KO
Kayode Olowu
Born and raised in Somolu, a suburb in Lagos often referred to as Nigeria’s printing HQ, my childhood had a mix of both worlds; you’ll likely find me indoors playing with lego toys or outdoors where I’m either admiring letterpress type cases or lost in thought as I watch paper movement in the Gestetner (201) printing machine. That early obsession with how ideas become physical objects is still the thread running through my work today, only now, it’s expanded from print into multisensory, accessibility-first experiences.
After my university education, where I majored in Microbiology, I found myself back where it all began: a print shop in Somolu, where I interned and eventually started my career as a designer. A couple of years/jobs later, I ended up in Hamburg (Miami Ad School Europe) and straight out of school, I joined Jung von Matt (JvM) as an Art Director. Those years shaped my craft and discipline, but they also sharpened my interest in systems: the repeatable ways design, technology, and production come together to move people.
Over the past 22 years, I have worked with indigenous and global brands across Africa and Europe, leading teams across strategy, design, and marketing communications. Today, I’m building OneWildcard as a venture studio at the intersection of product design, accessibility engineering, and lightweight computational systems. My focus is developing proprietary formats that translate data, culture, and complex ideas into inclusive, multisensory experiences, so stories can be felt, not just seen
In my spare time, I love to teach: design, art direction, and the thinking behind building products and systems that make access and meaning a first-class feature.
I live/love to create solutions that are bold, visually interesting and beneficial to brands’ bottom line. Collaboration? Consultation? Drop me a line.