The 2024 Design Intelligence Award (DIA) Call for Entries has been open to global participants and we welcome outstanding designers from global enterprises, universities, institutions and individuals to actively participate in the event.

Before the registration deadline on July 14, 2024 (24:00, GMT+8), any design company, design team, employed designer, independent designer or young designer can sign up for the competition through the DIA official website (www.di-award.org) and compete for up to RMB 1,000,000 from the annual bonus pool of RMB 5,000,000.

As the first international academic award in the field of industrial design in China, the Design Intelligence Award (DIA) adheres to the core values of "Intelligence of Humanity, Wisdom of Life, Fusion of Tech & Art, Brain of Industry”. With professional operation mode and international evaluation standard, DIA has started the boom of creative resources. In the past years, DIA has received more than 51,000 entries from 70 countries and regions, and established a cooperative ecological circle with more than 800 prestigious universities & colleges, industry associations, design weeks and other organizations around the world, forming an extensive influence in global society.

2024 Design Intelligence Award Announcement

I. About DIA 

Established in 2015, the Design Intelligence Award (DIA) is an international academic award in China’s industrial design. It is a platform for the evaluation, promotion and cooperation of contemporary innovative design, as well as a tangible accelerator to bring creative ideas to the industry and the future. DIA returns to the origin of design through human intelligence, advocates the core value of “Intelligence of Humanity, Wisdom of Life, Fusion of Tech & Art, Brain of Industry”, and plays the role of bringing world-wide creativity to an intelligent future.

II. Awards Setting 

The 2024 DIA is organized under four categories: Cultural Innovation, Life Wisdom, Industrial Equipment and Digital Economy. The entries will be evaluated in the Product Group and the Concept Group. DIA Grand Award (1 winner, RMB 1,000,000/winner) is open to all entries from both Product and Concept Group; Gold Award (4 winners, RMB 300,000/winner), Silver Award (8 winners, RMB 150,000/winner) and Bronze Award (12 winners, RMB 100,000/winner) are open to the entries in the Product Group. Future Talents Award (4 winners, RMB 50,000/winner) and Young Talents Award (10 winners, RMB 20,000/winner) are open to the entries in the Concept Group. In addition, about 300 pieces of entries will be selected from all the entries in both the Product Group and the Concept Group and granted the Honorable Mention Award (the actual number of award winners is subject to the evaluation results).

Moreover, a number of special awards with particular themes will be granted, and the specific themes and participation methods will be announced separately. 

*All bonuses are considered pre-tax income. In accordance with the relevant fiscal and taxation regulations and procedures of the People's Republic of China, the actual bonus amount will be disbursed to the winners after deducting the corresponding taxes and the costs associated with the production of trophies and certificates of award.

III. Participants

(1) Participants

2024 DIA is open to all enterprises, universities & colleges, institutions and individuals, and the owners, designers or manufacturers can all summit the entries.

(2) Requirement for entries

All kinds of entries are accepted, such as product, software, integrated service, etc.

For the same entry, the participant is not allowed to apply for the awards in both the Product Group and Concept Group. 

The Product Group is open to entries that have been commercially available for no more than 2 years, or entries that are not available on the market but for which the model product with full functions can be provided for the Second Evaluation.

The Concept Group is open to entries that have been launched for no more than 2 years, or entries that have not been launched but can be demonstrated in real application scenario during the Second Evaluation.

The DIA Committee reserves the right to adjust the entries into another group or category. 

IV. Categories

Based on the core innovation points and fields of the entries, four categories are provided under both the Product Group and the Concept Group.

(1) Cultural Innovation 

To emphasize culture as the internal driving force behind ideas, we look at the contemporary revival of traditional culture, the design crafting of the idea, the value created both in culture IP and the green sustainable development. This category is open to products and services from the fields of culture gifts, stationery, packaging, fashion accessories, tableware, furniture and lighting, social innovation and new cultural tourism economy.

(2) Life Wisdom

To emphasize the way we live as a driving force behind ideas, we look at the wisdom they bring to daily life, intelligent approaches to everyday appliances and how they care for vulnerable groups in society. This category is open to products and services from the fields of electronics and digital devices, household appliances, kitchen and bathroom essentials, smart home technology, elderly care products, maternal and child supplies, personal care items, pets supplies, toys and musical instruments, sports and leisure products, disaster prevention and protection products, application of new technologies and materials, etc.

(3) Industrial Equipment

To emphasize industrial upgrading as a driving force for ideas, we look at how industrial equipment has been upgraded or transformed, how strategic development of emerging industries can be realized and how production systems are optimized for maximum efficiency. This category is open to products and services from the fields of transportation and logistics, medical equipment, construction equipment, agriculture and forestry equipment, military equipment, office equipment, mechanical tools, robots, etc.

(4) Digital Economy 

To emphasize digital computation as the driving force behind ideas, we look at the digital transformation and upgrading of industries. This category is open to digital products and services from the fields of artificial intelligence, spatial calculation, smart cities, smart mobility, smart business, smart medical care, smart education, smart community, industrial Internet, virtual reality, etc.

V. Registration 

(1) How to register

DIA adopts the selection mechanism of direct application and expert nomination. Entries submitted by the public will be evaluated in the Preliminary Evaluation, and entries nominated by experts can directly enter the Second Evaluation after being reviewed by the DIA Committee. To ensure the impartiality, a mechanism of mutual independence is implemented between nomination experts and evaluation experts.

All participants should log into the DIA official website (www.di-award.org) for registration. 

(2) Registration period and fees

The registration system is open from December 15, 2023 to July 14, 2024 (24:00, UTC+8). Late submissions cannot be accepted.

No registration fee is charged. The logistic fee, insurance premium, customs duties and other expenses incurred during the competition should be borne by participants.

VI. Evaluation

(1) Evaluation process

There are three rounds of evaluation, namely, Preliminary Evaluation, Second Evaluation and Final Evaluation. Graphic and text evaluation is adopted in the Preliminary Evaluation, a combination of physical product and video evaluation is adopted in the Second Evaluation, and on-site oral defense is adopted in the Final Evaluation.

(2) Evaluation criteria 

In the context of the intelligent manufacturing era, the unique “DIA Evaluation System” includes three layers of criteria: a) The fundamental layer emphasizes the “Principles of Design”, covering evaluation factors such as functionality, aesthetics, technicality, user-experience and sustainability. b) The advanced layer emphasizes the “Direction of Design”, covering evaluation  factors such as contribution to humanity, industry and the future. c) The top layer emphasizes the “Impact of Design”, covering evaluation factors such as social influence and exemplary role for the industry.

(3) Jury

Authoritative experts from all over the world are invited to serve as DIA judges. In order to highlight the cross-border integration of design and strengthen the comprehensiveness of evaluation, in addition to experts in the design industry, experts in other related fields such as science and technology, commerce and media are also introduced to be DIA judges.

VII. Winners’ benefits 

(1) Trophy and certificate

Every winner will receive a trophy and a certificate (received at the Ceremony). Winners whose entries are included in the annual DIA Exhibition will be awarded the DIA Exhibition Certificate. For the entries donated to the DIA Committee, the participants will be awarded the DIA Collection Certificate. 

(2) DIA logo usage

All winners are entitled to lifetime free use of the DIA logo on their award-winning entries.

(3) Yearbook inclusion and official website showcase

Award-winning entries will be included in the 2024 DIA Yearbook, and will be permanently displayed in DIA official website.

(4) Exhibition tour

All award-winning entries will participate in the 2024 DIA Exhibition, with opportunities for display in other domestic and international exhibitions.

(5) Industry communication

All winners will be invited to participate in the DIA Award Ceremony, forums, exhibitions and other series of activities, engaging in face-to-face collaborations and exchanges with representatives from the global design, academic, media, and industry sectors.

(6) Media promotion

DIA has established a promotion network together with more than 100 mainstream media in various industries around the world.  Key events including the DIA Award Ceremony will be live-streamed online. Winners will be prioritized for featured interviews across major media platforms, further amplifying the societal impact of outstanding designs.

VIII. Agenda

DIA Instructions for Participants

(I) Intellectual Property 

1. All participants must be the designers or owners of the entries (the owners of the relevant intellectual property rights), and there shall be no intellectual property dispute between the owner or the designer and others (no intellectual property dispute has occurred or has been properly handled so far). For entries that are applying for (filing) relevant intellectual property certificates but have not yet obtained authorization, participants must submit relevant certificates at the time of registration. For entries that have not obtained relevant intellectual property certificates after winning the DIA awards, the DIA Committee has the right to require the participants to make a written guarantee. 

2. The DIA Committee has the right to invalidate the award qualification of the entries with intellectual property disputes, including recalling the certificate, trophy or recovering the bonus. If economic or reputation losses are caused by defective entries, the host and the organizers have the right to claim compensation from the participants, including but not limited to demanding economic and reputation compensations, litigation costs, legal fees, insurance fees, appraisal fees, etc.

3. The intellectual property of all entries is owned by the participants.

(II) Publicity and Confidentiality 

The DIA Committee has the right to use the participants’ registration information for the DIA promotion purpose, including but not limited to video shooting, exhibition, news reports, publication of DIA entries. Participants shall provide the written application for confidential requirement of your entries within 5 working days after registration, or the entry information will be deemed as non-confidential. The DIA Committee will not bear the loss caused by the publicity of the entries.

(III) Registration Information 

The participants shall ensure the correctness and truthfulness of the registration information (Pseudonym is not allowed in registration). The registration information shall not be modified once submitted. If the participants find that the registration information is incorrect after submission, please submit formal written application documents for the change of registration information before the 2024 DIA Award Ceremony. The DIA Committee shall have the right to revoke the award qualification and honor and recover the bonus on account of the participants’ exaggerated information. To ensure the orderly conduct of the evaluation, the DIA Committee and the judging committee have the right to adjust the category according to the rules and the actual situation of the entries.

(IV) Registration Qualification

Only the designers and the owners of the entries are eligible for registration. The participants should confirm and coordinate with the relevant parties to avoid duplicate registration. The DIA Committee shall bear no legal responsibility for the problems caused by the duplicate registration, for example, the ownership of honor or bonus, and have the right to invalidate the award-winning qualification and honor, and to recover bonus if the problems are not solved timely through negotiation. The same entry is not allowed to apply for the awards in the Product Group and the Concept Group at the same time. 

(V) Result Notification 

All the important DIA notifications, including evaluation results, will be released through the registration system in the DIA official website and the email address provided by the participants. Therefore, participants shall pay close attention to the related information channels. If the participants miss important information or fail to respond timely as required, which affects the evaluation and award acceptance, all the consequences will be borne by the participants themselves. 

(VI) Entry Delivery 

1. According to the DIA evaluation regulations, for all shortlisted entries in the Second Evaluation, the participants are required to send a physical product or prototype for Second Evaluation. The delivery address, time and requirements will be specified in the “2024 Entry Delivery Instructions”, which will be published one month before the Second Evaluation. Participants who fail to send their entries on time as required will be deemed as giving up the Second Evaluation qualification.

2. All costs regarding to transportation, insurance, tariffs, customs, etc. shall be borne by the participants. 

3. Participants shall truthfully enter the delivery information within the time specified in the “2024 Entry Delivery Instructions”, which will be used by the DIA Committee for delivery check and entry return. The DIA Committee shall only be responsible for the safe custody of the entries according to their status when received. 

4. All DIA evaluations and exhibitions will take place in professional venues, with transportation, storage, and assessment conducted in accordance with industry standards. Participants are responsible for purchasing insurance if needed.

5. The judging committee will experience the functions of all the entries at the Second Evaluation site, so the participants shall install and debug the entries until they are serviceable. Where participants entrust the DIA Committee to install and debug the entries, please provide detailed installation video or instructions. 

(VII) Return of Entries

1. In principle, the DIA Committee will not assume the responsibility of return. If participants request the DIA Committee to send back the entries, please fill in the relevant information before sending it back. Late submission will not be accepted.

2. The DIA Committee will arrange the return of entries in two time nodes: “First Return of Entries” (only non-awarded entries will be returned after the Second Evaluation) and “Second Return of Entries” (awarded entries and the remaining non-awarded entries will be returned after the DIA Award Ceremony and series activities). To ensure the progress of evaluation and exhibition, the entry returning requests will be rejected outside the designated return period.

3. All the costs, including transportation, tariffs, etc. incurred in return of the entries shall be borne by the participants. For entries returned to domestic cities, DIA Committee will use freight collect payment. For entries sent back to overseas, the participants should provide the required delivery documents (including but not limited in express waybill, proforma invoice, cargo packing list, etc.) within the time specified by the DIA Committee and contact express company to pick the entries at the designated place. 

4. If participant fail to enter the information for entry return within the specified date due to its own reasons, and fail to contact the DIA Committee and provide complete information for entry return before December 31, 2024, the participant will be deemed as having given up the ownership of the entries. The time for entry return shall be designated by the DIA Committee, and urgent requests will not be accepted.

(VIII) Donation and Collection 

1. The DIA Committee only accepts the award-winning entries that meet the relevant requirements, and will award the DIA Collection Certificate to the winners. 

2. The award-winning entries shall be donated to the DIA Committee after the winners receive the bonus. For entries that need to be used for future research and development, or too large to be transported, or whose value exceeds the bonus, the winner must submit a written application and relevant proof documents, then can donate a proportional model or prototypes after being confirmed by the DIA Committee. 

(IX) Final Evaluation and Award Ceremony 

All participants shortlisted in the Final Evaluation must participate in the event in person, otherwise they will be deemed as giving up the qualification for awards and bonus. All winners will be invited to the DIA Award Ceremony and the travel expenses shall be borne by the participants. 

(X) Certificate, Trophy and Bonus 

1. Winners who are invited to attend the Award Ceremony will be awarded a trophy and a certificate on site. After the Award Ceremony, an electronic certificate will be generated in the registration system, and participants can download it by themselves. Those who are not present will be deemed as giving up the trophy and the certificate. In principle, the DIA Committee will not provide the trophy at other times or mail the trophy and the certificate to the winner. Those who are unable to be present and get the trophy on site for special reasons should provide a written statement and the DIA Committee will discuss and decide whether to provide the mailing service.

2. According to the evaluation results, the DIA Committee will give out bonuses to the corresponding winners through bank transfer in accordance with the relevant fiscal and taxation regulations and procedures of the People's Republic of China. Bonus recipients can either be the organization to which the submitter belongs (including its branches) or designated individuals within that organization. In cases where the bonus recipient and the entry submitter belong to different organizations or are individuals, an additional written authorization, signed and sealed by the submitter, shall be provided.

3. As the prize funds are allocated by the Zhejiang Provincial Finance Department, they must be utilized for the award-winning enterprises’ scientific and technological research and development, technical innovation, or educational projects affiliated with DIA. Winners are required to sign a commitment letter for the use of the bonus before its disbursement. The bonus will be released after the DIA Committee collects and verifies the necessary documents.  

(XI) Participants shall be deemed to have agreed the above terms once submitting the entries. The DIA Committee reserves the right of final interpretation. 

Disclaimers 

(I) The DIA Committee shall not bear any responsibility if the information is mistakenly publicized in publicity, printing, exhibitions and other events due to the incorrect information submitted by the participants themselves. 

(II) The DIA Committee shall not be responsible for any disputes on rights and interests between participants, winners or other third parties. 

(III) The DIA Committee shall not be responsible for non-human intentional damages caused by potential hazards such as fragility, scratch, peeling, corrosion and complicated structure. 

(IV) The DIA Committee shall not be responsible for safekeeping the outer packages of all entries. The DIA Committee will not be responsible for the damage or loss of the outer packaging. 

(V) The DIA Committee shall not be responsible for safekeeping the entries if the participants fail to input the efficient delivery information in the system. The DIA Committee will not be responsible for any loss or damage of the entries during the shipment. 

(VI) If the certificate is not generated due to the participant's failure to enter the “information of award-winning entries” in the system in time, or the certificate information is incorrect due to the participant's submission of wrong information, the DIA Committee shall not be responsible for re-generating the certificate and will not assume any responsibility. 

(VII) According to the Clause 6.4 in the “DIA Instructions for Participants”, the DIA Committee shall not be responsible for any damage or loss while conducting the evaluation, exhibition, move and storage of the entries. 

(VIII) According to Clause 6.5 in the “DIA Instructions for Participants”, the DIA Committee shall not be responsible for any damage caused by helping the participants to install and disassemble entries. 

(IX) The DIA Committee shall not be responsible for any damage or loss of the entries due to force majeure such as natural disaster, war and national policy. 

(X) Participants shall be deemed to have agreed the above terms once submitting the entries. The DIA Committee reserves the right of final interpretation and jurisdiction.