Empowering Acquisitions Through Digital Presence
Our client, the founder of Ascendium Capital Partners identified an urgent need for a professional online presence to gain negotiation power in upcoming acquisition discussions. The existing website suffered from low visibility on search engines and failed to clearly communicate the company’s offerings, which led to perceptions of untrustworthiness among industry experts.
The request was to develop a streamlined website that enhanced credibility while remaining affordable and easy to maintain. By utilising Framer, we reduced back-and-forth communication or something like that and efficiently delivered a visually appealing site with SEO-optimised content. This redesign not only met the founder's expectations but also positioned Ascendium favourably for acquisition discussions and improved engagement with potential investors.
Client
Ascendium Capital
Services
UX Design
Year
2024
Role
UX Designer
Roles and Responsibilities
Examined the previous Ascendium website to identify key improvement areas
Led user research to align website features with user needs and investor expectations
Strategically built the website on Framer for optimal performance and design
Managed communication with the founder to ensure alignment on goals and feedback
Collaborated with the copywriter to ensure cohesive messaging and content structure
The Problem
Limited visibility and unclear messaging undermined Ascendium's credibility as a venture capital firm.
The previous website struggled to effectively represent Ascendium’s value to its target audience, which includes finance professionals and industry experts in investment, venture capital, and startups.
The website was difficult to find on search engines, limiting its reach to potential investors and partners within the finance and venture capital sectors.
The website did not clearly communicate Ascendium’s services or value proposition, causing confusion among industry professionals and creating a perception of untrustworthiness.
By addressing these issues, the redesigned website would enhance visibility, build trust with industry experts, and present Ascendium as a credible, reliable partner for investors and startups alike.
Why This Problem Matters Now
Immediate action is essential as Ascendium faces a potential acquisition opportunity that could reshape its future.
Addressing this problem is critical due to a timely opportunity—Ascendium is currently in discussions for a potential acquisition by a larger U.S.-based company.The founder wants to ensure that every aspect of the company, including its website, presents a strong image to gain leverage during negotiations. Successfully positioning the company will open doors to increased funding, larger projects, and resources, as well as the potential to expand into the U.S. market.
Define Success
Success means users quickly grasp what Ascendium does and find a professional website in search results.
The success of the Ascendium website redesign hinged on two main goals:
We prioritised simple, direct messaging so users, especially financial professionals, could quickly understand what Ascendium does, building trust and encouraging engagement.
We optimised the site to rank on the first page of search results for “Ascendium,” ensuring easy access to essential information for users.
Things We Need to Improve
The client received negative feedback on an unclear value proposition and lack of credibility.
While redesigning the Ascendium website, we identified several key issues with the old version:
Ascendium is a specialist corporate advisory and investment firm, focusing on property development, finance, resource transactions, agriculture, and technology. However, the old website failed to convey this. Users only understood that the company dealt with investments, missing the full range of its expertise and services.
The old website lacked credibility. It was missing trust-building elements like a favicon, was hard to find on search engines without the exact URL, and didn’t provide information about the team or founder. This led to feedback questioning the business's legitimacy, which was a significant concern for the client.
Additional Challenges
Balancing budget constraints and understanding the users is also a challenge.
To create a truly impactful platform for investors, we must also address the realities faced by startups. After all, if our solution resonates with investors but fails to meet the needs of startups, we risk low engagement and adoption.
The company is currently on a limited budget and is hesitant to spend much on building a website. Despite this, the founder seeks a fancy online presence with animated features. The website primarily requires an effective information architecture and a simple contact form, so custom coding is not necessary, leading us to explore alternative solutions that align with both budgetary constraints and the desired aesthetic.
The primary users are financial and industry experts who typically discover Ascendium through networking and then research online. Since venture capital and investment information is often not publicly accessible, we need to design the website to meet their specific needs, ensuring that users can easily access relevant information and feel confident in the company's credibility.
What We Needed to Deliver
Establish a Professional Online Presence to Build Trust with Investors.
Ascendium requires a website that conveys professionalism and clarity, providing potential investors with a seamless experience. By delivering a compelling narrative about the company's value proposition and clearly articulating its expertise, the website will enhance online visibility and build trust with stakeholders. Without an effective online platform, the company risks losing credibility and missing opportunities to engage key investors. A well-structured website will serve as a vital communication tool, ultimately fostering stronger connections in the investment community and supporting the company’s growth ambitions.
What We Shipped - 1
Adding depth and credibility with an enhanced about page.
To further strengthen credibility, we added an About page that features the founder's bio, highlighting their experience and expertise. This page lists key clients and partners, reinforcing the company's reputation. Additionally, we included key numbers and achievements that underscore Ascendium's impact and success.
What We Shipped - 2
Providing clarity with detailed service descriptions.
We created a dedicated section that provides comprehensive listings for all key services, addressing a significant gap in the old website. This allows users to clearly understand what Ascendium offers, eliminating confusion and encouraging potential clients to reach out for the services they need.
Let's Talk About Impact
The website revamp strengthened Ascendium's credibility and negotiation leverage in acquisition discussions.
The impact of the redesigned website has been significant. The founder is happy with the outcome, as it meets his vision of a fancy yet professional online presence.
The new website enhances Ascendium's credibility, presenting the company as a trustworthy player in the venture capital landscape.
This polished platform positions Ascendium favourably in discussions regarding acquisition, providing the founder with greater negotiation power.
With a strong online presence, Ascendium is now better equipped to engage with potential investors, ultimately paving the way for greater opportunities and growth in the market.
Takeaways
In this project, I learned how to leverage the no-code tool Framer to streamline the design-to-development process. Using Framer minimised back-and-forth communication, allowing for smoother collaboration and ensuring that the final implementation stayed true to the design vision.