We partner with type designers to help nurture their craft and grow their business.

Ligado Studio: helping type thrive

Combining hands-on experience in type design with real-world insight into licensing, sales, and strategy, we help foundries evolve with clarity and confidence.

Ligado Studio was founded by Joana Correia and Paley Dreier to support type designers in both their craft and their business. With over thirty years of combined experience across type design, font production, library development, licensing, and foundry strategy, we understand how creative and commercial decisions work together.

We partner with designers and foundries of all sizes — whether you’re growing a catalog, launching a new studio, or preparing for the next chapter of your business. If you’re looking for expert guidance with a collaborative, down-to-earth approach, we’d love to work with you.

The f0unders

Joana Correia

Joana Correia has been working in the type industry since 2011. She is a type designer and founder of Nova Type Foundry. Before co-founding Ligado Studio, she led operations at Schriftlabor. She managed foundry relations and font development at The Type Founders, giving her deep insight into both the creative and business sides of type production.

She holds an MA in Typeface Design from the University of Reading and an MBA from Porto Business School, plus a Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching from Henley Business School. This unique combination of design expertise and business acumen helps her understand the challenges creative entrepreneurs face. Based in Vienna and originally from Portugal, Joana now focuses on helping type designers and creative professionals build sustainable businesses. Through coaching and consulting, she guides clients in developing business strategy, managing complex projects, and navigating the intersection of creativity and commerce.

At Ligado Studio, Joana combines her passion for typography and business to help designers create inspiring work while building successful practices. In her free time, she practices Pilates, goes for walks, and writes Mental Groceries, her newsletter exploring the creative life.

Paley Dreier

Paley Dreier has been working in the type industry for more than fifteen years, helping foundries and designers build sustainable businesses and stronger brands. Before co-founding Ligado Studio, he founded The Type Founders, led strategy and business development at Type Network, and served as general manager of Webtype—developing partnerships with independent foundries and guiding major licensing and custom type projects for global clients. Paley brings a rare blend of creative understanding and strategic insight to his work. He began his career leading digital strategy at MTV Networks and holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. Having collaborated with hundreds of type designers and some of the world’s most recognized brands, he understands every part of the type business—from design and production to marketing, licensing, distribution, and enterprise relationships.

At Ligado Studio, Paley focuses on helping type designers and foundries grow with clarity, confidence, and on their own terms. He lives on a farm in Hopewell, New Jersey with his wife and dog. In his spare time, Paley enjoys playing ice hockey, mixed modal training, and eating snacks.

Get in touch

If you’d like to collaborate, learn more, or have any questions, feel free to reach out. Just use the form bellow and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.