About NOVUS

We Build the
Unprecedented

NOVUS was founded on a simple conviction: the best new ideas deserve world-class execution. We’re a team of designers, engineers, and strategists who believe that innovation is a craft.

Our Story

Born From a
Whiteboard Session

NOVUS started in 2019 in a small studio in Brooklyn. Three friends — a designer, an engineer, and a strategist — realized they kept seeing brilliant ideas die on napkins, lost between inspiration and execution.

They asked a simple question: what if there were a place where the best new ideas could get the same level of craft, capital, and commitment as the biggest company initiatives? That question became NOVUS.

Today, we’re a team of 40+ across New York, London, and Singapore. We’ve launched 47 products, raised over $250M for our partners, and built tools used by millions. But the mission hasn’t changed: find the best new ideas and help them change the world.

2019
“The best ideas don’t belong to companies.
They belong to the bold.”
Our Values

What Guides Us

The principles that shape every idea we touch and every relationship we build.

♥

Fall in Love With the Problem

We resist the urge to jump to solutions. The more we understand the problem, the more surprising and elegant the answer becomes.

⚖

Craft Over Speed

We move fast, but never at the expense of quality. Every detail — from the typography to the API design — deserves care.

★

Boldness as Default

Safe ideas don’t change anything. We push our partners — and ourselves — to aim for what seems impossible.

Leadership

The People Behind
the Ideas

A glimpse at the team that turns your best new idea into reality.

MK

Maya Kostas

Founder & CEO

Former design lead at Apple and IDEO. Maya brings two decades of experience crafting products that define categories.

JR

James Reiner

Chief Technology Officer

Previously CTO of two YC-backed startups. James architects systems that scale from prototype to millions of users.

LN

Leila Nakamura

Head of Strategy

McKinsey alum who traded consulting for creation. Leila shapes market narratives and go-to-market playbooks.

DC

David Chen

Creative Director

Award-winning designer whose work has been featured in Communication Arts, AIGA, and The Webby Awards.

Our Journey

Key Milestones

How we grew from a Brooklyn studio into a global innovation practice.

2019

NOVUS Founded

Three founders open a studio in Brooklyn with a mission to give great ideas the execution they deserve.

2020

First Major Launch

Solara, an AI dermatology platform, launches and becomes the fastest-growing digital health tool of the year.

2022

London Studio Opens

Expansion into Europe with a new studio in Shoreditch, bringing on 15 new team members across design and engineering.

2024

$250M in Partner Funding

NOVUS-partnered companies collectively raise over $250M in venture funding. The portfolio spans climate, health, and education.

2026

Global Practice

40+ team members across three continents. 47 ideas launched. Millions of users reached. And we’re just getting started.

Get Started

Have an Idea Worth
Building?

We’d love to hear it. Tell us what you’re working on and let’s explore what’s possible.

Start the Conversation → See Our Approach