The Polaris Fellowship
2022 / 2023
Design & Direction: Michael O’ Riordan
Design Support: Nick Williams
When two folks at Entrepreneur First reached out one Wednesday and told me that they were launching an entirely new Product named ‘The Polaris Fellowship’ the following week and needed help with branding, I nearly handed in my notice.
Arnaud wanted to start a fellowship for exceptionally gifted people, to support the next generation of world changers. The idea would be to support a peer group forming, people that would encourage and challenge others to do better. The program started in University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, and if successful, would start in other colleges all around the world. The co-ordinators would curate reading lists, invite guest speakers, and give access to EF’s vast network to help nuture a participant and their future. The biggest difference between EF and Polaris was defined as: “Polaris is not an entrepreneurship programme. We are here to help you find your life's work, whatever it turns out to look like.”
Arnaud wanted Polaris to be a north star for people trying to find their purpose in life. Therein lay the key to the brand, which I based on an astrolabe. Arnaud took the idea and ran with it, making a landing page and some merch. I created some Chapter Monograms and a bit of world building to add mystique, intrigue, and exclusivity to the brand.
Branding
Design Direction
World Building
Design Direction
World Building