Naming and branding for a tech startup
We researched and proposed the naming of the Cambridge University-linked tech venture, and also carried out preliminary branding design work. (The company no longer exists)
the brief
Back in 2010, Cantab Nomadic Data were in the process of patenting a technology for splitting and subsequently recovering data, the key strength of which was its resistance to information loss in the split parts. They asked us to develop a name for their new technology, and to work on proposals for logos for both the company and the technology.
what we did
The founders of Cantab Nomadic Data were from Kazakhstan. Research brought a serendipity: The ethnonym “Kazakh” is derived from an ancient Turkic word meaning “independent; a free spirit”, reflecting the Kazakhs’ nomadic culture. (source). This also described the idea of nomadic data.
Qazaq is an alternative transliteration of the Turkic word, and being a palindrome, it’s resistant to information loss if it gets split up. Furthermore, on a QWERTY keyboard it’s typed using the first keys of each line… down and back up again. How elegantly appropriate! And it was available as a .com domain.
We also did branding/design work on logos to convey aspects of the technology and concept.
The company no longer exists.