BDA 2022 is now OPEN!
The Blackwood Design Awards is an international competition that seeks to find brilliant inventions and concepts that have the potential to change lives.
We are looking for inventions, designs and concepts that can boost independent living and enable people with disabilities to live life to the full.
Categories
There are three categories open to the public:
- Best Collaborative Project (by a University or Institute of Higher Learning)
- Best New Concept
- Best New Aids, Equipment or Accessible Technology
Please go to our Blackwood Design Awards page for full details on each category.
How to enter
Anyone who has come up with a great idea that can support people with disabilities.
You might be a professional designer or a layperson. Past winners have included top universities as well as gifted amateurs who have an insight in living with a disability. Your background or level of experience are not what matters most. If the idea is good and well thought-out, if the concept has been proven and it can help people, you can enter the Blackwood Design Awards.
The deadline for entries has been extended to Monday 13th November 2022 to allow for the anticipated expanding interest with the winners announced in January 2023 at a prestigious event at the V&A, Dundee.
The Prizes
Entrants can win £2000 prize money for Best Collaborative Project and support from our category sponsor Hyper Luminal Games. £2000 for Best New Concept and a package of support, sponsored by Social Telecoms and a trophy as well as Blackwood endorsement for the existing product that wins Best New Aids, Equipment or Accessible Technology sponsored by Kingdom Gas.
To enter Blackwood Design Awards Competition, fill in the application form at www.bespoken.me.
This year we have 2 additional 50th anniversary categories for Blackwood customers and staff:
- Future 50th Projects
- Best Independent Living Product over the last 50 years
The winning Future 50th Projects will receive the coveted BDA trophy, the prestige that comes with it, and earn the respect of Blackwood as well as our panel of expert judges. Furthermore, winners will get support to take their ideas forward as a legacy of our 50th year.
Future 50th Project is a challenge to customers and staff teams to work on a project that will improve independent living. It could be a new service or a product. So, if there are any budding innovators out there now is your chance!