Square buys NYC U.I. design firm behind Sony and Second Life projects

Just two weeks after closing more than $200 million in new funding, mobile payments startup Square announced the acquisition of New York design firm 80/20. It did not disclose terms of the deal.

“Square acquires 80/20, one of the best design agencies in the world, and with it, an office in SoHo. We believe in NYC,” CEO and founder Jack Dorsey tweeted Monday morning.

80/20 is a 4-year-old firm that specializes in interface design. The company’s leadership team includes design veterans from Apple and Adobe. The firm’s portfolio of work features projects for Warner Bros., Motorola, Vodafone, Second Life, and Sony and reflects the agency’s expertise in constructing elegant dashboard experiences for web and mobile.

“The natural next step for 80/20 is to commit our focus to one company, and Square is a perfect fit,” the firm said in a note posted on its website today. “Square shares our passion for using technology and design to improve people’s lives. Together, we will reimagine and redesign how people communicate through commerce every day, all around the world.”

The buy seems well aligned with Dorsey’s personal predilection for polished design. The entire 80/20 team of roughly 12 people will join Square and remain in New York, where they’ll help the growing startup build a stronger presence.

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