Working remotely since 2018
Company
Gridient, Inc
Year
2024–Present
Industry
Energy
Role
Product Designer
Overview
Gridient is a tech startup based in New York that helps homeowners turn their home energy into earnings. With AI-powered automation, homeowners can sell their SRECs (Solar Renewable Energy Certificates) effortlessly and get paid instantly. As a new startup founded in 2022, Gridient aims to disrupt the energy industry.
I’m working with Gridient as a part-time contractor, improving their user experience and visual design. I’ve redesigned their marketing pages and onboarding flow to make them more intuitive and engaging. I’m also revamping their web app, refining the dashboard, and more to enhance usability and streamline the user journey.
“Working with El Nino has been a great experience. He’s not just a talented product designer but also a team player who truly listens, understands user needs, and consistently delivers high-quality designs.”
Matt Holton, Founder of Gridient
Company
Coverfly, LLC
Year
2021–2025
Industry
Entertainment
Role
Product Designer
Overview
Coverfly is a tech company based in Los Angeles that helps screenwriters and industry professionals with tools and resources to grow their careers. It’s known as one of the best in the industry, offering a marketplace for screenwriting competitions, coverage services, and more to connect writers with opportunities.
During my time at Coverfly, I worked with the product and engineering team, creating the design system, redesigning the entire web app, and building new features. I redesigned the dashboard, marketplace, writer’s profile, and more. I also designed brand-new messaging, search, and events features. I played a role in scaling the company from a 20-person team to its $200 million acquisition by Backstage in 2021.
“El Nino is a fantastic product designer. He is just generally a great human being that cares about the product, the people he is designing for, and the team he is working with.”
Dan Porter, Head of Product at Coverfly
Company
Owled, Inc
Year
2023–2024
Industry
Education
Role
Product Designer
Overview
Owled is a tech startup based in Toronto that uses AI to help college students study smarter. With their AI-powered tools, Owled AI, college students can record lectures, write notes, and get personalized study assistance to optimize their learning.
I designed their brand-new design system from the ground up. I also fully redesigned their marketing website, web app, and mobile app to make them more intuitive and user-friendly. One of the exciting features I helped build was the Live Lecture tool, where students can record lectures and instantly generate notes and quizzes with the power of AI. Owled recently raised $5 million in 2024 to further scale their platform.
“El Nino brings a rare mix of creativity, precision, and user-centered thinking to every project. His ability to simplify complex ideas into intuitive designs has made a huge impact for my startup.”
Ben Harrison, Founder of Owled