By Jami Oetting, senior vice president of content at Influence & Co.

Design and a focus on user experience have jumped to the top of a startup’s checklist. And it has proven to be worth the attention. Just look to some of the acquisitions that have been made during the past few years: Instagram and Push Pop Press, by Facebook; Massive Health, by Jawbone; Typekit, by Adobe and Hunch by eBay. All these startups are co-founded or led by designers.