Six positioning scores, 1 to 10.
See Methodology.
| Dimension | Score | vs.Entire Market | vs. Revenue Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|
AI-first AI appears via AI Disruption Diligence service, AI Integrations, agentic/responsible-ai/co-pilot hot-words, and 2025-26 AI-themed posts/partnerships (HumanCulture.ai); but AI is one pillar among design/product, not the whole pitch (ai_emphasis 45). | 4Emerging | Top 85% | Top 80% |
Consultative partner Strongly consultative: 'design & technology consultancy,' validate-what's-worth-building framing, Product Strategy/Practice, Fractional CXO, exec coaching, 'partner who stays in the problem with you' — outcomes-led not staff-aug. | 8Strong | Top 6% | Top 1% |
Clear differentiator Sharp, plainly stated contrasts: not a consultancy that falls flat on implementation, not a dev shop that churns code, spin up inside PE deals within 48 hours, full assessment in two weeks — specific and differentiated. | 7Strong | Top 26% | Top 28% |
Thought leadership Steady monthly practitioner-led blog with named authors and opinion pieces ('AI Isn't a Tech Problem - It's a Change Management Problem'), but heavy on partnership/client announcements and no flagship reports. | 5Present | Top 48% | Top 46% |
Industry specialization Named sectors with proof: deep private equity focus (Top 3 global PE firm, Disruption Diligence), plus cybersecurity (8+ yrs), construction, fintech, energy — more than generalist but mostly moderate depth. | 6Present | Top 53% | Top 33% |
Technology-forward, owns IP Two owned frameworks — Disruption Diligence (medium, branded methodology) and Better Bets Canvas (low, blog-mention only); named but thinly substantiated, no product pages, platforms, or accelerators. | 4Emerging | Top 72% | Top 70% |
Size
11 to 50 people
Revenue
$10M to $50M(low confidence)
HQ
Kansas City, MO
AI emphasis
Low
Homepage positioning
“A design & technology consultancy building world-class digital experiences and teams.”
Crema is a design and technology consultancy founded in 2009 and based in Kansas City, MO. They help organizations validate what's worth building, design what it should be, and launch it faster than they could alone. They serve organizations facing broken systems, misaligned teams, delivery delays, or disruption risk, combining business consultancy, creative studio, and software agency capabilities.
Selling points
- Deliver the best elements of a business consultancy, creative studio, and software agency
- Help organizations validate what's worth building, design what it should be, and launch faster
- Small, cross-functional groups of product experts
- Specialists in Product Strategy, Product Experience, and Product Practice
- AI Disruption Diligence service for private equity and portfolio companies
- Fractional CXO and Executive Coaching offerings
Named clients
- JE Dunn Construction
- Beazley Security
- Loom Security
- High Aspirations
- Diode
- Top 3 Global Private Equity Firm ($100B+ AUM)
- Leading Energy SaaS Platform
Services and capabilities
Advisory and strategy
Product Strategy
Guides clients to imagine, prioritize, and decide what to build next. Services include Product Discovery, Strategic Workshops, Disruption Diligence, and Fractional CXO.
Product engineering
Product Experience
Designing and building digital products that close the gap between vision and value, from first concept through launch and beyond. Covers AI integrations, platform integrations, development, design systems, and product UX/UI.
Design and experience
Product Experience — Design
Human-centered UX/UI design, design systems, and product experience work. Crema has 8+ years designing and building cybersecurity platforms and works across multiple industries.
Advisory and strategy
Product Practice
Helps product teams fix systemic issues around clarity, accountability, and momentum — not just symptoms. Includes Executive Coaching, Operating Playbooks, and Team Assessments.
AI and ML
AI Integrations & AI Disruption Diligence
Using AI to amplify creativity, accelerate delivery, and expand what's possible. Offers AI readiness assessment, proof-of-concept integrations, AI disruption diligence for PE deals, and roadmapping grounded in product reality.
Industries
Financial services
Deep focusProduct strategy and innovation for private equity — honest reads on products in portfolio and pipeline
Manufacturing
Named focusCustom technology solutions for construction companies to enhance project management and drive operational excellence
Technology
Named focusCybersecurity software development — 8+ years designing and building cybersecurity platforms
Financial services
Named focusFintech software development — digital product design and engineering for finance
Energy and utilities
MentionedAI disruption diligence for energy SaaS platforms
Thought leadership
Crema publishes a steady, practitioner-oriented blog anchored in product consulting, AI disruption due diligence, and client partnership announcements. The program blends thought-leadership articles on leadership and delivery with case-study-style client stories, reflecting a boutique consultancy positioning itself at the intersection of AI strategy and human-centered product design.
Volume
Light
Cadence
~Monthly
Most recent
Jul 31, 2026
- Crema Becomes a HumanCulture.ai MemberArticles · Jul 31, 2026
- A Leading Energy SaaS Platform Partners with Crema for AI Disruption DiligenceCase studies · Jun 25, 2026
- Top 3 Global Private Equity Firm Partners with Crema for AI Disruption Due DiligenceCase studies · Jun 1, 2026
- Crema Is An Official Miro Solution PartnerArticles · Mar 27, 2026
- Crema Teams Up With High Aspirations for a Tech Discovery Mission to Empower Tomorrow's LeadersArticles · Aug 6, 2025
- Why Your Software Investment Is A Capital Strategy (Not Just a Line Item)Articles · Jul 11, 2025
- AI Isn't a Tech Problem - It's a Change Management ProblemArticles · Jun 9, 2025
- Loom Security Partners With Crema to Build Next-Gen Security PlatformCase studies · May 27, 2025
- Why Executive Leadership Doesn't Belong in a RetrospectiveArticles · May 5, 2025
- Diode Partners with Crema for GIS Platform Discovery & DevelopmentCase studies · May 1, 2025
- Agency Scar Tissue: How To Heal From Failed "Digital Transformations"Articles · Apr 4, 2025
- What Your Product Team Isn't Telling You: Insights from Team AssessmentsArticles · Mar 17, 2025
- The Better Bets Canvas for Product LeadersArticles · Apr 2, 2025
Owned IP
Surfaced from what the firm names on its homepage and primary navigation, plus what a quick crawl turns up. Large firms may own more than is shown here.
Disruption Diligence
FrameworkA forthright product and technology assessment of an acquisition target built for deal timelines. Pressure-tests whether a software product represents a defensible moat or is vulnerable to AI disintermediation.
Our assessment: Branded service methodology for PE-focused product/AI diligence; described with some detail but no standalone product page or methodology document linked.
Better Bets Canvas
FrameworkA tool inspired by Annie Duke's Thinking in Bets, helping product leaders tackle everyday challenges effectively.
Our assessment: Named tool mentioned in a blog post; no dedicated product page or methodology detail beyond the article.
ViewHot-words
The buzzword spaces this firm chooses to lean into.
“launch it faster than they could alone”
“churns code without regard for the outcomes that follow”
“AI disruption risk nobody's modeled yet”
“human-centered AI future”
“using AI to amplify creativity, accelerate delivery, and expand what's possible”
Contact surface
Ways we found to reach this firm.
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“We get to sit down, explore cool ideas and help people to see the value in their points of view. Especially in this AI-everywhere world, that human relationship-building is pretty special.”
Made in Austin, Texas