A' Design Awards opens 2026 call for strategic design entries

A' Design Award & Competition has opened entries for the A' International Strategic Design Awards 2026, with submissions due Sept. 30, 2026 and results due May 1, 2027. The program targets strategic design projects, business strategies and organizational solutions from around the world, with winners receiving promotional tools, exhibitions and other prize benefits.

Why it matters: - Strategic design is increasingly being used to influence business growth, organizational change and long-term value creation. - The awards give strategists, designers and organizations a way to benchmark work in business design, UX, branding, systems and innovation. - Winning entries receive promotional support that can expand visibility beyond the award itself.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened the call for entries to the A' International Strategic Design Awards 2026. - Entries are open worldwide to strategic designers, business designers, UX/UI designers, brand strategists, system designers, design researchers, interaction designers, organizational design consultants, innovation managers, experience designers, customer experience consultants, social designers, policy designers, information architects, CEOs, founders, innovators, product-service designers, system engineers, large enterprises, strategic brands, strategic manufacturers, strategic professionals, consultancy firms and research and development companies. - Eligible work includes strategic design projects, business strategies and organizational solutions developed within the last 10 years. - The entry deadline is Sept. 30, 2026. - Results will be announced May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition runs in two phases, starting with a complimentary preliminary evaluation. - Projects that pass the preliminaries can move on to nomination, which carries a nominal fee. - Eligible categories include brand strategies, business models, corporate strategies, marketing plans, innovation strategies, operational strategies, organizational designs, service blueprints and customer experience strategies. - Entries are judged anonymously by an international jury of more than 300 experts. - Jury evaluation centers on strategic thinking, innovation, user value, feasibility, impact, systems thinking and design excellence. - The Professional-edition A' Design Prize includes a Design Excellence Certificate, lifetime use of the winner logo, a yearbook of best designs, exhibitions in Italy, a trophy, an invitation to the gala night, translation of awarded works into foreign languages, entry to Prime Clubs, and inclusion in World Design Rankings, Designer Rankings, Strategic Design Classifications and Design Legends platforms. - Laureates also receive an exclusive interview for Designer Interviews, a press release announcing the win, and a press kit with images, logos and portfolio material. - Press kits are distributed to thousands of accredited press members, and dozens of press partners have already agreed to publish selected winning projects. - The press kit preparation and distribution service, along with the A' Design Prize, is offered free of charge to laureates. - Additional details are available at the category page, and registrations can be made at the entry page. - Past winners are listed at the winners page.

Between the lines: - The awards package is built to turn recognition into media exposure, portfolio validation and broader industry visibility. - The emphasis on anonymous judging and a large expert jury is meant to frame the competition as merit-based rather than promotional. - By spanning business strategy, services, systems and customer experience, the program positions strategic design as a cross-functional discipline rather than a niche design category.

What's next: - Designers, companies and institutions can submit entries before the Sept. 30 deadline. - Qualified projects will advance from preliminary review to nomination and later compete for laureate status. - Winners will be announced on May 1, 2027, followed by prize distribution and publicity activities.

The bottom line: - The 2026 A' International Strategic Design Awards are now open, with a global call for strategic work that blends design, business and organizational change.