for PLANETARY HEALTH
Spotlight | Challenge | Solutions | Approach | Background | Projects | Contact
// SPOTLIGHT //
MOVES MONEY
DESIGN
For Katapult Ocean and Builders Vision, a campaign site and investor deck by the Hive Initiative made the case for redirecting family capital into the Blue Economy, turning a complex story into a narrative compelling enough to open cheque books at the UN Ocean Conference.
// THE CHALLENGE //
Planetary problems aren’t
a knowledge gap.
They’re a design gap.
The planet is warming. Biodiversity is destabilising. Communities are overwhelmed. The data exists. The science is clear. What is missing is design that makes that knowledge move - that gets it into the hands, minds, and decisions of the people who can take action.
The Hive Initiative’s design practice sits at that intersection: combining 27 years of strategic digital product design with deep sector experience in ocean science, climate communication, and community solutions.
Strategic design across Silicon Valley and the European sustainability sector
Designed and launched
to address planetary challenges
Global alliances in ocean, climate, and wellbeing economy sectors
Years as Head of Design
at HUB Ocean, building the Ocean Data Platform
// ORIGINAL SOLUTIONS //
Design
for
SYSTEMIC CHANGE
Beyond client work, the Hive Initiative creates solutions: scalable, human-centred systems that organisations and communities can adopt immediately. Two are already live and growing.
// SOLUTION ONE //
The Mini Summits
Sustainability Education
An open-source workshop system and certification program that makes it easy for companies to educate employees on sustainability and implement real solutions.
// SOLUTION TWO //
Clothes Friends
Circular Economy
A hyperlocal platform that matches families to exchange outgrown children's clothing, reducing textile waste while building genuine neighbourhood community.
// WHAT’S NEXT? //
Your challenge here
Open to Proposals
The Hive Initiative is actively seeking organisations with bold mandates and a desire to use design as a genuine strategic tool. If there is a gap between what your org knows and what the world does with it, let’s talk!
// DESIGN SERVICES //
DESIGN STRATEGY
USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN
USER INTERFACES
PROTOTYPING
PRODUCT DESIGN
AI-ASSISTED DEVELOPMENT
GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRAND DEVELOPMENT
WORKSHOP DESIGN
WORKSHOP FACILITATION
COURSE DESIGN
STORYTELLING
COMMUNICATION DESIGN
PRESENTATIONS
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS
VIDEO PRODUCTION
// THE APPROACH //
SCIENTIFIC RIGOUR.
Narrative clarity.
Every engagement combines deep contextual understanding of the science, the sector, and the stakeholders as well an analysis of the final end users. The result is a design that produces real results.
UNDERSTAND
Absorb the scientific, social, and systemic context. Define the root problem.
FRAME
Build the narrative architecture. Define themes, audiences, and a clear point of view on what success means.
DESIGN
From strategy to pixels - visual systems, platforms, campaigns, workshops, and multimedia, made with precision.
DEPLOY
Implementation, stakeholder rollout, and feedback loops. The design isn't finished until it works in the world.
// BACKGROUND //
what matters
In service of
Erin Gallup is a Product Design Director and Creative Strategist with 27 years of experience building products, platforms, and campaigns - from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage startups in Silicon Valley, and more recently at the frontier of the ocean and sustainability economy in Europe.
Her experience includes leading the design of the Ocean Data Platform, orchestrating workshops with UNESCO, producing materials for UN Ocean Conferences as well as countless funding presentations for scientific organisations and the private sector.
In 2019, she founded the Hive Initiative - a sustainability nonprofit whose flagship product, the Mini Summits, is an internationally-used open-source educational workshop system. Most recently, she designed and built Clothes Friends end-to-end: a circular economy platform for community clothing recycling, as a proof-of-concept for hyperlocal sustainability solutions.
She’s based in Oslo, Norway and is available for remote and on-site engagements internationally.
RECENT EXPERIENCE
- Head of Design, HUB Ocean (2021–2024)
- Executive Advisor for Design and Sustainability, NoA Ignite Norway (2018–2021)
- Senior Product Designer, Amazon Music
FOUNDED
- Hive Initiative (nonprofit, 2019–present)
- Hive Initiative AS (consulting, 2023–present)
- Clothes Friends (2026–present)
EXPERTISE
Design strategy · User experience design · User interfaces · Prototyping · Product design · AI-assisted development · Graphic design · Brand development · Workshop design + facilitation · Course design· Storytelling · Communication design · Presentations · Social media campaigns · Video production
PARTNERS + COLLABORATORS
// SELECTED PROJECTS //
for the planet
Where design works
FUNDRAISING PITCH FOR OCEAN KAN : Connecting global minds to advance ocean science // Complete communication + presentation design for Ocean KAN, conveying the network's value to funders and international partners.
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR EARTH4ALL : What is Earth4All? // Long form video and 10 social clips for Earth4All detailing its history and work. Voiceovers, motion graphics, and Linkedin distribution.
PRODUCT DESIGN FOR HUB OCEAN : Design, brand, and deployment of the Ocean Data Platform // Led all design for the platform : UX flows, visual identity, and data exploration tools, alongside design-thinking workshops with UNESCO and the UN Ocean Decade.
MINI SUMMITS PRODUCT DESIGN : Open-source workshop system for corporate sustainability // Full design of the system, implementation framework, facilitator training, and certification programme.
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR EARTH4ALL : Accelerating the Turnarounds at Work // 6-part video series for Earth4All translating structural policy changes into workplace actions. Produced with voiceovers, motion graphics, and multi-platform distribution.
FUNDRAISING PITCH FOR KATAPULT OCEAN + BUILDERS VISION : UN Ocean Conference // Brand, content, and presentation design, including data visualisations and content designed to encourage ocean investment.
CLOTHES FRIENDS PRODUCT DESIGN : Hyper-local circularity service for children's clothing // Full design of the product, brand and AI-assisted implementation.
// GET IN TOUCH //
Let’s work
together
If there is distance between what your organisation knows and what the world does with it, reach out to explore a collaboration.
Erin Gallup
Founder, Leader, Designer
