Candy is a digital collectibles platform that changes how fans engage with sports by allowing them to purchase, trade, and track officially licensed collectibles. Initially launched with Major League Baseball, Candy quickly expanded to partnerships with Premier League and NASCAR. The platform offers a secure marketplace where collectors can engage with their favorite sports in a new way.
Joshua Graves, our founder, led the design and development as Candy’s founding designer at a previous agency, overseeing the project from concept to launch and through multiple iterations. His main focus was building a scalable design system, developing the marketplace experience, and conducting research to inform key decisions. He ensured the design system could scale to accommodate future partnerships, allowing each franchise to be appropriately themed.
The challenges included making the platform user-friendly for those unfamiliar with blockchain, creating a seamless purchase flow, and designing a system that showcased the value of digital collectibles. The blockchain aspect was intentionally downplayed to create a familiar, streamlined buying experience, while customizable collections were designed to enhance the user experience. Additionally, Joshua developed a scalable design system that could be reskinned for different brands, creating organized workflows for the design team.
Research also explored future applications for digital collectibles, such as unlocking real-world perks, acting as event tickets, and offering digital rewards in video games.
At Lost Horse, we continue to apply the same principles—scalable design, user-focused insights, and thoughtful problem-solving—that were integral to Candy’s success, helping clients build impactful digital platforms.