The pandemic presents unprecedented challenges for creatives and designers, but it also provides a unique opportunity for collaboration. The “COVID-19 Design Innovation Grant” was introduced as a way to find and support those who were working on collaborative innovative solutions to tackle some of the most pressing problems and needs.

European Product Design Awards, by the Farmani Group, introduced the special grant in collaboration with International Design Awards, IDA. Designers all over the world were invited to come together as a community and use their talents and skills to make a positive impact.

One grant will be awarded for each of the categories:

• Product Design
• Collaboration between Architecture and Interior Design
• Graphic Design
• Fashion Design

How did the collaboration come about?

International Design Awards (IDA) and European Product Design Awards (ePDA) issued an open call for submissions in the four listed categories with a deadline in May 2020.

• Product designers were invited to design ventilators or other life-saving equipment that can be affordably produced and distributed.
• Architects and Interior designers were invited to present a simple, practical, innovative solution for an in-home isolation pod that would allow those with COVID-19 symptoms and others to safely co-habit without transmitting the virus.
• Graphic designers and illustrators were invited to submit their designs for a resource to help the public protect themselves, prevent spreading the virus to others, or deal with the psychological effects of isolation.
• Fashion designers were invited to create fashionable and reusable masks or protective gear to help stop the spread of the virus.

What were the most important factors that contributed to the success of this project?

Response to need
Response to COVID-19
The ‘big’ idea
Combination of skill sets
Combination of participants
Volunteer support
Social impact
Available funding

Project funding

Joint funding by International Design Awards (IDA) and European Product Design Awards (ePDA)

Will the project continue beyond COVID-19 lockdown?

The IDA and the ePDA will continue as they have annually, but the COVID-19 Design Innovation Grant was a special one-off award.