After years of figuring it out,

I understood the problems with the design industry

Having been on both sides of the equation – as a designer as well as a hiring manager, I realized that the state of design education in India was broken and that there were huge unsolved gaps.
‍

Self taught designers had amazing work – but were lacking in process, didn't quite understand how team dynamics worked, and would often struggle to communicate their ideas to stakeholders.

Designers from design school had amazing process – but were lacking in the final outcomes, didn't understand how the industry beyond academia worked, would struggle with timelines & working with startups.

Startups don't care about degrees – but want to see equivalent experience: in the form of case studies & portfolios. Most designers struggled with putting themselves out there, making it hard to get noticed.

Companies want to hire freshers with under 1 year of experience – but find it really challenging to filter out real designers from those that just know how to use Photoshop, Adobe XD, Figma or other tools.

The design industry can be unwelcoming for those that don't live in startup hubs or lack connections with the industry. If you want to stand out online, you need to learn how to build relationships online.

Those with a good network grow faster – it can mean higher quality feedback, insider knowledge of how startup teams operate, getting internal referrals or just having other designers to talk to.

after lots of strategizing,

I decided to quit my job and go all in

I had the good fortune of hiring designers, mentoring them and building the design team at Unacademy, an ed-tech startup that's now valued over $3.4 billion.

The products designed by my team and I are used by millions of students and thousands of educators. It has helped Unacademy grow & raise investment from global investors like SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, Facebook, General Atlantic etc.

It was a tough decision, but I had the confidence that we could use the power of design to build transformational learning experiences online. Just before COVID hit, I quit my job and became a full time founder and design mentor.

Our goal? Create a network of 10,000 exceptional designers and help fix the problems with the design industry.

since then, we've been building

The design school
of the Internet

A new kind of internet university – one that is focused on helping you build a network and build a creative foundation that boosts your career.

Online education in 2025

Let's face it, online classes can really suck

Whether it's the poorly conducted Zooms & Hangouts, free courses with no accountability or boring self paced courses online.

Boring classes that put you to sleep

No opportunities to make new friends

Outdated syllabus that isn't relevant anymore

Very few or no industry connections

No help with motivation and accountability

No alumni network to take help from

Info that can easily be found online for free

Hours of content, but no real outcome

No support & help after you graduate

This is what we came up with

Everything you need to succeed as a designer

We applied the design process to design education (quite meta, we know) resulting in a totally unique learning experience.

Weekly LIVE sessions

No one-way monologues, we make it fun and interactive. No matter if you're an introvert or extrovert.

Make real friends

Like minded folks just like you, from diverse backgrounds and cities. We're not kidding, ask any alumni.

Real assignments

Assignments you'll actually enjoy. It's like a crash course in what it's like to work as a designer at a company.

Mentor based learning

Receive personalized feedback from our mentors and develop a long-term working relationship with them.

Get shit done

Our completion rates are one of the highest in the industry, and that's not a coincidence. We've got your back.

Exclusive guest sessions

Imagine a design campus where your favourite designers hang out. That's what we've created for you.

Real design stories

Our mentors share their personal experience & insights that you won't find anywhere else.

Build your portfolio

Every assignment is a potential case study, so that you can confidently apply for roles after.

Lifetime network

Once a cohort member, always a cohort member. Make long term, positive relationships.

MADE FOR YOU

Mentorship and personal feedback

Design courses online often miss out on one of the biggest components of learning: feedback. Don’t get stuck, receive real guidance.

Guidance in making career & design decisions

Mentorship in how to grow as a designer

GAME ON

Fortnightly design challenges

Practice with real problem statements from the industry and from our network of startups. Build your portfolio, find opportunities & get hired.

Feedback, support on all submissions

Continuous learning & upskilling

Expand your network

Meet designers at top companies

Our alumni work at some of the top companies in India and abroad. Learn from their experiences.

Make industry connections & friends

Insights about problem solving, getting hired, career growth and more

The program

What your multiplayer cohort journey will look like

All core sessions are on Wednesdays (7-9PM IST) and Saturdays (4-7PM IST) with few bonus in-person sessions at our new HQ in HSR Layout, Bangalore.
Besides that, we recommend allocating about 10-20 design hours per week to create stand-out work & get the most out of the cohort experience.

Welcome

Your first 7 days

This stage is your orientation: meeting your cohort mates, understanding the history of design & getting your mindset and habits right. Use this time to set your intentions, create your schedule & set up your systems.

Foundation

Month 1

Discover the fundamentals of visual design & Figma & get thrown head-first into your first design project. Receive feedback & iterate. Meet your first set of mentors to prep you for our Simulators – your assignment projects.

Process

Month 2

Beyond fundamentals, it’s now time for frameworks. Understanding the design process, mental models, research, metrics and product. A mix of case studies & one in-depth assignment to apply theory to practice.

UPSKILL

Month 3

Apply the frameworks you've learned to deep product design problems. Learn cross disciplinary skills & how to run a successful design project on time. Expect lots of design brainstorming and feedback sessions.

GRADUATe

Month 4

Conceptualize your final capstone project to apply everything you've learnt. This stage also focusses on personal brand, preparing case studies with your projects so far and how to start finding opportunities – freelance, internships & full time roles.

participate

Cohort once...

Community forever. As alumni, you're now a "designer in residence" and can also return to future cohorts as a mentor. With invitations to social events, meetups, dinners and more – you're now officially a part of 10kdesigners.

Learn from the best

We have an active network of industry and alumni mentors that work at some of the best companies in the world.

Abhinav Chhikara

Founder at 10kdesigners

I got my start in design in 2011 designing iOS apps for freelance projects on oDesk. Since then I've worked with 50+ founders and startups across USA, Europe and India.

I've been a startup founder myself & co-founded a music chat app called Lisn that had its moment of virality with 8k+ users. I'm also the author of the Amazon bestseller Pyjama Profit, a book about building a freelancing career.

Most recently I was an early employee & the Head of Design at Unacademy, an ed-tech startup that's now valued over $2.1B & has raised from global investors like SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, Facebook, General Atlantic etc.
‍
After helping build one of the biggest live learning platforms in the world, I realized I wanted to fix the state of design education – that's when I founded 10kdesigners.

Jayneil Dalal

Founder at Design MBA

I moved from Gujarat to the US in 2012, transitioning from a Linux developer to a UI/UX designer at AT&T where I got promoted to Lead UX Designer and worked for about 5 years solving B2B problems.

I've also been in an active teaching role, as an Instructor at SMU University in Texas and as a Sr Design Instructor at CareerFoundry.

While I was teaching and networking, I realised the gap between business and design that exists in the industry. That led me to start the Design MBA podcast where I've interviewed over 100+ design leaders.

People starting off in their careers don’t understand how the business works and how they can level up on a financial, professional and personal front.

This got me to collect all my experiences and learnings to teach at 10kdesigners.

Browse all our Mentors and Alumni →

design team simulator

Mentorship structure that gives you hands on project & collaboration experience

What's it like working in a design team with a lead designer? Our unique pod structure simulates this – Abhinav as head of design, two assigned mentors to give you feedback & a small design team to jam with.

Abhinav Chhikara

Founder & Design Educator at 10kdesigners. Previously Head of Design at Unacademy in Bangalore, India.

Alumni & Mentor Network

Design experts working in top tech companies with years of design and mentoring experience from diverse industries.

how it works

All core live sessions (Wednesday & Saturday) are conducted personally by Abhinav and team.

You will be added to a Pod with two mentors and ~10 members in the beginning of the cohort. Pods may refresh after every assignment to give you a chance to connect with multiple mentors.

Industry mentors are handpicked with 3+ years of experience and are paid a stipend for their involvement. Exact list of mentors is subject to change with every cohort based on availability.

Pods are like your simulated design team to give you a real-world collaboration experience of working as a designer in an online remote environment.

Check out the Mentorship & Pod Structure FAQ.

Arpita Dhir

Design Lead at ADPList

Ankit Pandole

Head Of Design at Pratilipi

Smit Patel

Product Designer at OneCard

Vaibhav Pant

Product Designer at Smallcase

Rahul Bhosale

Director of Design at PolygonLabs

Yugandhar Bhamare

Lead Product Designer at Procol

Sagar Vijay

Product Designer at Microsoft

Nisheta Gupta

Product Designer at Swiggy

Anish Alok Jena

Product Designer at EY

Rishika Gupta

Product Designer at Vymo

Mayank Khandelwal

Product Designer at CRED

Sahil Pandita

UX Design Lead at Google

Sagar Bhardwaj

Sr. Product Designer at Urban Company

Nitya Gupta

Sr Product Designer at Cars24

Prerita Yadav

Product Designer at Toppr

Siddharth Vij

CEO at Bricx

Shivam Jaiswal

Sr Manager UX Design at Jio Platforms

Rahul Jaiswal

Senior Product Designer at Zepto

Vishant Kumar

Product and Game Designer at Hike

Abheyraj Singh

Product Designer at Meta

Tanvi Rusia

Product Designer at Axis Bank (Freecharge)

Adnan Jaweed

Head of Design at Yalah

Jyotsna Vibhuti

Product Designer at Ola

Paritosh Kumra

Product Designer at Razorpay

Yash Jadhav

Product Designer at Rigi

Vanshika Nagpal

Product Designer at Disney+Hotstar

Vidhunnan Murugan

Product Designer at Big Basket

Prem Pradeep

Design Manager at Ather

Devesh Pawar

Design & Tech at Amazon

Soumya Choubey

Product Designer at Flipkart

Jeevanshu Narang

Sr Product Designer at Blinkit

Program details

If this sounds like something you've been looking for, we'd love to get to know you further and explore if you'd be a good fit!

What you'll GET

Admission into the upcoming cohort with lifetime access to curriculum, ebooks, playlists & session recordings

Personalized mentorship and guidance on building a fulfilling design career

One year complementary subscription to UI Sources Pro (worth ₹7,500)

Exclusive invites to our annual IRL Grad Party, meetups & events in our network

Access to Figma Pro plan for Education and discounted licenses from our Partners

INTERESTED?

We offer this cohort only two times a year and every application is assessed and individually handpicked based on our internal criteria.
‍
Application for Cohort 10 are now closed. You can still submit a late application in next few days if you missed it.

Submit Late Application

Please take some time to answer the questions – we use this to assess whether you'd be a good fit :)

payment options

Upfront: pay via Razorpay or Stripe as an individual or via company to avail invoice for GST benefit after payment.

EMI: available for 3-24mo duration

EMI without credit card: LiquiLoans

Have questions? Learn more about EMI options & partial payments.

pay upfront

₹95,499

+ 18% GST = ₹1.12 L
via Razorpay

Pay via stripe

$1,400

For international payments

pay via emi

₹15,916/mo*

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

*charges & taxes applicable based on bank & card

empowerment over placements

Your path to career growth is more than a placement

Our goal is to ensure you leave the cohort with a sense of confidence in your abilities, equipped with a network of professionals who will help open doors for you throughout your entire career.

Placement friendly with lifetime network

Lifetime access to members-only community.

Private job board with internal referrals from our network.

City-based WhatsApp groups for local connections.

Top hiring choice for startups, companies, agencies, and mentors seeking design talent quarterly.

Freelance & side hustle project friendly

We get it, not everyone wants a full-time job.

Our members have built their personal brands, started their own design agencies, & launched their own projects.

We provide dedicated resources & behind-the-scenes look at how we scaled our own side hustles and ventures.

Get featured on our website with shoutouts on official channels

We believe in the power of personal brand for growth.

Your finished case studies will be featured on our case study directory and alumni directory.

Dedicated 10kdesigners.com/u/yourname profile page.

We help boost your work on social media by reposting.

Top projects featured on our channels to grow your following & help you get inbound leads for freelance and full-time opportunities

Recommendation letters for masters & future opportunities

Need a completion letter for your company? We can help with that, available on request.

Planning to go for a masters abroad? We provide dedicated resources from alumni have used their cohort projects & portfolio to apply to unis in USA, Australia, Europe and more.

Abhinav & Jayneil can write reference letters to include with your applications – just let us know at the earliest so we can keep track of the formalities and are able to write an honest recommendation.

Dedicated resources for portfolio building and interviewing

We provide resources & training to help you craft a profile that stands out and attracts opportunities.

Insider look into how heads of design hire, what mentors look for while hiring & how past cohort members have leveraged the 10k network to grow.

Guest sessions & resources on techniques like cold DMs, content creation, storytelling, portfolios, capstone projects & interviewing pro tips to crack interesting opportunities.

Invites to private meetups & events in Bangalore & other cities

Moving to a new city? Too introverted to make connections? Don’t know how to meet designers? We got you.

Meet someone from 10kdesigners at every design meetup you attend – designers, mentors, even founders.

Our members are super active in the general startup & design social scenes, it’s a great way to make new connections and find teams that are hiring.

Lifetime access to members-only designathons, parties, online live sessions, meetups and guest events

Join our powerful
alumni network

We believe in transformations – both social and professional. Whether it's moving to a new city, or exploring an interesting startup, chances are you'll find a fellow alumni who's been there done that.

Browse alumni at over 400+ companies →

Browse cohort success stories and wins →

Frequently asked questions

If you have any questions about the program that aren't covered here, feel free to reach out to us directly.

support@airtribe.live
team@10kdesigners.com

Airtribe on WhatsApp

Who is this course for?

This course is for those who want to learn UI/UX design to transition into a new career or to build an additional skill. Whether you're a student, engineer, product manager, founder or anyone else.

There are no fixed pre-requisites, however we strongly recommend learning the basics of Figma so you have an advantage in the assignments.

Does everybody that applies get in?

Unfortunately, no. Every cohort has limited seats, so please take some time to fill out your application and answer the questions to your best ability.

Members are hand picked by the team to create an intentional community.

Who are the mentors for this course?

The core instructors are Abhinav Chhikara and Jayneil Dalal. In addition, feedback sessions and guest sessions will be conducted by our mentors.

Besides that, for every project you will be assigned a pod of 7-8 members to simulate how a design team operates. Every Pod will have Alumni Mentors and Industry Mentors to give you guidance and feedback.

How much does the cohort cost overall?

The cohort costs $1,400 for upfront payments paid via Stripe.
For India, the cost is at ₹95,499 + GST. Subject to change.

For Indian users, the amount can be paid upfront or in 3 installments on the first of every month. There are also 3mo, 6mo, 12mo and 24mo EMI options available offered by Razorpay for eligible banks and cards. Check out the EMI FAQs here.

How much time do I need to dedicate every week?

The curriculum has been designed to allow people to participate part-time.

However, you must be able to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours every week to attend the live sessions and work on assignments. We recommend 15-20 hours per week for those that want to go even deeper, work judiciously on assignments, get feedback from mentors & create stand-out work for their portfolio.

When & where are the classes conducted?

All live sessions will be conducted on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7PM IST on Zoom, for a duration of 120 minutes.

Beyond that, we will conduct activities like Q&A, mentor conversations etc which are optional to participate in. These are typically scheduled in evening slots.

Can I do this course at my own pace?

No, the course can’t be done at your own pace. The program has a structured schedule and requires your active participation every week to get the most benefit.

What if I miss a live session?

You are encouraged to attend the sessions LIVE to participate in discussions. However, you will have access to all class recordings.

Will I be guaranteed a job after graduating the course?

Nope. The training and community is designed to help you achieve your goals and make you a better designer. For those that make it through, success is highly likely but not guaranteed.

You will however have lifetime access to the 10kdesigners Network. To receive guidance and confidently apply for internships, freelance and full-time roles.

Can I cancel or apply for a refund?

If you’re not happy with the course, or realize that it's not for you within the first 7 days, you can request a full refund.

Will I get a certificate on completing the course?

Yes, you will have a unique link that you can embed on your LinkedIn profile and a public profile in our Alumni Directory that you can use to get design opportunities.

We're also happy to provide recommendation letters to share with your employer or apply to higher education programs.

What computer specs and software do I need for the course?

You need a Mac or Windows computer capable of running a web browser. Figma will be the primary tool in this course and it works on most computers. Check compatibility here.

Beyond that, we will have a 24x7 Discord classroom to interact with your fellow cohort members and talk to our mentors.

Do I need to know programming?

No, you don’t need to know programming or be a Science or Computer Science graduate to do this course.

Can I apply if I’m a student?

Yes, you can apply even if you’re a school or college student. The program is designed to be beginner friendly.

Your focus with the course will be to learn design, build a portfolio and apply for internships and freelance projects.

Can I defer my enrolment to a future cohort?

if due to some reason you have a personal emergency during the cohort, or are not able to keep up due to life/work/college pressure, you can reach out and we’ll defer your application to the next cohort at no extra cost. We care about getting you the transformational outcome, so if anything gets in the way, we’re on your side.

The timeline to request deferral is upto two months into the cohort start. To request a deferral, email team@10kdesigners.com with the reason.

How do I know if UI/UX design is right for me?

UI/UX design might be the choice for you if you’re interested in the intersection of design, technology and business.

You want to work in the tech industry and want to build products for web and mobile. Check out my free videos on YouTube to learn more.

Your key to a fulfilling UI/UX design career

Our invite-only program is back. Discover the world of Product Design, build a network & find new opportunities.

APPLICATION status

LAST DATE TO APPLY

cohort starts

Cohort Duration

But first, it's Story time

When I started design in 2012...

It took a while but...

I got the opportunity to work with some amazing people

I've worn multiple hats: hustling student, shy intern, global freelancer, team member, author, startup founder, head of design and more...

📍 Manipal, 2013

📍 Mumbai, 2015

📍 Bangalore, 2019

After years of figuring it out,

I understood the problems with the design industry

Having been on both sides of the equation – as a designer as well as a hiring manager, I realized that the state of design education in India was broken and that there were huge unsolved gaps.‍

after lots of strategizing,

I decided to quit my job and go all in

since then, we've been building

The design school of the Internet

A new kind of internet university – one that is focused on helping you build a network and build a creative foundation that boosts your career.

Online education in 2025

Let's face it, online classes can really suck

Whether it's the poorly conducted Zooms & Hangouts, free courses with no accountability or boring self paced courses online.

This is what we came up with

Everything you need to succeed as a designer

We applied the design process to design education (quite meta, we know) resulting in a totally unique learning experience.

who it's for

Creative people looking for their next transformation

We've designed the program to create a vibrant community of people from different walks of life. These are the people you'll meet on "campus"

MADE FOR YOU

Mentorship and personal feedback

Design courses online often miss out on one of the biggest components of learning: feedback. Don’t get stuck, receive real guidance.

GAME ON

Fortnightly design challenges

Practice with real problem statements from the industry and from our network of startups. Build your portfolio, find opportunities & get hired.

Expand your network

Meet designers at top companies

Our alumni work at some of the top companies in India and abroad. Learn from their experiences.

The program

What your multiplayer cohort journey will look like

All core sessions are on Wednesdays (7-9PM IST) and Saturdays (4-7PM IST) with few bonus in-person sessions at our new HQ in HSR Layout, Bangalore. Besides that, we recommend allocating about 10-20 design hours per week to create stand-out work & get the most out of the cohort experience.

Welcome

Foundation

Process

UPSKILL

GRADUATe

participate

Learn from the best

We have an active network of industry and alumni mentors that work at some of the best companies in the world.

Abhinav Chhikara

Jayneil Dalal

design team simulator

Mentorship structure that gives you hands on project & collaboration experience

What's it like working in a design team with a lead designer? Our unique pod structure simulates this – Abhinav as head of design, two assigned mentors to give you feedback & a small design team to jam with.

Abhinav Chhikara

Alumni & Mentor Network

how it works

Arpita Dhir

Ankit Pandole

Smit Patel

Vaibhav Pant

Rahul Bhosale

Yugandhar Bhamare

Sagar Vijay

Nisheta Gupta

Anish Alok Jena

Rishika Gupta

Mayank Khandelwal

Sahil Pandita

Sagar Bhardwaj

Nitya Gupta

Prerita Yadav

Siddharth Vij

Shivam Jaiswal

Rahul Jaiswal

Vishant Kumar

Abheyraj Singh

Tanvi Rusia

Having been on both sides of the equation – as a designer as well as a hiring manager, I realized that the state of design education in India was broken and that there were huge unsolved gaps.
‍

The design school
of the Internet

All core sessions are on Wednesdays (7-9PM IST) and Saturdays (4-7PM IST) with few bonus in-person sessions at our new HQ in HSR Layout, Bangalore.
Besides that, we recommend allocating about 10-20 design hours per week to create stand-out work & get the most out of the cohort experience.

Join our powerful
alumni network

If you have any questions about the program that aren't covered here, feel free to reach out to us directly.

support@airtribe.live
team@10kdesigners.com

Airtribe on WhatsApp