain inconsistency in narrative articulation becomes apparent. Different layers of communication, for example between website, product logic, and detailed information, do not consistently follow the same narrative structure.
This results in a tension between the articulated promise and the designed experience. While the initial framing emphasizes clarity and reduction, users are subsequently confronted with increasing complexity that is not fully integrated into the original narrative. The outcome is not outright confusion, but a gradual weakening of narrative coherence. In comparison to more consistently designed cases, it becomes evident that narratives are not sustained by strong individual messages alone. Their effectiveness depends on continuity across all touchpoints. Where such continuity is lacking, narrative precision and impact diminish.
Design and Legitimacy
In early-stage ventures, the concept of legitimacy is of particular importance. Startups must continuously demonstrate their credibility and relevance to investors, customers, partners, and potential employees. Design plays a central role in this process. Its effects are often implicit, yet significant. Design signals professionalism and alignment with expectations. It structures information and reduces ambiguity. It contributes to the formation of trust. Legitimacy is therefore not solely the result of factual performance. It emerges to a considerable extent through designed perception.
Multiple Narratives and the Requirement of Coherence
Another key observation concerns the plurality of narratives in the startup context. Organizations address different stakeholder groups through distinct interpretive frames. Investors are approached through narratives of growth and scalability. Users through problem-solving and value propositions. Employees through meaning and cultural orientation. These narratives are not identical, yet they must remain coherent in relation to one another. The challenge lies in enabling differentiation without producing inconsistency. Design assumes a coordinating role by establishing connective structures and recognizable patterns.
Narrative Design as a Field of Research and Practice
Against this backdrop, it appears insufficient to treat narratives solely as an object of communication studies. A design-theoretical perspective offers an important extension. Such an understanding of narrative design includes the analysis of design principles that shape narrative effectiveness, the investigation of relationships between form, content, and reception, and the development of models for the systematic design of organizational narratives. For design research, this opens a field that is both theoretically relevant and practically consequential.
Implications for Design Education
These considerations have direct implications for design education. If narratives are understood as designed and consequential systems, the focus of teaching shifts accordingly. Students should not only be capable of producing visual or interactive artifacts, but also of situating these artifacts within broader narrative structures. Design, in this sense, becomes a form of strategic practice that extends beyond purely aesthetic concerns.
Conclusion
Viewing storytelling in the startup context through a design lens suggests that narratives should not be understood as a secondary layer of communication, but as an integral part of entrepreneurial processes. Narratives do not emerge by chance. They are the result of specific design decisions. In their material, visual, and performative forms, they significantly shape how startups are perceived, what resources they can access, and the extent to which they are considered legitimate. A systematic engagement with narrative design therefore promises not only theoretical insight, but also tangible implications for practice.
