More than 7,000 entries from 74 countries: the 100 best concepts by students from 23 nations honoured with the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD 2025. Eight visionary projects from eight different countries, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), received a total of EUR 50,000 in prize money. The awards ceremony took place on June 20 at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain The iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD is one of the world’s most important and significant competitions for young designers. It honours concepts by students and graduates in the field of design and architecture that deal with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Together with the sponsors -Grohe (Germany), Wonderland (Taiwan), Compal Electronics (Taiwan), Casarte (China)- iF Design offers the award winners an international stage and a springboard for a successful career start. iF Design has seen it as its social responsibility to promote young international designers for more than 20 years. The iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD 2025 has become even more international: more than 7,000 entries come from 74 nations, a record number. On 20 June 2025, the 100 most groundbreaking concepts from 23 nations were honoured with the coveted iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD 2025 at the iconic Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. The eight most outstanding concepts were also rewarded with a total of EUR 50,000 in prize money. From innovative bricks that counteract the global textile waste crisis to hotplates that replace environmentally harmful fuels with solar-generated hydrogen, the range of concepts dedicated to solving the United Nations’ SDGs is enormous. Uwe Cremering, iF Design CEO, who presented the awards to the winners on the big stage at the Guggenheim Museum, was overwhelmed by the internationality of the competition: “Never before has the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD been so international – and never before have so many award winners from all over the world come on stage to receive their award in person. After last year’s Triennale in Milan, the Guggenheim Museum now provides an impressive setting for the young design talents who put their heart and soul into making the world a better place. A big thank you to our partners here in Bilbao, as well as to the jury of experts who evaluated over 7,000 submissions with great dedication.” In addition to the awards ceremony, iF Design, together with EIDE BASQUE DESIGN, organised an exciting two-day program for the award winners, with visits to universities and the creative industry as well as workshops and networking events. A big thank you goes to the local sponsors Bilbao City Council, Bizkaia Provincial Council, Basque Government, who helped to make Bilbao a hotspot for young international designers for two days! The concepts submitted to the competition were evaluated on the basis of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 to 15: No Poverty / Zero Hunger / Good Health and Well-being / Quality Education / Gender Equality / Clean Water and Sanitation / Affordable and Clean Energy / Decent Work and Economic Growth / Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure / Reduced Inequalities / Sustainable Cities and Communities / Responsible Consumption and Production / Climate Action / Life Below Water / Life on Land. The Jurors The jurors of the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD 2025 evaluated all entries based on five updated criteria. The concepts must achieve above-average marks in response to the following questions: Does it solve a problem? Does it reflect or promote high moral-ethical standards? Does it strengthen group relations? Does it make economic sense? Does it create a positive experience? Eight concepts with a total of EUR 50,000 in prize money: Blust – Refrigerated backpack for the safe transportation of blood samples – developed to maintain the cold chain in remote regions of Africa SDG: 03 Good Health and Well-being University: ELISAVA, Barcelona School of Design & Engineering, Spain Winners: Lluc Rodó de Yebra, Alèxia Farré Aldomà, Carmen Bataller Arcila, Lidia Teruel Romero Prize money: EUR 10,000 BLUST is a backpack that was developed for the transportation of blood samples for Doctors Without Borders in Central Africa. It is designed to prevent the cold chain from being interrupted in remote parts of Africa during epidemics. BLUST uses renewable energy and combines active and passive cooling to keep blood samples at 2-8 °C for at least a week in regions without a reliable power supply. Unlike existing solutions, BLUST has a clever two-part system: a loading unit that absorbs and stores energy to generate cold, and a transport unit that efficiently maintains the low temperatures. Jury Statement: “This is a very specific, economical, tangible and beautifully designed solution that meets a real and urgent need in the developing world. This is life-saving design at its best.” HydrogenCooker – An environmentally friendly hotplate that offers a sustainable alternative to harmful and environmentally damaging fuels for cooking in Cameroon SDG: 07 Affordable and Clean Energy University: École cantonale d‘art de Lausanne, Switzerland Winner: Stefan Troendle Prize money: EUR 10,000 The HydrogenCooker is a mobile hotplate that uses solar-generated hydrogen during cooking to replace environmentally harmful fuels. The HydrogenCooker thus addresses the needs of 2.6 billion people who still use harmful cooking methods. The mobile, modular design is suitable for use in existing kitchens, has larger cooking plates, intuitive controls and only emits water vapour. It is manufactured on site from laser-cut metal and ensures durability, easy maintenance and accessibility. Jury Statement: “An honest and cost-effective solution that harmonises three essential aspects of design: Sustainability, safety and local production. The effectiveness of the solution is based on a keen understanding of the interaction between machine and human. Outstanding execution!” TextileRefuge – Innovative brick that transforms textile waste into a sustainable and locally usable resource in Ghana SDG: 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities University: IED Milano – Istituto Europeo di Design, Italy Winners: Giacomo Frova, Carola Castiglione, Mattia Cappiello, Mattia Macciachini Prize money: EUR 10,000 TextileRefuge is an innovative brick that addresses the global textile waste crisis, with a special focus on Ghana. The Limetex brick is made from discarded fast fashion: an innovative building material made from shredded fabrics and hydrated lime, transforming textile waste into a sustainable resource. The durable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly Limetex bricks offer an alternative to concrete and reduce the environmental impact. In Chorkor, Ghana, where millions of used clothes arrive every week, the project provides local people with jobs, skills and affordable housing, transforming a global problem into a sustainable, circular solution that promotes social and environmental progress. Jury Statement: “A successful attempt to solve two problems at the same time: the huge global problem of textile waste and the lack of accommodation for refugees. This is a fantastic example of how to turn a problem into a solution.” SnowStride – Innovative snowshoe system that supports the recovery of people with lower limb injuries SDG: 03 Good Health and Well-being University: Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada Winner: Devang Ghosh Prize money: EUR 4,000 SnowStride is an innovative snowshoe system that has been specially developed for people with lower limb injuries. In contrast to conventional rehabilitation methods, which usually take place in closed, clinical environments, SnowStride enables active recovery in nature and turns the rehabilitation process into a positive, motivating experience. The adjustable springback between the base and the poles of the snowshoe allows the support to be gradually increased as the leg is lifted – ideal for gently rebuilding the muscles after an injury. Jury Statement: “SnowStride is a well-executed design solution for people living in snowy regions. A perfect solution that speeds up the healing process after an injury by spending time outdoors and interacting with friends.” CalmTouch – Clinical thermometers with the aim of providing compassionate medical care for refugees from conflict areas SDG: 03 Good Health and Well-being University: South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China / Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, United States of America Winners: Tianlv Wang, Xueqing Zhao, Ting Luo, Lechuan Huang Prize money: EUR 4,000 CalmTouch is a clinical thermometer that was developed for refugees from conflict zones, with the aim of providing sensitive medical care in places where fear and trauma have often left deep scars. Conventional clinical thermometers, which are pointed at the head like a gun, can evoke threatening associations in traumatised people. With CalmTouch, the temperature is not taken by a frontal “shot”, but by a gentle, stroking movement on the head. This loving interaction helps to strengthen confidence in medical measures and has been proven to reduce anxiety reactions. Jury Statement: “This concept demonstrates that great design must consider a broad range of aspects that extend far beyond mere form and function. In this case, the concept offers protection to those suffering from psychological stress and trauma due to war and political conflicts.” Story EMonster – Toys for autistic children to help them recognise, express and understand the emotions of others SDG: 04 Quality Education University: Chung Yuan Christian University, Commercial Design Department, Taoyuan, Taiwan Winners: Jo-Hao Wu, Kang-Xuan Sun, Li-An Huang Prize money: EUR 4,000 Story EMonster is a children’s toy that was developed for autistic children. The concept aims to make it easier for autistic children to recognise, express and understand other people’s emotions. The Story EMonster’s use of expressions, colours and textures is designed to help autistic children improve their ability to recognise and respond to different emotions. The toy enables them to describe emotional changes, tell stories, convey emotions and build emotional bonds. Jury Statement: “A sensible and well thought out solution that not only meets the needs of autistic children, but also incorporates the principles of universal design, allowing other children to use the toy for fun and education. A very worthwhile project.” Tando – App, with locally available materials and tools, thus enabling the production of important goods SDG: 09 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure University: ecosign / academy for design, Cologne/Germany Winner: Elisa Schneider Prize money: EUR 4,000 Tando is an app where people can create instructions, request or offer items, exchange services and network. The aim is to enable the production of important goods using locally available materials and tools – cheaply, sustainably and collaboratively. In this way, craft skills are passed on, the local economy is strengthened, and new jobs are created. The idea arose from a conversation with a doctor from Tanzania, who emphasised the need for affordable, locally producible solutions. This led to the development of a globally applicable open-source concept. Tando products are modular, easy to repair and often cheaper than imports. Visual step-by-step instructions make them easy to use, even for illiterate people. Jury Statement: “Tando proposes inclusive, imaginative designs that are tailored to the specific needs of each community. By democratizing design and empowering local participation, Tando enables everyone to contribute to meaningful solutions. A very impressive concept.” Carbon and Cloud – App to educate and guide people to better understand and manage the carbon emissions associated with cloud usage SDG: 13 Climate Action University: Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden Winners: Yihong Dai, Jialong He, Ziqi Li Prize money: EUR 4,000 Carbon and Cloud is an app designed to educate and guide users to better understand and manage the carbon emissions associated with their cloud usage. The concept highlights the impact of data hoarding and unbridled cloud usage and proposes a detailed and well-implemented solution to raise awareness and reduce the impact of data storage. Many cloud users do not delete their digital data and are unaware that cloud resources are not unlimited and carbon-free. Cloud data is stored in data centres, which consume a lot of energy, i.e. CO². Jury Statement: “The first step to changing behaviour is to create awareness, and this carefully thought-out concept does both – it shows the carbon footprint of our digital habits and shows us how we can change them.” All 100 award-winning concepts on the iF Design website www.ifdesign.com
