# NORS — Under After Under After created the brand identity for NORS, the first enterprise-grade certification standard for Ethereum node operators backed by Alluvial, Coinbase, KPMG, PwC, and 11+ industry partners. --- Evan Weiss at Alluvial identified the need for a validator certification standard and convened a working group of 11+ industry partners including Coinbase, Blockdaemon, Figment, KPMG, PwC, and Aon to develop the first enterprise-grade certification standard for Ethereum validators. Under After developed the brand identity for NORS during the certification framework development phase. The brand needed to signal institutional credibility and objectivity, so Under After positioned NORS as an industry-led standard emphasizing voluntary adoption and operational excellence. The visual identity balanced technical precision with approachability through simple geometric forms. Inspired by the geometric simplicity of the Liquid Collective brand, the symmetrical NORS symbol represents node operator excellence: circles symbolize node operators, the middle square represents collaboration, and the star at its center represents excellence. Under After delivered the complete brand system, including logo, typography, color palette, certification badge designs, a limited apparel edition, and website, in weeks to align with the September 2024 launch. The website launched with interactive certification registry and assessor directory functionality. The brand identity established NORS as the first recognized certification standard for Ethereum node operators, creating a category that previously did not exist. The framework gave institutions a standardized evaluation methodology, reducing duplicated assessment efforts across the industry. The September 30, 2024 launch event brought together executives from major blockchain infrastructure firms, professional services companies, and specialized staking platforms to discuss implementation and future development. The project included event identity development and production coordination for the [NORS / NYC]() kickoff at The Standard Hotel in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, bringing together working group members, enterprise validators, and institutional participants for five panel discussions on validator security, audit frameworks, and certification standards. --- *Published by [Under After](https://underafter.com), a brand strategy and design studio founded in 2008.*