Guest: Nichole Rouillac, Founder of Level

Host: Chris Whyte, Founder of Kodu

Sign up for Why Design? events: https://teamkodu.com/events

In this episode of Why Design, I sit down with Nichole Rouillac, founder and creative director of Level, a woman-led industrial design studio in San Francisco. Nichole has spent over two decades shaping consumer tech and medtech, playing a key role in designing the first Fitbit and working with brands like Microsoft, Google, and HTC.

We discuss:

✅ The reality of being one of the only women in the room early in her career

✅ Why so many women leave industrial design before reaching senior roles—and what we can do about it

✅ Her work in healthcare and medtech, from disease detection to AI-driven innovation

✅ How being a mom to a neurodivergent child influences her approach to user-centered design

✅ The importance of mentorship and community in fostering diversity in the industry

Nichole’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and purpose-driven design. Whether you're in industrial design, medtech, or hardware startups, this episode is packed with insights on building a career with impact.

Key takeaways:

🔹 The Gender Gap in Industrial Design – Many women leave industrial design before reaching senior roles due to workplace culture, lack of mentorship, and difficulty balancing long hours with personal life.

🔹 Building a Design Studio with Purpose – Nichole founded Level, a woman-led industrial design studio, to challenge industry norms and prioritize meaningful, people-centered design.

🔹 From Fitbit to MedTech – Nichole played a key role in designing the first Fitbit, which helped create the wearables category as we know it today. Her work now focuses on healthcare innovation, from AI-driven disease detection to non-invasive cancer treatment technologies.

🔹 The Power of Mentorship & Community – As a former chair of Women in Design (IDSA), Nichole helped launch a mentorship program to support women navigating industrial design careers. Having a network outside of your workplace is crucial for career growth.

🔹 Designing for Impact, Not Just Aesthetics – Nichole emphasizes the need for designers to think beyond form and function, considering the long-term impact of their work—whether in healthcare, sustainability, or consumer tech.

🔹 Lessons from Startups & Manufacturing – Having worked both in consultancies and in-house at HTC, Nichole believes designers need full-cycle experience—from early prototyping to manufacturing—to truly deliver great products.

🔹 Parenting, Neurodiversity & Design – Raising a neurodivergent child has influenced Nichole’s approach to inclusive design, reinforcing the importance of creating products that are intuitive and accessible for different types of users.

🔹 Balancing Business and Life – Unlike many agencies, Level prioritizes sustainable work hours, proving that world-class design doesn’t require burnout. Thoughtful planning and client education allow them to deliver great work without overworking their team.

🔹 The Future of Hardware & MedTech – Nichole sees AI, non-invasive diagnostics, and sustainable materials as some of the biggest areas for innovation in industrial design. Her upcoming projects include climate tech solutions and medtech advancements.

Links & Resources

Visit Level: https://leveldesignsf.com/

Connect with Nichole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholerouillac/

Connect with Chris Whyte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte/

Sign up for Why Design? events: https://teamkodu.com/events

Learn more about Kodu recruitment: https://teamkodu.com