Atote Labs
Marketing and editorial website for Atote Labs, a Nairobi-based startup studio. Covers the studio's identity, its portfolio of ventures, insights and articles, and a contact system. Built with React 19, Vite, Tailwind CSS v4, and a Node.js/Express backend with PostgreSQL.
- Full-Stack
- Marketing
Tech Stack
React 19 R React Router 
Tailwind CSS v4 
Vite 
Express.js 
PostgreSQL 
Prisma Build Highlights
- React 19 frontend with React Router for five-page navigation: Home, About, Ventures, Insights, Contact
- Express.js API backend with PostgreSQL and Prisma ORM for content and inquiry persistence
- ThemeContext for global light and dark mode with system preference detection
Overview
Project overview
Atote Labs is a startup studio based in Nairobi that builds software products from concept to launch. The website serves as the studio's public face — communicating its identity, introducing its portfolio of ventures, publishing insights and editorial content, and handling inbound inquiries. The platform has a React frontend backed by an Express API with PostgreSQL, with a light and dark theme toggle and a professional editorial design aesthetic.
Problem
What it solves
Startup studios need to project institutional credibility while remaining approachable to founders and collaborators. A generic template site would undermine the brand positioning. The website needed to feel like it was built by people who build things — opinionated in design, technically solid, and structured to grow as the studio's venture portfolio expands.
Build
Implementation details
What I worked on
- Lead Engineer
- Designed and built the complete frontend in React 19 with React Router and Tailwind CSS v4
- Built the Express backend with PostgreSQL and Prisma ORM for article and inquiry management
- Implemented light and dark theme toggle with system preference detection
- Structured the Ventures section to scale as new portfolio companies are added
- Deployed the frontend to Cloudflare Pages and the backend to a managed Node.js environment
Technical implementation
- 01
React 19 frontend with React Router for five-page navigation: Home, About, Ventures, Insights, Contact
- 02
Express.js API backend with PostgreSQL and Prisma ORM for content and inquiry persistence
- 03
ThemeContext for global light and dark mode with system preference detection
- 04
Tailwind CSS v4 with custom theme tokens for the studio's brand palette
- 05
VentureCard component system for scalable portfolio showcase
- 06
ArticleDetail page with structured content rendering for editorial insights
Links
Project links
Live Site Preview
https://atote-labs.kristianhans.com
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