Deadline:
July 16, 2025
Location(s)
Online
Overview
WANTED: PROBLEM SOLVERS
James Dyson is on the hunt for bright minds with fresh ideas from around the globe. If you have an invention that solves a problem, we want to hear about it.
Details
What is it?
A HEAD START FOR BUDDING INVENTORS
The James Dyson Award is an international design award that celebrates, encourages and inspires the next generation of design engineers. It's open to current and recent design engineering students, and is run by the James Dyson Foundation, James Dyson’s charitable trust, as part of its mission to get young people excited about design engineering.
The brief
Design something that solves a problem
The brief is broad. We’re looking for designers who think differently, to create products that work better.
Engineers follow an iterative design process. The judges – and James Dyson especially – are drawn to designs that employ clever yet simple engineering principles and address clear problems.
As well as proving your project’s technical viability, we'd also love to see that it’s commercially viable, too – so include any research you've done into manufacturing costs and retail prices.
James Dyson will also look for entries that address a sustainability issue, or have been designed, sourced or manufactured sustainably.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES AND REGIONS
So we don't care where you're from.
However, all entrants must have undertaken their studies in one of the following countries:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Mainland China, Colombia, Hong Kong SAR, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The James Dyson Award is open to current university students of engineering, product design and industrial design – and those who have graduated in these subjects in the last four years. We'll ask to see official documentation that proves it.
If you don't want to work alone, or if you studied something else but have a brilliant idea you want to share, you can still enter as part of a team. Your team leader must have studied one of the qualifying subjects, and all team members must be (or have been within the last four years) enrolled for at least one semester in an undergraduate or graduate programme.
We are also open to those completing degree-level apprenticeships, or those who have completed one in the past four years, in the field of engineering or design.
Dates
Deadline: July 16, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?
The James Dyson Award is your chance to make a name for yourself as an inventor. As well as winning a significant cash prize, you could generate media exposure to kick-start your career, earn the esteem of your peers – and perhaps gain the confidence to launch your own business. Entering is simple.
Prizes:
- National winner: £2,000
- International runners up: £5,000
- Sustainability winner: £30,000
- International winner: £30,000 (and £5,000 for your university)
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
