Public voting for Design & Crafts Council Ireland's (DCCI) annual Irish Business Design Challenge (IBDC) has officially opened.
Now in its third year, IBDC supports companies applying design thinking to help future-proof their business and support customer needs, and has a prize fund of over €50,000.
Entries are judged across three size categories (micro, small and medium), with a winner chosen in each category. Winners will receive €15,000 each and runners up will each receive an award of €2,000.
This year's contest focuses on companies that have used design thinking in their business by making them more sustainable and efficient, with 107 businesses from across Ireland submitting entries.
Public voting is now open online and will remain open until Tuesday, 7 March.
In Association with
Minister of State in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Neale Richmond said the number of entries showed "a clear commitment from the Irish business community to use design thinking to make their businesses more sustainable.
"Creative and design led solutions are the most effective way to reduce any negative impacts that business may have on the environment, and I am delighted to be here today to officially open the public vote for this year’s Irish Business Design Challenge," he added.
The judging panel features Elaine Butler, of Circular Design Institute; Gwen Cunningham, circular lead at the National College of Art and Design; Jamie Maguire, owner and founder of Notions Creative, along with Edwin Jebb, creative director at Notions Creative; and Sophie Reynolds, circular economy policy and innovation lead at Irish Manufacturing Research.
The judges will evaluate all the entries once public voting has closed and declare the overall winner and runner-up in each category.
“This is the third year of the Irish Business Design Challenge. It has always highlighted the resilience, ingenuity, and creativity of Ireland’s MSMEs and it is a privilege to shine a light on these businesses," said Rosemary Steen, CEO of the DCCI.
"This year’s entries clearly show how a greener outlook and design thinking can come together to ensure a more sustainable outcome for businesses and their customers.”
Tom Watts, head of design at the DCCI, said: "We know that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are fundamental to Ireland’s economy. The number of high-quality entries to this year’s Challenge is testament to how important sustainability has become for Irish businesses.
"I am personally delighted that the winners of this year’s competition will not only benefit from cash prizes and recognition for their creativity and innovation, but they will also help to create a new benchmark for what we view as genuinely circular and sustainable.
"We encourage everyone to take part in the public vote to acknowledge these businesses and the eco-friendly design strategies they have used.”
IBDC 2023 was open to any Irish SME with "sustainable and ethically designed products, services or concepts that are human-centred, innovative and add value to the business."
Businesses were eligible to apply if, in the last year, they have:
- Changed their business model to add value and benefit to customers or society
- Repurposed or redesigned products or services
- Developed brand new products or services to meet current and future needs
- Discovered new ways of working that helped the business to become more efficient
- Invented innovative and meaningful solutions to a perceived problem
- Identified a challenge or opportunity and created a sustainable solution
- Used sustainable design strategies to develop new products or re-imagine old
- Reinvented the business service to benefit the environment and our society
Previous winners of the IBDC Challenge include GRÁ Chocolates, Bó Steel, Aqueduct, Notions Creative and Benson Clothing.
Photo: Neale Richmond TD with IBCD judges Edwin Jebb, Sophie Reynolds, Jamie Maguire, and Elaine Butler, and DCCI's Tom Watts. (Pic: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)
