Call #3
DesignWanted’s third Call turns the spotlight on a household classic that often goes unnoticed: the Umbrella Stand. And for the first time, a cash prize is on the line — with which DesignWanted will directly acquire the winning project.
Participation is free — scroll down to read the brief and get involved!
Company
This Call is brought to you by DesignWanted.
DesignWanted is an Italian design magazine, with a global outlook. Rooted in Milan and reaching over 40 countries through content and partnerships, our mission is to uncover and narrate the finest aspects of contemporary design. Each day, we curate and share projects, opinions, ideas, and reports related to the ever-evolving world of design, sourcing content from every corner of the globe.
Our stories feature both emerging talents and design icons, as well as innovative startups and established brands—resulting in a balance of quantity and quality that makes DesignWanted one of the most followed and appreciated sources and communities on the international stage.
Website 
Facebook Brief & Prize
We’re excited to welcome you to our Call #3 — This is an invitation to move past tradition, embracing daring ideas, unconventional aesthetics, and forward-thinking functionalities.
Judges
Each Ideas for Business call is backed by the expertise of independent designers who, through their experience, insight, and passion, assist in selecting the submitted projects.
Creative Director at DesignWanted, designer, and strategic consultant, working across set design and complex curatorial and institutional projects.
Designer and art director, also co-founder of Deepdesign, with a PhD in Environmental Design. Design researcher at Politecnico di Milano.
A designer and engineer, postdoctoral research fellow at MIT and Board Director at IDSA, he explores how design and technology intersect to shape society.
Deniz Aktay is a German designer and founder of DEZIN, known for minimalist, material-driven design that balances form and function.
Valentina Lonati’s work explores the ways in which design and architecture influence social and environmental transformation.
An Essex-based industrial designer, Liam de la Bedoyere’s studio specializes in furniture, lighting, housewares, and imaginative everyday objects.
An Italian industrial designer, founder of Mario Alessiani Studio, where he leads projects at the intersection of functionality, aesthetics, and innovation.
A Belgian designer and entrepreneur, Robrecht Lambrechts creates intuitive, timeless products rooted in art, architecture, and product design.
Alvaro Uribe is a New York–based, award-winning industrial and UX designer, as well as tenured professor at Pratt Institute.
A Milan-based product designer, leading projects for global brands while also lecturing across Europe and serving on the Red Dot jury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anyone who feels they fit the Call’s requirements can participate, whether you’re a student, freelance designer, or design / architecture studio. We impose no restrictions because we believe that talent, especially in the early creative stages, can produce concepts that appeal to the companies (and jury) behind the Call.
Participation is free. Ideas for Business aims to support designers at all levels by serving as a bridge to the business world, which we know can be challenging for designers. The only investment required is the time spent developing your concept for the Call.
There are no hidden fees, either at submission or if you win.
The selection process unfolds in three steps:
- Collecting all submitted projects until the Call closes.
- A preliminary review and selection is made by DesignWanted, which narrows down the entries to 10 shortlisted projects for the Jury.
- The Jury then selects 3 finalists, who will gain access to the prizes offered.
Brief, rewards and timeline for each are provided in the specific details of the Call.
All submitted projects will be evaluated by DesignWanted and the Jury, which includes expert designers. When a Call is launched in collaboration with a partner Brand, a company representative will also be involved in the review process.
Only the 3 Finalists will be announced via the official channels of Ideas for Business/DesignWanted, with the goal of celebrating and showcasing the top ideas.
The rights to any concept are owned and retained by the creators, meaning the participants who submit it to the Call. Participating in any Ideas for Business Call in no way transfers these rights to DesignWanted or the partner company, or any other entity.
The policy covering these matters can be found at this link (make sure to read it carefully!), and designers will be asked to approve it upon each submission.
As mentioned, prizes may vary depending on the Call. Some will be launched directly by DesignWanted to foster creative talent, while others will be developed in collaboration with partner companies looking for fresh ideas in product development.
When collaborating with partner companies, our aim is to support them in identifying valuable ideas for product development. All contractual agreements, however, are handled directly between the company and the winning participants. At this stage of the process, DesignWanted will have no role or rights over the winning design. Unless differently specified within the Call’s dedicated brief.
For added legal protection, we recommend consulting our partner DGRS, a law firm specializing in intellectual property and related contracts.
Since Ideas for Business focuses on submitting concepts created for a specific Call, the required materials are:
- High-quality renders that clearly and thoroughly present the project. Further details are provided in each individual Call page.
- Key information describing the project’s main elements (such as innovation, creative process, etc.), explaining to the DesignWanted team and Jury why the project is the best fit for the Call brief.
That’s a good question, especially in today’s context, and we’ll try provide a clear answer.
Yes, AI can be used, but only if it doesn’t replace the designer’s critical thinking and creative skills during product development. AI can be a tool to enhance creative insights, but it must not substitute the human capacity to thoroughly analyze a brief and create a well-thought-out concept in response.
In short, AI-assisted materials are allowed, but the project ideas must stem from the designer’s own reasoning and work. We believe that a designer’s sensitivity and empathy are essential to a project’s success.
It’s possible we may have missed something, so don’t hesitate to contact us for any information you need.
Feel free to use this email address: projects@designwanted.com.