About Us
Carbon Project is a strategic, foresight-driven boutique agency dedicated to future-proofing businesses and creating impactful customer experiences. Our approach to design and business is rooted in inductive investigation, curiosity, and empathy, offering services in brand and product strategy, perception development, and visual strategy. With expertise in implementing these strategies across product, transportation, environmental, and communication design, we help bring brands and ideas to life with purpose and innovation.
Our Approach
We partner with our clients at every growth stage—whether launching a new idea, overcoming moments of stagnation, pursuing new growth opportunities, or setting a visionary “north star” for the future. Our process begins with listening and observing, using thoughtful inquiry to uncover hidden insights that become the foundation of innovation.
By immersing ourselves in our clients and their customers’ worlds, we reveal unmet needs and identify opportunities others overlook. With diverse backgrounds, cross-industry expertise, and tireless curiosity, we connect the dots, transforming abstract ideas into tangible, strategic solutions that drive meaningful business success.
Our Team
Angelika Schubert-Belle
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CO-FOUNDER
As a brand strategist and design consultant Angelika has helped fortune 50 companies to bring brand communications, products and brand experiences successfully to market.
Angelika is a German native and brings her European experiences to an international client base. She has a passion for design with purpose and likes to create meaningful experiences which change the way people think, feel and act.
She co-founded Carbon Project Inc. in 2001, a strategic and experience based design agency in Southern California offering a holistic approach to design and business with emotional connections reaching all consumer touch points from micro to macro.
Before starting Carbon Project she was a Brand Strategist for the Brand Imaging Group of Ford Motor Company in Irvine, California. While at Ford she was responsible for building verbal and visual brand alignment for the Ford Motor Company portfolio of brands with respect to image consistency and brand differentiation. She was in charge of projects, such as designing five branded corporate airplanes, the visual alignment and design of corporate dealerships and tradeshows as well as developing verbal and visual brand and design guidelines for Aston Martin, Jaguar, Volvo, Lincoln, Landrover, Ford, Mazda and Mercury.
Prior to working for Ford Motor Company, Angelika worked as a lead footwear designer for the women’s category at Nike in Beaverton, Oregon where she assisted the company to strengthen the public image of the current Nike women’s business. Some of her footwear products have won public recognition as receiving the Walking Magazine’s ‘Product of the Year’ Award.
Angelika also worked for several years prior as a product designer at Ziba Design in Portland Oregon, an internationally renown design consultancy. She was closely involved with the product research process and has designed award winning products for clients, such as Black & Decker, Microtek, Wacom Technologies, Rival, Whirlpool, Proctor & Gamble, Gerry Baby Products and Hyundai Cellular Phones.
She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with Honors from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. She has received over 12 international design excellence awards from competitions, such as IDSA, IF Awards and Design Innovations and is a holder of 12 international design patents. Her product design work has been exhibited at the Design Museum Westfalen in Germany. Angelika also has taught Visual Brand Strategy Classes at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. She is currently on the Design Council at Laguna College of Art and Design. She has lived in the US since 1993 and is fluent in the English and German language.
M. Todd Belle
CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER
CO-FOUNDER
Martin (Todd) Belle co-founded Carbon Project Inc., a strategic design and innovation agency based in Southern California. Carbon Project partners with leading global brands and visionary start-ups to deliver foresight-driven strategies, empathetic design solutions, and innovative product and service development. With a focus on future-proofing businesses, Todd and his team help organizations anticipate and thrive in rapidly changing markets.
At Carbon Project, foresight and futuring strategies are at the core of every engagement. Todd collaborates with clients to explore multiple possible futures, equipping them with the insights and tools needed to navigate uncertainty and build resilience. This forward-thinking approach is complemented by a deep commitment to designing with empathy, ensuring that every solution resonates meaningfully with users and creates lasting impact.
For over 25 years, Todd has combined his expertise as an Industrial Designer with a passion for innovation and strategic thinking. His work has driven business growth, shaped compelling brand narratives, and elevated customer experiences for iconic brands like Nike, The Walt Disney Company, Ford Motor Company, Google, and Johnson & Johnson Medical Device Companies. As an advisor and mentor, he leverages his extensive knowledge to guide start-ups and established companies alike, fostering new opportunities through design and innovation.
Todd’s approach emphasizes big-picture thinking while paying attention to the smallest details. He excels at developing brand strategies that connect with audiences, designing user experiences that inspire, and creating new products and services that redefine industry standards. His advisory roles extend to guiding leadership teams in understanding the intersection of design, technology, and business, helping them make informed, future-oriented decisions.
Beyond his leadership at Carbon Project, Todd has held high-impact roles, including serving as the Global Director of Brand Image for Global Creative and Fashion & Home at The Walt Disney Company. He has also been part of innovative teams at Ford Motor Company and Nike, where he led the design of groundbreaking experiences and product innovations. His cross-industry expertise and collaborative spirit continue to shape how brands engage with their audiences and prepare for what’s next.
A graduate of the Industrial Design program at ArtCenter College of Design, Todd has returned to his alma mater as an Adjunct Professor, mentoring the next generation of designers. His teaching experience extends internationally, having served as a visiting Professor at INSEAD Business School in Singapore, where he co-developed a curriculum that blended design and business strategy. Todd’s commitment to advisory roles and mentoring remains a vital part of his work, inspiring innovation and fostering growth in individuals and organizations.