Creativity is at the center.
Creativity isn't a gift, it's a process. And it's fortified by three core pillars that keep my work interesting, surprising, and authentic.
I make brands impossible to ignore.
I run Startle Labs, a boutique branding studio in Tel Aviv, helping founders and teams build identities that feel as good as they look — and land as hard as they should.
In clients’ wordsCreative, resourceful, dependable · Visionary, reliable, results-driven · Professional, responsive, adaptable · Talented, professional & kind
I've led Startle Labs since 2016, helping startups and organizations bring their stories to life through branding, messaging, product development, and design. The work has spanned moonshot startups reimagining medicine and finance, and established corporations like Google and PepsiCo.
I'm also the co-founder of Xsite.com, a platform that enables museums, cultural sites, and outdoor attractions to create memorable visitor experiences and meaningful self-guided tours.
Alongside my client work, I maintain an active art practice spanning photography, video, drawing, painting, and digital media. My work has been exhibited in Israel, the United States, and Europe. I'm currently developing a series of children's books for adults (and their kids).
I co-founded the Israel Diversity Standard and am a founding board member of LGBTWork (formerly LGBTech), advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion across the Israeli workforce. I also serve on the board of Recustom, a platform for DIY Jewish ritual, culture, and expression.
Previously, I served as Head of Creative at Contigo Capital, founding CEO of 52Frames, VP of Product at AbesMarket.com, and Director of Communications at PresenTense. I graduated from Harvard with high honors in visual arts and Jewish thought, earning several awards for my filmmaking work. A New York native, I moved to Israel in 2007 and live in Tel Aviv.
Select clients
Kind words from the people I build for.
“I truly enjoyed every step of working with Shai. He is a true expert, and his guidance throughout the entire process was a game changer for my project. He was extremely professional, with a remarkable ability to quickly understand our requirements and identify effective solutions.”
Brand Strategy“Absolutely amazing experience naming my startup with Shai!! He exceeded my expectations in every way. Shai took the time to learn about my brand and invested himself deeply into the project as if he were a business partner. I am confident that I now have the perfect name for my business!”
Brand Strategy“Shai turned around an excellent institutional-level deck for our firm in 2 days. I would certainly recommend him to anyone that needs this type of work. Most importantly though is that he delivered what he said he would do and more. Very reliable, very professional, great quality of work.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Shai is one of the best people I've worked with. He is super professional, his work is meticulous and his copy is just killer! I've worked with him on multiple occasions and he has always delivered right on time and right on point. Highly recommended!”
Websites & Digital Design“Shai was a real pleasure to work with. He understood our product and brand right away and managed to put all our thoughts into perfect names, titles and descriptions, all SEO optimised! Shai's creativity and way of thinking is truly unique and I can't wait to collaborate with him on more projects as we continue to grow our product.”
Brand Strategy“Shai did a fantastic job and put a lot of effort in understanding the industry and the message I wanted to convey. From branding, to copywriting and designing the website I was absolutely satisfied with the result.”
Websites & Digital Design“I truly enjoyed every step of working with Shai. He is a true expert, and his guidance throughout the entire process was a game changer for my project. He was extremely professional, with a remarkable ability to quickly understand our requirements and identify effective solutions.”
Brand Strategy“Shai is one of the best people I've worked with. He is super professional, his work is meticulous and his copy is just killer! I've worked with him on multiple occasions and he has always delivered right on time and right on point. Highly recommended!”
Websites & Digital Design“Shai did an excellent job preparing our investor pitch deck. He met — and even exceeded — our expectations in all areas, showing strong cooperation, clear communication, and a solid understanding of the business. Highly recommended.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“We are in love with the ideas. 100% professional and great variations of ideas.”
Brand Strategy“Punctual, professional, good suggestions.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“A true professional, quick and responsive. Always a pleasure to work with!”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Wow! I'm super impressed. The result was beyond my expectation. Too bad that Shai doesn't speak my native language, as I would like to hire him for assignments in Sweden as well. Great work!”
Brand Strategy“I was presenting to an audience of 900+. Needed very specific things done. Shai was very impressive and on-time. He's expensive but worth it.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Startle Labs does such great work for us. He gets the product, has a quick turnover and his work is just great! We continue to work with him on a monthly basis.”
Brand Strategy“This was the third time I worked with him, and his work has been always very professional. I am very satisfied.”
Brand Strategy“Awesome work, done by an awesome person — absolutely recommended!”
Brand Strategy“Thank you so much, Shai, for delivering incredible work! It's tough to decide which one to use because all of them are great taglines.”
Brand Strategy“Very professional, receptive to suggestions, prompt in delivery timeline. Overall a great experience.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“It was truly an outstanding experience! He delivered the most awesome names which I will use for my product. Great job! Just awesome!”
Brand Strategy“I truly enjoyed every step of working with Shai. He is a true expert, and his guidance throughout the entire process was a game changer for my project. He was extremely professional, with a remarkable ability to quickly understand our requirements and identify effective solutions.”
Brand Strategy“Shai is one of the best people I've worked with. He is super professional, his work is meticulous and his copy is just killer! I've worked with him on multiple occasions and he has always delivered right on time and right on point. Highly recommended!”
Websites & Digital Design“Shai did an excellent job preparing our investor pitch deck. He met — and even exceeded — our expectations in all areas, showing strong cooperation, clear communication, and a solid understanding of the business. Highly recommended.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“We are in love with the ideas. 100% professional and great variations of ideas.”
Brand Strategy“Punctual, professional, good suggestions.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“A true professional, quick and responsive. Always a pleasure to work with!”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Wow! I'm super impressed. The result was beyond my expectation. Too bad that Shai doesn't speak my native language, as I would like to hire him for assignments in Sweden as well. Great work!”
Brand Strategy“I was presenting to an audience of 900+. Needed very specific things done. Shai was very impressive and on-time. He's expensive but worth it.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Startle Labs does such great work for us. He gets the product, has a quick turnover and his work is just great! We continue to work with him on a monthly basis.”
Brand Strategy“This was the third time I worked with him, and his work has been always very professional. I am very satisfied.”
Brand Strategy“Awesome work, done by an awesome person — absolutely recommended!”
Brand Strategy“Thank you so much, Shai, for delivering incredible work! It's tough to decide which one to use because all of them are great taglines.”
Brand Strategy“Very professional, receptive to suggestions, prompt in delivery timeline. Overall a great experience.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“It was truly an outstanding experience! He delivered the most awesome names which I will use for my product. Great job! Just awesome!”
Brand Strategy“Absolutely amazing experience naming my startup with Shai!! He exceeded my expectations in every way. Shai took the time to learn about my brand and invested himself deeply into the project as if he were a business partner. I am confident that I now have the perfect name for my business!”
Brand Strategy“Shai was a real pleasure to work with. He understood our product and brand right away and managed to put all our thoughts into perfect names, titles and descriptions, all SEO optimised! Shai's creativity and way of thinking is truly unique and I can't wait to collaborate with him on more projects as we continue to grow our product.”
Brand Strategy“Shai absolutely exceeded my expectations with exceptional attention to detail and persuasive deliverables. His proactive communication and deep understanding of what I needed made working together a pleasure. I should have hired him a year ago and saved myself much headache!”
Brand Strategy“Great work, outstanding services, fantastic content, and excellent communication. I will be using Startle Labs for all future sales pitch decks. I would highly recommend that you utilize his services for any upcoming projects. I was blown away by the customer service.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Shai was very responsive and it is clear that he knows what he is doing. Delivery was on time and above and beyond what I expected. Will use him again for other branding needs.”
Brand Strategy“Shai came up with some well thought out business names. I loved the breakdown for each one — what they meant and why he had picked them. Excellent communication too. Thanks.”
Brand Strategy“I was hesitant parting so much money for somebody to 'just' come up with some names… My fear was clearly unfounded. Shai is a true professional with great communication. I was blown away by the selection of names he brought to me and the depth that had gone behind them. Highly recommend.”
Brand Strategy“We were looking for a new name for our business. Shai has been very diligent and friendly in his communication. He delivered suggestions within the specified time frame and with very good quality, giving a detailed reasoning for each suggestion. I can absolutely recommend his service.”
Brand Strategy“I was trying to create a very complex, multi-part presentation and Shai was able to make it come to life beautifully. I cannot recommend him more. He was patient with me and offered plenty of useful suggestions. I will definitely return for more services.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Great working with Shai.”
Websites & Digital Design“This is awesome! Shai does not just throw names — everything has real meaning. You get what you pay for. This is not cheap, but if you're building a real brand you gotta do it.”
Brand Strategy“What a fantastic experience! Great communication, great service and attention to detail excellent. Will definitely be using again. Many thanks.”
Brand Strategy“Naming is a very important part of any business startup. For me as a creative business owner that was really hard to delegate. The professionalism of that viewer (and creator) is crucial.”
Brand Strategy“Absolutely amazing experience naming my startup with Shai!! He exceeded my expectations in every way. Shai took the time to learn about my brand and invested himself deeply into the project as if he were a business partner. I am confident that I now have the perfect name for my business!”
Brand Strategy“Shai was a real pleasure to work with. He understood our product and brand right away and managed to put all our thoughts into perfect names, titles and descriptions, all SEO optimised! Shai's creativity and way of thinking is truly unique and I can't wait to collaborate with him on more projects as we continue to grow our product.”
Brand Strategy“Shai absolutely exceeded my expectations with exceptional attention to detail and persuasive deliverables. His proactive communication and deep understanding of what I needed made working together a pleasure. I should have hired him a year ago and saved myself much headache!”
Brand Strategy“Great work, outstanding services, fantastic content, and excellent communication. I will be using Startle Labs for all future sales pitch decks. I would highly recommend that you utilize his services for any upcoming projects. I was blown away by the customer service.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Shai was very responsive and it is clear that he knows what he is doing. Delivery was on time and above and beyond what I expected. Will use him again for other branding needs.”
Brand Strategy“Shai came up with some well thought out business names. I loved the breakdown for each one — what they meant and why he had picked them. Excellent communication too. Thanks.”
Brand Strategy“I was hesitant parting so much money for somebody to 'just' come up with some names… My fear was clearly unfounded. Shai is a true professional with great communication. I was blown away by the selection of names he brought to me and the depth that had gone behind them. Highly recommend.”
Brand Strategy“We were looking for a new name for our business. Shai has been very diligent and friendly in his communication. He delivered suggestions within the specified time frame and with very good quality, giving a detailed reasoning for each suggestion. I can absolutely recommend his service.”
Brand Strategy“I was trying to create a very complex, multi-part presentation and Shai was able to make it come to life beautifully. I cannot recommend him more. He was patient with me and offered plenty of useful suggestions. I will definitely return for more services.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Great working with Shai.”
Websites & Digital Design“This is awesome! Shai does not just throw names — everything has real meaning. You get what you pay for. This is not cheap, but if you're building a real brand you gotta do it.”
Brand Strategy“What a fantastic experience! Great communication, great service and attention to detail excellent. Will definitely be using again. Many thanks.”
Brand Strategy“Naming is a very important part of any business startup. For me as a creative business owner that was really hard to delegate. The professionalism of that viewer (and creator) is crucial.”
Brand Strategy“Shai turned around an excellent institutional-level deck for our firm in 2 days. I would certainly recommend him to anyone that needs this type of work. Most importantly though is that he delivered what he said he would do and more. Very reliable, very professional, great quality of work.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Shai did a fantastic job and put a lot of effort in understanding the industry and the message I wanted to convey. From branding, to copywriting and designing the website I was absolutely satisfied with the result.”
Websites & Digital Design“I have the highest respect for Shai and his ability to name businesses or products. Shai put in the effort to understand my brand which was key to getting the correct name. The names he came up with were all excellent and captured the essence of our brand. Shai also took the extra time to follow up.”
Brand Strategy“Top notch work that went above and beyond. Unique brand names and domains with thoughtful explanations. Thank you!”
Brand Strategy“I'm beyond impressed and satisfied with the work Startle Labs did to help us craft a mission statement. Not only did I receive several options but a very thoughtful (and educational!) analysis attached to each of the options. If you are looking for the perfect tagline for your business — this is the place.”
Brand Strategy“Amazing work! Powerful copy, and exactly how I envisioned our About Us page — thank you!”
Websites & Digital Design“Shai was exceptional. He was responsive, engaged, and most importantly delivered a product that exceeded expectations! I would highly recommend his services.”
Brand Strategy“This is truly a service that stands out from the rest. I have worked with 5 other brand naming professionals and Startle Labs went above and beyond everyone. If you want your work done professionally with deep thoughts and considerations, go with Startle Labs.”
Brand Strategy“I don't tend to be overly euphoric but Shai is simply the best freelancer I've worked with! He takes his time to get to know the business idea and the person behind it. Then he starts the creative process and a couple days later you get a list with brilliant naming ideas together with detailed comments.”
Brand Strategy“He's definitely a pro. Not only that I got a bunch of pretty good naming suggestions for my business, I've also learned a lot. The questions he asked made me think even more about my business. He's got a lot of experience and is absolutely worth the money.”
Brand Strategy“Shai is the most talented PowerPoint slide presentation preparer I have ever worked with, and I have given a lot of presentations. He was prompt, concise, artistic and easy to work with. I recommend Shai wholeheartedly.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“I didn't expect to be moved by Shai's work, but I was. His selections were thoughtful and nuanced, and the notes he provided beautifully summarized the thought process behind each one. He greatly exceeded my expectations, and from his ideas, I've found the name of my business.”
Brand Strategy“Earlier I tried quite a few tagline and slogan writers and I was very disappointed. Somehow, I came across Startle Labs, and I thought why not give it a final try. Glad I did. His service stands out from the rest. His work is exceptional!”
Brand Strategy“Shai turned around an excellent institutional-level deck for our firm in 2 days. I would certainly recommend him to anyone that needs this type of work. Most importantly though is that he delivered what he said he would do and more. Very reliable, very professional, great quality of work.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“Shai did a fantastic job and put a lot of effort in understanding the industry and the message I wanted to convey. From branding, to copywriting and designing the website I was absolutely satisfied with the result.”
Websites & Digital Design“I have the highest respect for Shai and his ability to name businesses or products. Shai put in the effort to understand my brand which was key to getting the correct name. The names he came up with were all excellent and captured the essence of our brand. Shai also took the extra time to follow up.”
Brand Strategy“Top notch work that went above and beyond. Unique brand names and domains with thoughtful explanations. Thank you!”
Brand Strategy“I'm beyond impressed and satisfied with the work Startle Labs did to help us craft a mission statement. Not only did I receive several options but a very thoughtful (and educational!) analysis attached to each of the options. If you are looking for the perfect tagline for your business — this is the place.”
Brand Strategy“Amazing work! Powerful copy, and exactly how I envisioned our About Us page — thank you!”
Websites & Digital Design“Shai was exceptional. He was responsive, engaged, and most importantly delivered a product that exceeded expectations! I would highly recommend his services.”
Brand Strategy“This is truly a service that stands out from the rest. I have worked with 5 other brand naming professionals and Startle Labs went above and beyond everyone. If you want your work done professionally with deep thoughts and considerations, go with Startle Labs.”
Brand Strategy“I don't tend to be overly euphoric but Shai is simply the best freelancer I've worked with! He takes his time to get to know the business idea and the person behind it. Then he starts the creative process and a couple days later you get a list with brilliant naming ideas together with detailed comments.”
Brand Strategy“He's definitely a pro. Not only that I got a bunch of pretty good naming suggestions for my business, I've also learned a lot. The questions he asked made me think even more about my business. He's got a lot of experience and is absolutely worth the money.”
Brand Strategy“Shai is the most talented PowerPoint slide presentation preparer I have ever worked with, and I have given a lot of presentations. He was prompt, concise, artistic and easy to work with. I recommend Shai wholeheartedly.”
Pitch Decks & Presentations“I didn't expect to be moved by Shai's work, but I was. His selections were thoughtful and nuanced, and the notes he provided beautifully summarized the thought process behind each one. He greatly exceeded my expectations, and from his ideas, I've found the name of my business.”
Brand Strategy“Earlier I tried quite a few tagline and slogan writers and I was very disappointed. Somehow, I came across Startle Labs, and I thought why not give it a final try. Glad I did. His service stands out from the rest. His work is exceptional!”
Brand StrategyWork I've shipped
A living archive of the brands I've helped build, rebuild, and sharpen. Browse recent work and filter by industry, service, or year.
Browse the full portfolioOpens in Notion — selected projects, tagged by service.