Aalto Design Factory is a pioneering hub for product development education, research and practice. Together with our stakeholders, we explore novel formats and insights on development collaboration and interdisciplinary education for innovation. Located in Espoo, Finland, we are part of Aalto University.

Product Development Project is our longest standing course, with over 25 years of students working with industry partners to develop functional solutions to challenges. In addition to courses, we do research and development project to create new collaboration practices for innovation.

We work with the engineering, science, design, art and business programs with Aalto and a wide range of external partners, particularly technology companies.

Sino-Finnish Centre aims to create a strategic paradigm in innovative education, research and practice. Sino-Finnish Centre is a joint effort of Tongji University in China and Aalto University in Finland. It is a hotspot for people who want to make their ideas into reality. We believe that bringing students, companies and researchers together can create extraordinary outcomes. Sino-Finnish Centre supports the mutual goal of Aalto and Tongji to become world-class universities. Sino-Finnish Centre offers new learning experiences through international and interdisciplinary activities. Courses, workshops and lectures range from product design, innovation and sustainability to business management etc. Sino-Finnish Centre and Aalto-Tongji Design Factory welcome leading scholars and future talents from Aalto, Tongji and our key partner universities. Co-operation with leading companies, organizations and researchers is also key to our ecosystem.

Tongji-Aalto Smart Campus Summer Camp

The Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai and the Finnish National Agency for Education

Swinburne Design Factory Melbourne (DFM) is a world-leading innovation lab, the third founding Design Factory in a network of global partners – and the first in the southern hemisphere. A team of sector-agnostic, interdisciplinary experts, Design Factory Melbourne: unpacks your organisation’s complex problems using design thinking converts your ideas into tangible concepts operates as a sandbox to mitigate risk, test ideas, explore customer segments, and expand the market connects your organisation to Swinburne’s research ecosystem. Students from all disciplines can study with Design Factory Melbourne for an immersive, hands-on experience, living and breathing organisations’ real-world problems.

Challenge Based Innovation (CBI) and Inclusive Design

Healthcare, technology and local councils

We believe in the transformative power of design, so our purpose is to promote transformations through design.

Aplica Diseño: is an academic program to link the students of the Duoc's School of Design with public and/or private companies and organizations by carrying out collaborative projects in which the students apply the skills acquired to solve real problems. The program is implemented throughout the School of Design, in all our programs (Graphic design, Industrial design, Fashion design, Interior design, Web development and design, illustration). Strategic projects: DDHUB is the unit in charge of leading the R+D+i activities carried out by Duoc's School of Design school, generating projects and forming dedicated research teams.

We work with public and private companies of different sizes in diverse areas and fields, generally linked to the disciplinary areas that the School of Design programs address.

Experimental Education, Disruptive Thinking, Interplanetary Innovation.

Challenge-Based Innovation (CBI): CBI is a project course where multidisciplinary student teams and their instructors collaborate to discover novel solutions for the future of humankind. The underpinning approach intersects societal needs anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with fundamental research and deep tech to develop meaningful interventions that address global challenges. IdeaSquare Planet: IdeaSquare's forthcoming educational endeavour, IdeaSquare Planet, is taking us on a cosmic journey to an exoplanet and then back to Earth. At its core, this approach hinges on a bold question: What if humanity were compelled to start anew on an entirely different planet? This includes designing the travel to an exoplanet, considering who and what to bring, the survival phase at landing, and how teams will be able to establish a first sustainable settlement on this exoplanet. The students then bring these learnings back to planet Earth as they consider how the solutions could be implemented to Earth systems, both in a short and long-term perspective. By making order of magnitude calculations and systemic impact assessments, students look at societal systems in a holistic and comprehensive manner, considering possible ripple effects or unintended consequences of their actions and ideas. (edited)

Universities, research instituitions, executive education organisations, INGOs.

Design Factory Korea is an open platform where education meets industries to solve real problems based on interdisciplinary team projects. DFK creates values through problem based learning, providing an experimental learning environment to build innovative knowledge ecosystem.

1) Capstone Project The Capstone Project is a project-based course in which students come up with innovative and marketable products or services through the 4-stage development process, including definition, conceptualization, prototyping and evaluation. Students have presentation about their final result at the Capstone Gala Night which is an annual event finalizing the class. 2) UNOSD SDGs Youth Summer Camp The UNOSD SDGs Youth Summer Camp is a global gathering where young adults from various countries come together to address global social issues. Using the Design Thinking process, participants define problems related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ideate solutions, create prototypes, and deliver them.

Educational Institutions, government, non-profit organizations, and other companies.

A passion-based and created learning atelier at NHL Stenden University of Applied Science for national and international students, teachers, researchers and the business community. Using Future Thinking theory in combination with Design Based Education, we build Futures Visions for a better everyday life and design new solutions for people and planet.

Future Design Weeks, intense interdisciplinairy weeks organised for students, researchers and industry. Goal is to design a future vision for the challenge at hand. BLØKHAUS: a interdisciplinary collaboration of 4 minors where students, teachers and industry create educational innovation together.

The field of education, but also local and regional government and industry in general. We work together under the umbrella of Broad Prosperity, a vision in which we all strive to create a better Future.

Industrial design and Product and Service Development

GTI - Global Team Based Innovation is a 9 month Post-Graduation course in product and service innovation, in which students work in transdisciplinary and international teams, developing solutions for real companies.

Retail & consumer goods, health, furniture and the wine sector

DFJBOG sees innovation grounded on actual, dynamic needs of the different sectors of society, including people, other forms of life and private, public and civil-society organizations. We believe that innovation processes need to be supported by a strong sense of community, deeper emotional connections and solid trust bonds.

"Open-Mind Fridays" (community-building) Every friday afternoon we invite the community from our campus at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá), to participate in different non-academic/non-professional activities, that aim to strengthen the sense of community, the trust and the emotional connections. This initiative looks for "spreading the word" of our DF, foster new connections, motivate new projects and increase the community wellbeing. "Classroom Exercises" (Working with external partners) This initiative facilitates the interaction between external organizations (Private, public and civil-society) and our students, where the organizations launch a challenge and a team of students and a lecturer address the challenge. The level of detail of the possible solutions and strategies depend on the defined project scope. This initiative is based on open-innovation, challenge-based ad project-based learning strategies.

Government, banks insurance companies food clothes

Bringing together academics from various departments of our university, METU DF prioritizes interdisciplinary work and collaborates with the industry, considering students as an integral part of this culture with its infrastructure suitable for R&D and P&D projects with various scopes and different scales.

Interdisciplinary Design Studio [course]: open to all students from all levels and all disciplines. aiming to convert theoretical knowledge and practical expertise of students into innovative product ideas and solutions to societal problems. ECITE [project]: Emergence of Creative Industries and Transformation of Economy of Gaming, Wearables and New Generation Film Production

NGOs, health, aerospace, energy systems, smart solutions (for homes, cities, industries), software development, artificial intelligence, mobility, white goods, human machine interaction.

Our expertise spans a broad range of technology topics including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, gaming and human-centered design. We integrate design thinking and innovation methods with technology to prepare students with the skills needed to develop sustainable, inclusive, and future-focused solutions that prioritize the needs of both individuals and society.

Product Development: Innovating water for the protection of human and environmental health, developed in collaboration with the Pace Center for Technology, Policy, and the Environment. Blue CoLab Product Development: Creating technology solutions to enhance Access to Justice, developed in collaboration with Pace Law School

Our partners come from a variety of industries including but not limited to technology, environment, policy, legal, and government.

Inspiring all RTU students to become innovators

Student innovation activities- a variety of well-established student innovation grant programs and events, for example, IdeaLab for idea development, PAP for prototype development, VIP for collaboration in innovative scientific projects, CreativeTuesdays amazing workshops, Hack and Snack- prototype and eat, Innovation Horror Stories- students sharing innovation failure stories etc. amazing innovation activities! Coopetitions- new type of hackathons where students not only compete but also collaborate with other teams, public, private and academic sector

Industry, government, all innovation ecosystem members

"Anyone can Cook" - Chef Gusteau. Ratatouille. At CDF we design beyond disciplinary boundaries for the global good. We believe that in this common home of ours (Laudato Si) we are all connected (Fratelli Tutti) and design is a tool for a better understanding of each other, greater comprehension of the big problems of the world and a pathway towards action and transformation.

PDP and Design of Experiences and Services

Agritech, Healthtech, Edutech, Government (social innovation), Food tech.

Fusion Point believes that creativity and innovation are the tools and mindset that future leaders need to navigate uncertainty and create a positive impact for a sustainable future. Their focus areas are the following: Health & Wellness​, Mobility & Transport​, Twin Transition (Green&Digital), Sustainability.

Challenge Based Innovation (CBI): A program at CERN IdeaSquare that connects its research with societal challenges, leveraging technologies to address Sustainable Development Goals through multidisciplinary student teams. Technology for Social Innovation (TeSI): This program integrates CERN's science and technology to tackle societal issues, focusing on disruptive applications and innovative business models. It teaches students to develop, assess, and communicate the impacts of new technologies on society. Other courses powered by Fusion Point are: Technology for Social Innovation (TeSI), Challenge-Based Innovation for Artificial Intelligence (CBI4AI), I2Planet, Innovation Through Design Thinking, among others.

Private and public entities, NGOs from the field of Health & Wellness​, Mobility & Transport​, Twin Transition (Green&Digital), Sustainability.

Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship, Circular Design, Landscape Design, Dynamic Heritage and Adaptive Design.

ME310/SUGAR: Innovation through Design Thinking with the world’s best universities and companies. Collection and utilization of 3D point cloud data of landscapes in various forms, from new expressions such as spatial restoration in VR to historical recording materials.

Agriculture, Automotive, Electronics, Historical Sites, Manufacturing, Software, Apparel and Textile

Development of soft skills and prototyping.

60 groups are working on different activities and initiatives, our facilities we offer basic training and support for their activities.

Local government, and some sponsors supporting the teams.

Design Factory@SIT (DF@SIT) adopts a user-centric model, supporting industry partners through collaborative innovation projects. This approach creates authentic interdisciplinary and collaborative learning opportunities for students while enhancing the workplace learning continuum. DF@SIT guides businesses in discovering unique value propositions through a multidisciplinary co-creation approach in design innovation and experimentation!

1. A Design Thinking course with volunteer managers from Singapore’s National Council of Social Service! 2. Developing an intuitive and 3D-printable compliant mechanism for microsurgery practice, optimising the clamping effect to ensure ease of assembly and compliance with medical standards.

Healthcare Partners (local hospitals and doctors), Heritage Institutions, Social Service Institutions

Our unique focus lies in human-centered innovation, driven by a passion for rapid prototyping to cultivate 21st-century skills among our students. By emphasizing hands-on experimentation and iterative design processes, we empower learners to tackle real-world challenges creatively and adaptively.

CBI A3: CBI A3, in collaboration with Design Factory Melbourne and IdeaSquare CERN, merges CERN technologies and UN Sustainable Development Goals, enabling students to design applications for future scenarios that bridge the gap between cutting-edge science and societal needs. iPdP: In cooperation with HAMK, iPDP engages bachelor and master students in resolving broad business and societal challenges through design thinking methods. Teams develop innovative products and service concepts. Close collaboration with a corporate partner ensures the practical relevance of solutions, preparing students for tomorrow's innovations.

City of Mannheim, Healthcare Sector, Green Industry, Sustainable innovations

Our main focus is on Digital Innovation and Design Thinking. As part of the University of Tartu, Institute of Computer Science, we explore how technology, creativity, and user-centered design can drive digital transformation. We bring together interdisciplinary teams of students, researchers, and professionals to turn ideas into meaningful digital experiences through hands-on, project-based learning.

Our courses emphasize real-world collaboration and experimentation, helping participants gain a deep understanding of how digital products and services are conceived, designed, and developed. Learners work on industry-driven projects, co-creating innovative solutions alongside partner companies and organizations. Through this approach, students not only learn design thinking and prototyping skills but also gain experience in solving authentic challenges from the digital industry — bridging the gap between education, innovation, and practice.

Private and public sector organizations focused on digital innovation.

The goal of HAMK Design Factory is that every student in HAMK will have the opportunity to complete an interdisciplinary student project for industry during their studies. Therefore, HAMK Design Factory operates in all seven campuses of HAMK in diverse fields such as design, entrepreneurship and business, health and social services, IT and ICT, natural resources, and biotechnology. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, creative and regenerative solutions and prototypes that address authentic industry and ecosystem challenges are co-created and tested in the field.

- DF Workshop course, which allows for anybody the opportunity to broaden their skill sets. - 6 month long PDP (product development project) course with challenges from real sponsors and students placed in interdisciplinary teams.

Circular economy companies, SMEs in various sectors, non-governmental organizations.

Global-Interdisciplinarity, SDG orientation, Human-AI interaction and ethics, design thinking methodology research

Jamweek- a four-day academic course engaging students and lecturers across all departments. The course is based on cross-disciplinary workshops and sessions, unified under a central theme picked every year (aging, environment, culture, education, etc.). Multidisciplinary teams are required to tackle real-world challenges provided by various organizations. TOM summer workshop - an internship course that addresses niche segments with special needs and creates tailor-made dedicated assistive solutions, for their physical welfare benefits.

Social non-profit organizations, research centers, textiles, agriculture, food-tech, start-up accelerators, healthcare, municipalities.

The Hannam Design Factory brings together students from more than seven different majors into a single team for every course. Professors from these various disciplines collaborate in team teaching. The seven majors include computer engineering, information & communication engineering, mechanical engineering, business administration, convergence design, media & visual communication, and global business. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students propose ideas based on their specialised knowledge, and the blend of diverse perspectives results in creative outcomes.

(1) GDTP - Global Design Thinking Project: This program allows students to tackle challenges presented by global companies, working collaboratively with other design factory students worldwide to develop creative solutions. (2) MDC - Micro Design Challenge: This is a week-long hackathon conducted in collaboration with various design factories around the world. Sometimes, students from international design factories are invited to Hannam Design Factory to join the program, and conversely, Hannam students are dispatched to overseas design factories.

The Hannam Design Factory collaborates with various Korean companies, organizations, and international firms. We place a high value on partnerships with overseas design factories and are always open to further collaboration.

Oper.space enables the potential of individuals and organizations as innovators. We cultivate a new culture of creativity and sensitivity towards innovation connecting universities, businesses, and institutions to collectively address complex societal issues through innovation pathways that generate solutions focused on real people's needs.

OPER.CBI (Challenge Based Innovation) A multidisciplinary innovation program where teams of students from University of Bologna tackle innovation challenges proposed by local businesses, using technologies and knowledge from CERN. Among the various skills available at CERN, we focus on those related to data management and digital transformation, which are extremely relevant in almost every field today. SUGAR Network for Design Innovation A 9-month international collaboration program aimed at addressing an innovation challenge through the collaboration between two selected multidisciplinary teams of students, coming from two universities within the Sugar network. During the program the students and the corporate partners collaborate together following the Design Thinking human centred approach. Recovery education practices for lower secondary school The project will start in 2025 and it will be two years long. It aims to support and promote the mental well-being of middle school students through co-design workshops that follow the methodologies of the Recovery college and Design Thinking. These methodologies would be included in a path in which university students and middle school students are guided by coaches with the aim of developing new ideas to improve students' conditions.

Food, Healthcare, Automotive, Manufacturing 4.0, Services,

The Design Factory is an interdisciplinary product design and learning center that connects students, faculty, and industry leaders. Our mission is to develop a culture of passion-based learning at St. John’s University that pays special/unique attention to strengthen highly sought professional skills such as problem solving, innovation, and entrepreneurship for our students.

1. Business Model Competition - Interdisciplinary collaboration that helps bring inventors' IP to market. 2. Artifact Prototyping for Entrepreneurs - MVP prototyping and testing for entrepreneurial students trying to bring ideas to market

Game Development, Cybersecurity, Sport Management, Television and Film, Criminal Justice, Advertising, Entrepreneurship

Design Factory London Overview: 1 Interdisciplinary Collaboration: We advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration, where the most groundbreaking solutions emerge from the intersection of different disciplines. Students, researchers, and industry experts come together to work on real-world challenges collaboratively. 2 Innovation and Creativity: We foster a culture of innovation and creativity, celebrating unconventional ideas and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. 3 Problem-Solving: We are dedicated to solving real-world problems by identifying challenges and developing innovative solutions that have a meaningful impact on society, industry, and the world at large. 4 Hands-On Learning: Through project-based learning, we provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities, allowing students to apply their knowledge in practical, real-world contexts, preparing them for their future careers. 5 Entrepreneurship and Startups: We nurture the entrepreneurial spirit by providing support and resources for students and researchers interested in entrepreneurship and startup ventures, encouraging the development of new businesses and initiatives with a positive impact. 6 Technology and Digitalization: Embracing technology and digitalization as tools for innovation, we explore emerging technologies and digital trends, leveraging them to create cutting-edge solutions to complex challenges. 7 Global Perspective: We collaborate with partners from around the world, encouraging cross-cultural exchange and collaboration to address global challenges, believing in the power of diversity and the importance of a global perspective.

Design Factory London runs The Chelsea Challenge which is in its 3rd iteration and the Global Design Challenge with where other Design Factories from 9 other countries are involved.

Local companies, business groups, councils, and the professional development arm of Brunel University

nandin is ANSTO’s catalyst for innovation and collaboration in the nuclear science & technology sector. nandin means “look ahead” in the local Indigenous Dharawal language, which frames our forward-thinking and imaginative approach to innovation. We embrace a culture of co-creation, creativity, and experimentation through our programs and initiatives. Our vibrant community brings together ANSTO, entrepreneurs, students, and industry to advance nuclear science and technology and tackle the challenges of tomorrow. At nandin, imagination and invention converge to bring ideas to life.

1. nandin Network: The nandin Network supports startups, businesses, students, and research teams to grow and succeed through mentoring, innovation workshops, and commercialisation support. 2. ANSTO Core Challenges: ANSTO Core Challenges is about connecting industry capability with complex ANSTO projects. The future of nuclear is interdisciplinary, so our Nuclear Innovation Program invites entrepreneurial minds from all sectors to upskill and collaborate on these projects.

business, education, science, deep tech, nuclear, manufacturing, training

Food systems sustainability innovation

They have several initiatives, with one of their core focuses currently being Food SystemiCity (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/projects/food-systemicity)

Agriculture, Food, Food service, and all related fields

Our main vocation is the articulation between research and industry, developing design, prototyping and communication projects for industry, shaping and implementing new technologies and solutions.

I´X — Experimental research is a publisher by Design Factory Aveiro with vocation to support students in the development of new products in the areas of product and communication design. Community Capacitation involves a series of workshops aimed at equipping our community with the tools and techniques essential for developing their projects within our workshop environment.

National Scientific System, Technological Testbeds, Energy Industry, Local Government

Our location at ARENA2036, the ecosystem, Design Thinking, Scrum, Kintsugi, Ikigai and Changemanagement

1. agile student teams who get work experience by collaborating in R&D projects with industry 2. Professional trainings and tailored workshops

Innovation and interdisciplinarity

1. dLab is an innovative program that brings together students from diverse fields such as design, business, and engineering. Over the course of a year, these students work in teams, guided by the principles of design thinking, to tackle complex problems within a specific thematic area. Through this interdisciplinary approach, they combine their unique perspectives and expertise to develop creative solutions and prototypes that address real-world challenges. 2. Interdisciplinary Labs: provide a dynamic environment where students from different academic backgrounds collaborate on projects centered around specific challenges. These labs offer a hands-on learning experience that prepares students for the complexities of today's interconnected world, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking in addressing complex problems.

Government and international public entities

Connecting the [im]possibles – we are blurring the lines between rapid prototyping technologies and media with a touch of virtual production. We excel in creating interdisciplinary fields and forging unique pathways for students.

MAKERS 5.0 – an intensive short programme tailored for local and international students focusing on rapid prototyping, design thinking, and product development, spiced with hands-on experiences. Coordinating the new initiative in the virtual production industry – managing the newly opened virtual production studio in Lithuania, VILNIUS TECH 'Faux Real Studio.' This initiative is tailored for interdisciplinary work among artists, students, and the film industry.

Tech & engineering; creative industries; arts & social business

Bringing together design, engineering and the human and social sciences to train user experience professionals able to tackle companies' challenges coming from contemporary major changes and issues.es and issues.

A training/innovation programme offering a collaborative, multidisciplinary experience with a socio-economic player, around a challenge to be met by creating a testable prototype.

We work with all types of sectors: public authorities (health, culture, ecology, etc.), industry (energy, materials, etc.), digital companies, town planners, retail, etc.

Design Factory Manchester is an innovation hub and research group at Manchester School of Art. It is a vehicle for our community of practitioners, researchers and students to design locally-based sustainable development with the potential to reach well beyond our city. We take a participatory approach to designing innovation which is social and inclusive. Our three current research themes are (1) Stockport Creative Campus - An Arts Council funded project working with creative businesses and social enterprises to actively develop sustainable ways of collectively thriving by applying design thinking and doing to community and place-based regeneration; (2) Co-operative enterprise for sustainable innovation - Exploring the potential of alternative modes of enterprise to enable more sustainable modes of innovation, including collaboration with Co-operatives UK; (3) Creative climate action - Exploring how designers and the design industries can collectively respond more meaningfully and effectively to the challenges of climate change and its ecological and social crises, via increased sustainability literacy and more confident climate action.

(1) A Hackathon with Co-operatives UK sought to boost the development of co-operative, ethical tech. Teams explored ways of harnessing technology tools to support their social innovations; (2) ‘Reframing Stockport’ - a project undertaken by second year bachelor’s students from across design disciplines at Manchester School of Art. Students were invited to undertake a placemaking exercise focused on culturally activating Stockport, a post-industrial town within Greater Manchester.

Businesses, development agencies, other educational institutions, arts organisations, local government, community groups.

Developing a Design Ecosystem across the Midwest and Midlands regions of Ireland, connecting industry, academics and students and building resilience within the regions design enterprises to grow the region’s awareness and knowledge of the potential for design to inform and develop our region’s potential for innovation and sustainability.

1. Design Futures Cultivator, supporting the next generation of design-led entrepreneurs on developing human centred innovative solutions. 2. SAP Industry Challenge Innovation, sees industry and students collaborating to research and iterate solutions to address environmentally sustainable development through design-led methodologies.

We work with Start-ups, SME’S (Small and Medium Enterprises), Students, Academics, Researchers, Regional Universities Network (RUN EU), Local Authorities, Design Representative Bodies, Community based Social Enterprises and wider Industry stakeholders within the Midlands Midwest region.

Student Entrepreneurship

- Innovators: A training fellowship aimed at Masters' Degree students enrolled in one of the 17 UNISA Departments. More than 100 hours of training on the themes of business creation, mentoring by Evangelists and study tours to vibrant international ecosystem of innovation. - Grants A.L.I.: This initiative provides grants to students' entrepreneurial teams. The grants will allow them to transform their dreams in reality. SEIUNISA will offer connections with Investors, Experts, and technology Infrastructures for product development.

Start up incubators, Venture Capital, Evangelists, Corporations, Startegic Advisors

Design Factory Birmingham was created to facilitate innovation and design thinking across Aston University and create graduates who are prepared for the future of work. We do this through university wide interdisciplinary teaching and participation in global design challenges with industry partners. This approach enables students, staff and partners, to collaborate, learn, and create new products that solve real-world problems in physical and digital environments.

We run courses in Design, Business and Engineering at undergraduate and postgraduate level. We work with industry partners within these courses. In addition, we run an interdisciplinary design innovation module for all engineering students.

We have a range of collaborations both locally and internationally in areas of design, innovation, medical technologies, AI and Computer Science.