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Celebrating Excellence For Over Four Decades

The International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) is an annual competition presented by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) that recognizes excellence in design across various disciplines. For 45 years, IDEA has attracted thousands of exciting and innovative entries from professional designers and students from across the globe, making it one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

Winning an IDEA is a career-defining milestone that elevates a designer’s work onto a global stage to be celebrated alongside some of the most renowned products in history. 

 

To start or continue your entry, login here.

 


 

Award Categories

  • Automotive & Transportation
  • Branding
  • Children’s Products
  • Commercial & Industrial Products
  • Concepts & Speculative Design (NEW)
  • Consumer Technology
  • Design Strategy
  • Digital Interaction
  • Environments
  • Home
  • Furniture & Lighting
  • Lifestyle & Accessories
  • Medical & Health
  • Office & Accessories
  • Outdoor & Gardens
  • Packaging
  • Service Design
  • Social Impact Design
  • Sports & Recreation
  • Student Projects

 


 

ROUND 1 DEADLINES

HOW TO ENTER

Regular Entry:
January 13, 2025 – February 24, 2025 (11:59 pm EST)

Late Entry: 
February 25, 2025 – March 10, 2025 (11:59 pm EST)

Entries selected by our judges to advance to Round 2 as finalists will be notified by approximately April 15, 2025. A separate entry fee will apply to continue in the competition. See complete Pricing & Deadlines details here.

Participation in IDEA 2025 is open to professional and student designers worldwide. In order to be eligible, entries must have been placed into distribution / completed between March 1, 2023 and March 1, 2025. See complete Rules & Regulations here.

Gather the entry materials listed below and submit your entry before March 10, 2025.

IDSA members recieve exclusive discounted entry rates for IDEA 2025. Not a member? Click here to join.


 

Information You Will Need To Complete Your Entry

ROUND 1

  • Written statements describing:
    • An overview of what the entry is - including key features, functionality, or other details that make this entry a unique product on the market. (150 words or less)
    • Design innovation - detailing how the entry is a new or novel product, service, or experience. What critical problem does it solve and what is the solution it presents? (250 words or less)
    • Benefit to user - detailing ways that the end-user benefits from using this design. If applicable, include how this design helps the user accomplish new tasks or otherwise improves their daily life. (250 words or less)
    • Benefit to client/brand - detailing the business impact of this design. If applicable, include how leveraging design has proven to be a key market differentiator from a business perspective. (250 words or less)
    • Benefit to society - detailing  how this entry considers social, cultural, and environmental factors. If applicable, include details of this design that apply to its impact on the world. (250 words or less)
    • Appropriate aesthetics - describe how the final form of the design relates and responds to its use and/or function. If applicable, include how colors, materials, and finishes are effectively used or how aspects of manufacturing influenced its form. (250 words or less)
  • List of primary materials used in the manufacturing of the entry
  • Retail price and physical dimensions of the entry
  • Up to 5 high resolution images of the entry
  • Optional - a video showcasing the entry features, functionality, and design

ROUND 2

  • Name of designer(s) and company / design firm who created the entry
  • Website and email address for promotional materials

 


 

For complete program details, visit IDSA.org/IDEA