What Deisgn Can Do for Deep Tech: the Sun Metalon Story
THE CHALLENGE
How might design help a pioneering metal-processing DeepTech startup compete globally from day one?
THE OUTCOME
Since our seed investment in 2021, D4V has partnered with Sun Metalon to provide design support tailored to each stage of the company’s growth. From brand identity and product design to storytelling and communication strategy, D4V and our partners have worked closely with the Sun Metalon team to build a strong foundation for sustainable growth.
About SUN METALON
Sun Metalon is a DeepTech startup developing a proprietary metal heating technology that dramatically reduces CO2 emissions while enabling low-cost, compact, and efficient metal manufacturing and recycling. Their vision is a future where sustainable metal production and circular resource use become the global standard.
D4V began working with Sun Metalon from the seed stage in 2021. From the start, the two companies have explored how design could be strategically integrated into the foundation of a DeepTech company. This case is a practical example of how design can amplify the potential of advanced technology startups.
DeepTech companies create value through innovation, but their success in the market depends on more than just strong technology. When technology is complex, a communication strategy becomes essential. At D4V, design is a bridge between technology and market, especially during a company’s early stage.
Brand Identity: Defining Purpose from the Start
For any startup, building a brand identity in the early stages is essential—it communicates where the company is going and why it matters. In 2021, when the founding team of three engineers led by CEO Kazuhiko Nishioka had just launched the company, D4V began its support by helping define their name, logo, and brand story.
The name "Sun Metalon" combines "metal," the company's core domain, with a futuristic and distinctive tone. The first logo design used a reddish color symbolizing heat and energy, with angular, industrial-inspired typography that reflected precision and power. The team even considered how the logo would appear when etched onto their machines, aligning design decisions with long-term business use.
Note: Sun Metalon refreshed its corporate logo in spring 2025.
Together with the founders, D4V helped clarify the company's mission, vision, and values, creating a narrative about how Sun Metalon would grow and what role it could play in shaping the future of industry—not just through commercialization, but through positive impact on areas like space exploration and sustainability.
This thinking carried through to the first website and pitch deck, which were designed to communicate not just what the company does, but why it matters. These tools helped convey Sun Metalon’s long-term vision to investors, partners, and future team members.
Product Design: Designing Machines That Speak for Themselves
For DeepTech companies, product design must consider much more than aesthetics. It needs to address usability, safety, maintainability, and manufacturability—all while helping convey the value of the underlying technology.
Sun Metalon’s first product was a 3D printer based on their proprietary metal heating process. The key challenge was designing a machine that would be intuitive to operate and resonate with users across international markets.
Working with industrial designers from IDEO, the team focused on two key design goals: Great Interaction and Great Aesthetics.
The process began by mapping the full user journey, identifying key moments of interaction and maintenance. This led to the design of intuitive interfaces that could be operated while wearing gloves, improved access for maintenance, and visual cues that enhanced both safety and usability.
At the same time, the team explored how to visually express the brand through the product’s form and materials. Sun Metalon adopted the concept of "celebrating metal," choosing finishes like zinc plating and anodizing to reveal the raw beauty of metal rather than covering it with paint. The structure—welded frames combined with folded sheet metal—balanced manufacturability with a distinctive, iconic form.
To ensure consistency across future products, the D4V and IDEO designers helped develop a set of Design Principles—guidelines that preserve the company’s identity through all aspects of development.
Learn more about the product design project: “Imagining the Future of Metal 3D Printing”
Storytelling: Shaping Perception and Building Trust
For technology to reach society, people need to understand and believe in it. That’s why storytelling is a vital strategy for DeepTech companies.
In Summer 2024, as Sun Metalon prepared to announce its Series A funding and shift its core business focus to metal recycling, D4V supported the company’s communications strategy in Japan.
This was the first major PR moment for the company: beyond announcing the fundraise, it was a chance to communicate their new direction, align their growing internal team, support hiring, and build relationships with future partners.
Together with the management team, D4V clarified core messages, developed a media strategy, built press materials, and structured the communications calendar. This included expanding media outreach and setting measurable goals for the internal communications function.
The result: Sun Metalon was featured in Nikkei, major industry publications, and other outlets, increasing awareness of the company’s shift to recycling and strengthening its credibility in both Japanese and global markets.
Looking Ahead
From day one, the Sun Metalon team recognized that design is more than just aesthetics—it’s a strategic tool that connects technology to the real world. Their commitment to design has shaped how they communicate, how they build products, and how they grow.
D4V believes Sun Metalon represents a powerful example of how DeepTech companies can use design not just to tell a better story—but to build a better future.
Kazuhiko Nishioka, Sun Metalon CEO
We’re truly grateful to D4V for partnering with us in tackling our design challenges early on. Working with designers was a first for us, but it proved to be an eye-opening experience. Through our collaboration with D4V and IDEO, we came to deeply appreciate just how transformative design can be—not only in making a product more user-friendly, but also in shaping how it is perceived in the market.
The designer’s perspective helped reveal user behaviors and societal responses we had previously overlooked as engineers. It became clear to us that integrating design from the very beginning is not just valuable—it’s essential for building a product that resonates. This partnership fundamentally changed the way we approach product development and communication.