A sampling of projects I’ve worked on across product, brand and industrial design, from AI products at Block to consumer hardware. Each began with a hard problem and a small team willing to sweat the details. Select a project to see the thinking behind it.
Tools and resources from my own practice, packaged up so you can use them in yours.
My working library of 85 motion design techniques, recreated from brand sites, packaging films and social reels, for UI and UX work that feels alive. Every technique plays live in the browser and comes with a prompt ready to paste into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor, framework-free HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and notes on timing, easing and parameters. New techniques are added as the library grows.
My library of 140 UI micro-interactions: presses, toggles, menus, cursors, loaders, icon morphs and more, including 20 inspired by Apple, Stripe, Linear and Vercel. Every interaction plays live, can be tried with your own pointer, and comes with a prompt ready to paste into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor, production-ready HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and notes on states and timing. New interactions are added as the library grows.
Ihaven'tbeenthisexcitedtocreatesinceIfirstdiscoveredAdobePhotoshop.WhilemanyarefocusingonAI'srisks,I'mmoreinterestedinitspotentialtodramaticallylowerthecostofturningideasintoreality.
Risk and Reward is a show about the frontier of design, AI, business and technology. Each episode looks at the bets being made at the edges of these fields: what’s working, what isn’t, and what it means for the people building what comes next.
A selection of my 50+ angel investments. I back early-stage founders building at the intersection of design, technology and AI, and try to be useful beyond the check, on product, brand and the craft of making something people love.
Scalable, U.S.-owned isotope separation for medicine, energy and defense
AI-designed proteins for advanced materials and critical minerals
Building the most power-dense nuclear system
Building a small, fast semiconductor fab from scratch
Anonymous idea-sharing and prioritization for teams
Fast, low-cost web-scale search for AI agents and LLMs
Automated trading strategies for retail investors
Global payroll, hiring and HR for teams in 150+ countries
AI-powered game development studio
AI-powered machine learning platform
Neocloud pairing GPUs with purpose-built AI inference silicon
Mobile mesh networking for off-grid communication
AI perception hardware for autonomy, robotics and industry
Uber for long-distance, city-to-city ridesharing
FDA-cleared full-body EMS training suit and app
Bloomberg-caliber financial data at a fraction of the cost
AI wearable that records and transcribes conversations
Autonomous identity and access management for IT teams
AI-guided robotic sheet metal forming for aerospace and defense
Open-source data pipeline orchestration tool
Non-invasive wearable brain-computer interface
Non-viral gene therapy for longevity and anti-aging
Photonic AI chips for faster, energy-efficient inference
Cloud streaming platform for games and interactive media
AI-powered accounts payable automation and fraud detection
Physical AI for manufacturing, starting with intelligent welding
Grid-scale sodium-ion energy storage
Autonomous underground delivery via high-speed robot pipelines
High-energy-density superconductor materials using quantum chemistry
On-demand veterinary staffing marketplace
Premium location-based VR experiences for groups
Buying signals for revenue teams; now part of Clarify
Nitride semiconductor power amplifiers for 5G, SATCOM and radar
Automated investor relations and portfolio reporting for startups
Custom, eco-friendly lawn care subscription plans
Cross-listing and analytics for resellersThe Ricktionary Podcast: journals on design, technology, philosophy and the state of things. Each entry is written first and then read aloud, so everything below can be read or listened to.
The things I’m into outside of work: the hobbies, obsessions and rabbit holes that have a habit of finding their way back into it.
Startups
Investing
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Film Photography
YouTube
Philosophy
Reading
Backgammon
Vintage Watches
Travel
Documentaries
Chairs
Reselling
Science Fiction
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. © 2026 Ricky Richards
