Designers Have Until 2 November to Enter the iF Design Award 2027

Designers, start-ups and big brands have until 2 November to enter the iF Design Award 2027. Dezeen reported the open call on 23 October 2026.

The award is run by iF Design, a nonprofit foundation. It was set up in Germany in 1953, and it is now one of the best-known design competitions in the world. Winners are chosen from 93 categories spread across nine design areas. Those areas run from product design and packaging to architecture, interior architecture and concepts, and include the digital fields of user experience (UX, how a product feels to use) and user interface (UI, the screens and buttons people tap).

Each year the award receives nearly 10,000 entries from more than 70 countries. Every entry is scored against five criteria: idea, form, function, differentiation and sustainability. Each one counts for 20 per cent of the total score.

More than 130 jury members from around the world do the judging, across two rounds. iF Design's call-for-entries page says an Expert Jury picks the top half of entries to move on to a Final Jury. Entrants who do not win still receive a feedback chart. It shows their jury scores and how their project compared with others.

Getting in is straightforward. Entrants create a free account on the iF website, called "my iF," and enter basic details about their project. They then upload photos, detailed descriptions and any other supporting material. The iF site also notes that students should apply to the separate iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD, because the main award is for professionals.

Gold winners are invited to the international Winners Gala in Berlin, the organisation says.

iF Design CEO Uwe Cremering framed the award as a place for ambition. "We see the iF Design Award as one of the world's most important design platforms where leading brands, start-ups, designers and creators can challenge themselves, be inspired and stand out from the competition," he said.

For a studio in Lagos, a team in Lima or a one-person workshop in Leeds, the deadline is the practical detail to note. Entries close on 2 November, and the registration steps can be done online from anywhere.