1 #DesignInTech By The Numbers Design firm acquisitions continue: 42 design firms have been acquired since 2004, ~50% of which have been acquired in the last year alone. Designer co-founded companies exhibit funding success: 36% of top 25 funded startups are co-founded by designers, up from 20% in 2015. Designers in venture capital have increased: More designers entered VC in the last two years than the previous four years combined. 7