Entrepreneurs are known for existing right at the cutting edge of life, which makes them worthwhile to watch any day of the year.

But November 17 marks North America's national Entrepreneurs' Day, giving us a perfect excuse to take a closer look at what the movers and shakers of the world are up to.

We've chosen five startups that are not-so-slowly but very surely taking the world by storm and analyzed their websites to see how they implement wonderful web design to represent their brands.

The list includes great examples of how to use 2015 web design trends to represent a unique company vision, so if you're in the market for a site update, take note.

Giphy

This amazing web-based company achieved a valuation of up to US$80 million after less than two years in existence. Not too shabby. And it's easy to see why – the concept of an easy-to-use search engine specifically for animated GIFs is sure to go well with today's social media user in need of the perfect animated MRW post.

Giphy's website supports its branding as a simple, modern company. It uses a very subtle navigation bar that reflects the logo's colors to enhance brand consistency and a grid layout that provides perfect bite-sized information chunks for easy scanning.

The plain black background ensures all those images don't overwhelm the eye.

ClassPass

The creative geniuses behind ClassPass managed to make fitness more fun and convenient for everybody by offering a monthly subscription that opens up literally thousands of classes in different studios and gyms across your city.

Their creative nous certainly extends to the superbly designed website, which greatly uses 2015's biggest trends.

The best feature of this site is that it is laid out across a single long-scroll page rather than several tabs, making it super convenient, especially on phones or tablets.

A clear visual breakdown of different sections and minimal copy ensure this single-page approach does not appear cluttered. Using laser-sharp images with a high DPI count creates a clean image, and the bright, fresh color combination of navy blue, coral, and teal sits perfectly with the brand's easy-peasy approach to a healthy and fun lifestyle.

Bond Street

With only 11 employees, this alternative to traditional business loans from major banks has managed to pull together a whopping $112.2 million in investment funds and is planning to expand rapidly over the next two years.

To compete with the big guns of Wall Street, Bond Street relies on a slick, high-end web design style featuring crystal-clear images, which complement the brand's sophisticated color scheme, and a clean, user-friendly layout.

Their carefully considered use of both serif and sans-serif fonts shows how to use these to their greatest advantage – using the increasingly rare serif style in large subheadings where they remain clearly legible while consorting to a clean sans-serif look for most other text, for easy and clear scaling.

The clear, simple buttons are reminiscent of this year's trend for ghost buttons, while the understated grey and blue color scheme ensures the minimalist icons are shown off to their greatest advantage.

YouNow

Forget YouTube. Live-streaming app YouNow is all the rage with kids these days, boasting about 100 million user sessions per month and showing no signs of slowing down.

Their awesome website has no trouble keeping up with that much energy. Half the page features a high-resolution video background to effectively market its young and fun vibe.

The plain white background ensures that everything is easy on the eye, and the blue, centered grid of hashtags creates an interesting structural juxtaposition to the video across the length of the page.

Slack

Slack ensures that you and your team are on the same page when collaborating on projects. It has proven its worth as an enterprise communication tool and earned itself a mind-boggling valuation of $2.5 billion earlier this year.

Their beautiful website is, of course, right on track with its gigantic background images, which in a stroke of genius represent prominent projects and companies using Slack.

The animated typography changes depending on the background image and highlights the key function of the company. These kinds of personalized touches, together with playful typography and great personality in the copywriting, help to create a very friendly, personable brand that a user can be excited to support.

Startup Success: Digital Presence Matters

Your online identity is as vital as your business concept in today's entrepreneurial landscape. The most innovative startups understand that exceptional web design directly impacts their success story.

Look at the groundbreaking companies on this list — their digital platforms perfectly capture their brand essence while delivering seamless user experiences. Investing in quality design isn't just advisable for emerging entrepreneurs aiming to join these success stories; it's fundamental.

Financial constraints shouldn't limit your vision. Consider options like small business loans to fund the professional digital presence your startup deserves. With strategic design choices and proper financial backing, your brand could become the next industry standout.

Read more about business and design:

Does Your Business Need a Style Guide? Four Questions To Ask Yourself

5 Key Web Design Trends in 2015

3 Easy Ways to Get a Standout Homepage

Written by Jane Murray on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Jane Murray is a freelance copywriter based in Sydney. Apart from writing up a storm for the DesignCrowd blog on anything from logo design to Michael Jackson's shoes, she enjoys reading literary science fiction and hanging out with most animals except wasps. Get in touch via LinkedIn.