KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD is an international competition for product design that aims to co-create with talented designers and support their activities. The theme of the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2025 is “prototype.” In product design, the word “prototype” is generally used to mean a pre-finished product or a sample before completion, but for this project, we saw it as “an original idea that has the potential to lead to the next step.” A well-thought-out prototype will inspire others and serve as a catalyst for the future. The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2025 is looking for product designs that will be the starting point for the future.

Eligibility

• Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes

Judging Criteria

• The idea’s clarity
• The idea highlights social issues
• The design’s potential to become a product

Prizes

• Grand Prix (one from all entries) ¥2,000,000
• Merit Award (three from all entries) ¥500,000 (about $3,200) per winner
• NEW GENERATION AWARD (max ten winners) ¥30,000 (about $200) per winner*