Studio Neat

Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost started Studio Neat in 2010 with the Glif, an iPhone tripod mount that became one of Kickstarter's earliest breakout successes when the platform was still largely unknown. That first product exceeded its funding goal by more than ten times and established the pair as independent designers willing to tackle whatever problems caught their interest.

Since then they have built a range of products that spans physical accessories and digital tools, including an app for tracking cocktail recipes. The through line is not category but approach: they make straightforward solutions to specific problems, operate without outside funding, and have remained profitable from the start. The company moved from Long Island City to Austin and continues as a two-person design studio.