Designing an AI Pet Insurance App That Backed a $6M Seed Raise

Product & UX by John-Luke Ward

Completed
May 2026
Category
Product & UX
Location
Christchurch
Role
Digital Designer

About this project

NovaPet set out to introduce pet insurance to the Italian market through an AI-powered app, a category that barely existed there. The challenge wasn't just designing a product, it was helping people understand and trust something completely unfamiliar to them.

I led design across brand, product and user research. I conducted research into how Italian pet owners think about their animals and what would make them feel confident enough to take out insurance for the first time. The findings shaped everything from the visual identity to the product flows.

The result was a minimal brand with a soft palette and refined typography, aimed at younger pet owners and built to earn trust quickly. The designs and research directly supported a $6M investment to move the product into development.

Read the full case study my portfolio:
https://www.jlward.design/my-work/novapet

John-Luke Ward

Digital Designer

Location
Christchurch