# Nicholas Schröder

![Nicholas Schröder](/resources/cognition/portraits/nicholas-schroder.webp)

Head of Brand & Creative at Cognition (Devin, Windsurf); ex-Cursor Brand Studio, Scale AI, PORTO ROCHA employee #1  
Cognition  
New York City Metropolitan Area

## At Cognition

- Role: Head of Brand & Creative (Marketing)
- Joined: Aug 2026
- How they joined: Directly
- Before Cognition: Brand, Creative Ops & Production Lead, Cursor
- Overlapped before Cognition with other Cognition people at: Scale AI (https://www.autumn.ai/resources/cognition/worked-together)

## Identity
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895
- X: @nicholasschrodr
- Domain: cognition.ai

## Notes
- Announced on 2026-08-20 on LinkedIn and X that he was joining Cognition, quoted verbatim: "Some personal news: I'm joining Cognition as Head of Creative." The X version ("Some personal news: I’m joining @cognition as Head of Creative") drew ~800 likes, his most-engaged original post. (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_some-personal-news-im-joining-cognition-activity-7496269204799619072-R6uM)
- Title has since expanded from Head of Creative to Head of Brand & Creative at Cognition (LinkedIn headline and X bio: "head of brand & creative @cognition"). (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr)
- Joined Cursor (Anysphere) in Dec 2025 "to help build and scale Brand & Creative Operations", thanking "Roman, Justin, Ryo, and the team"; LinkedIn describes him as a founding member of Cursor's Brand Studio and its first dedicated Brand & Creative Ops hire. (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_im-excited-to-share-that-ive-joined-cursor-activity-7401347705639436289-tRDO)
- Employee #1 (founding employee, 2019) at PORTO ROCHA, the New York brand agency founded by Leo Porto and Felipe Rocha; rose to Operations & Business Lead (2021-22) and Managing Director (2022-25), helping build it into a studio working for Google Gemini, Robinhood, Twitch and Nike Run. (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr)
- Publicly welcomed a new Cognition hire on X, verbatim: "@_EricHu @cognition Welcome to the team! So excited to work together ❤️". (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2107111928610861164)
- A designer joining Cognition in 2026 publicly thanked "Ouliana Trofimenko, Alexander Dengler, Nicholas Schröder, Joseph Zhang for bringing me in", showing Schröder is an active recruiter for Cognition's design/brand team. (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/monjin_little-life-update-after-almost-two-years-activity-7515790404454354944-3Pxf)
- Cognition, maker of the AI coding agent Devin, signed a definitive agreement in July 2025 to acquire Windsurf (IP, product, trademark and brand) days after Google DeepMind hired Windsurf's CEO; Schröder joined over a year later. (https://cognition.com/blog/windsurf)
- Credited as Operations Director on PORTO ROCHA's Google Gemini identity project, the agency's flagship AI-brand work and a direct precedent for branding AI products at Cognition. (https://www.portorocha.com/gemini)
- Shipped Cursor brand physical work: Cursor caps (Jan 2026), the 'Cursor Courier' print piece (Feb 2026), 'Cursor Studio' (Jun 2026) and merch plus film photography and digital work for Cursor's Compile event (Jun 2026). (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2069832965467611505)
- At Cursor he worked on the Brand Studio alongside Ryo Lu, Edwin Wee, Emma Weyrauch, Justin Jay Wang, Junyi Z., Jordan MacDonald and Eric Zakariasson (tagged in his 'Welcome to life at Cursor' post). (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_welcome-to-life-at-cursor-ryo-lu-edwin-activity-7425575292770881536-ioRJ)
- Hired Cursor's first Motion Designer ("a foundational role on our Brand Studio team") and an early Brand Designer in Jan 2026, and sought freelance presentation designers in May 2026. (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_cursor-motion-designer-activity-7422344685911932928-1qZE)
- Founded LUNGE, a New York pet-accessory label (nappa leather collars, leashes and harnesses made in Brazil) with identity by PORTO ROCHA, where he is credited as Founder & Creative Director; first shoot was 2023-06-30 and a 2024 campaign featured comedian Julio Torres. (https://www.portorocha.com/lunge)
- Public headline says "Head of Brand & Creative at Cognition". (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895)
- Left Cursor for Cognition about two months after Cursor announced it was joining forces with SpaceX (retweeted 2026-06-16). (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2066881131832885426)
- Was Head of Creative Ops & Production at Scale AI in 2025 before Cursor; a Scale AI colleague's post tags him among the team on a 'Surreal day at Scale AI'. (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/timthesloth_surreal-day-at-scale-ai-see-httpslnkdin-activity-7339175226175275008-3i0c)
- As early as 2021 he argued on X that "Design can play a massive role in explaining conceptual technologies, driving new user adoption", a thesis he has since applied at Scale AI, Cursor and Cognition. (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/1432402093177024515)
- Credited as Project Management on PORTO ROCHA's Netflix Brazil 'Tudum' identity, working with creative directors Leo Porto and Felipe Rocha and designers Hyejin Song and Glauber Sampaio. (https://www.printmag.com/branding-identity-design/netflix-brazil-s-tudum-takes-an-unexpected-route-that-doesn-t-disappoint/)
- Early career in Brazil: Brand Manager at CUBOCC (2019), Program Manager and Creative Researcher at EAT (2018-19), Head of Creative Planning & Production and Brand Manager at Transa (2017-18), Program Manager at the creative school Perestroika (2015-16). (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895)
- I help ambitious companies build brands, creative studios, and the systems behind them. My work spans brand and creative leadership, company building, operations, team development, and special projects.

At Cursor, I’m a founding member of the Brand Studio team and the first hire dedicated to Brand & Creative Operations.

Previously, I was Head of Creative Ops at Scale AI and Managing Director at PORTO ROCHA, where I helped build the agency from the ground up into a globally recognized leader in; this comes from the profile summary and preserves the person's own positioning. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895)
- Replied to a fellow Cognition colleague verbatim: "@tomasholtz @cognition Mate crew 🧉", a nod to his Brazilian roots and an in-house Latin American contingent at Cognition. (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2093207377080115469)
- Listed as a signatory (Director of Ops & Business) on No Free Pitches, an open letter from creative-industry professionals opposing unpaid pitch work. (https://nofreepitches.com/)
- Previous roles include Brand, Creative Ops & Production Lead at Cursor; Head of Creative Ops & Production at Scale AI; Managing Director at PORTO ROCHA; Operations & Business Lead at PORTO ROCHA; Founding Employee at PORTO ROCHA; Brand Manager at CUBOCC; Program Manager and Creative Researcher at EAT; Head of Creative Planning & Production at Transa. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895)
- Education history includes Bachelor's degree, Social Communication / Advertising & Management, Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing; Fractal (Post-Agency Communication), Perestroika; Rise (Trend Research), Perestroika; Chave Mestra (Project Management), Perestroika; Mood (Coolhunting / Contemporary Culture and Behavior), Perestroika. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895)
- Holds a bachelor's in Social Communication / Advertising & Management from ESPM (Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing, Brazil) plus Perestroika short courses in trend research, coolhunting, biomimetics and project management; his background is brand/advertising, not competitive programming. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895)
- Based in Brooklyn, NY (X profile) / New York City metro (LinkedIn); X account created Aug 2021, ~2.3K followers, verified. (https://x.com/nicholasschrodr)
- Location is New York City Metropolitan Area. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895)

## Experience
- Head of Brand & Creative at Cognition - New York, New York, United States (Aug 2026 - Present)
- Brand, Creative Ops & Production Lead at Cursor - New York, New York, United States (Dec 2025 - Aug 2026): Founding member of Cursor’s Brand Studio team. Building the function and leading creative operations and production across brand, marketing, design, campaigns, launches, content, art direction, and special projects.
- Head of Creative Ops & Production at Scale AI - New York, New York, United States (May 2025 - Dec 2025)
- Managing Director at PORTO ROCHA - Brooklyn, New York, United States (Dec 2022 - May 2025)
- Operations & Business Lead at PORTO ROCHA - Brooklyn, New York, United States (Apr 2021 - Dec 2022)
- Founding Employee at PORTO ROCHA - Brooklyn, New York, United States (Nov 2019 - Apr 2021): As employee #1 and working directly with the studio founders, I’ve spearheaded all processes, workflows and innovations, managed and scaled cross-functional teams and projects, and have led all global operations, projects and business efforts for clients such as Apple, Netflix, Vevo, Universal Music, Republic Records, Spotify, Nike and Airbnb.

Since its founding, PORTO ROCHA has been awarded: 

— Independent Design Agency of the Year (D&AD, 2022)
— Studio of the Year (LAD, 2023)
— Studio of the Year (LAD, 2021)
— #1 Most Inspiring Creative Studio (Creative Boom, 2025)
— Top 100 Creative Agencies (WCR, 2022 and 2023)
— Top 25 Most Inspiring Companies (WNW, 2021)
- Brand Manager at CUBOCC - New York City Metropolitan Area (May 2019 - Nov 2019)
- Program Manager and Creative Researcher at EAT - New York City Metropolitan Area (Apr 2018 - May 2019)
- Head of Creative Planning & Production at Transa (Jul 2017 - Jul 2018)
- Brand Manager at Transa (Mar 2017 - Jul 2017)
- Program Manager and Course Coordinator at Perestroika - Porto Alegre Area, Brazil (Apr 2015 - Dec 2016)
- Associate Strategist at Agência Escala - Porto Alegre Area, Brazil (Jun 2014 - Jan 2015)

## Education
- Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing - Bachelor's degree, Social Communication / Advertising & Management
- Perestroika - Fractal (Post-Agency Communication) - (Jan 2016 - Jan 2016)
- Perestroika - Chave Mestra (Project Management) - (Jan 2015 - Jan 2015)

## Sources
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schröder-b010a895
- https://x.com/nicholasschrodr
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAABQf9jEBDjc9APmPAdRK5RxZAOZzzpeddOc
- https://cognition.com/blog/windsurf
- https://www.portorocha.com/gemini
- https://www.portorocha.com/lunge
- https://github.com/nicholass
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_some-personal-news-im-joining-cognition-activity-7496269204799619072-R6uM
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_im-excited-to-share-that-ive-joined-cursor-activity-7401347705639436289-tRDO
- https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2107111928610861164
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/monjin_little-life-update-after-almost-two-years-activity-7515790404454354944-3Pxf
- https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2069832965467611505
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_welcome-to-life-at-cursor-ryo-lu-edwin-activity-7425575292770881536-ioRJ
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-schr%C3%B6der-b010a895_cursor-motion-designer-activity-7422344685911932928-1qZE
- https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2066881131832885426
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/timthesloth_surreal-day-at-scale-ai-see-httpslnkdin-activity-7339175226175275008-3i0c
- https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/1432402093177024515
- https://www.printmag.com/branding-identity-design/netflix-brazil-s-tudum-takes-an-unexpected-route-that-doesn-t-disappoint/
- https://x.com/nicholasschrodr/status/2093207377080115469
- https://nofreepitches.com/


Researched with Autumn (https://www.autumn.ai) from public sources. Updated 2026-11-04. Profile: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/cognition/people/nicholas-schroder · Everyone at Cognition: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/cognition/people