Nicholas Barone

Product and design leader focused on building startup products in Buffalo. Nicholas co‑founded Helm Experience & Design in 2014 to provide UX, product design, and engineering collaboration for local startups and legacy organizations, and in 2025 transitioned into a studio/operator role as VP, Product & Design at Radial Ventures to help originate and launch new companies. helmux+3

Active community builder and mentor in the Buffalo tech ecosystem. He has organized and supported grassroots events (Buffalo Open Coffee, BarCamp Buffalo, Buffalo Startup Weekend) and mentors through platforms like ADPList, positioning him as a connector between founders, designers, and regional resources. adplist+2

Hands‑on designer with broad early‑career experience across local media, agencies, and startups. His pre‑Helm roles (ad production, web design, art/director roles, and product UX leadership) show a foundation of production design and client‑facing product work that evolved into founding a product studio. theorg+1

Canisius College alumnus from the Digital Media Arts program (Class of 2006) and longtime Buffalo resident — education and local roots are recurring themes in his public bio and community work. canisius+1