A global call for bold thinking returns for the James Dyson Award as it opens for entries, inviting the next generation of design engineers to turn inventive ideas into real world solutions.

The award has officially opened for submissions, inviting current and recent design and engineering students to present ideas that address pressing global challenges through thoughtful design and engineering.

Now running across 28 countries and regions, the international competition has supported more than 400 inventions since its launch and continues to champion emerging innovators whose ideas may improve everyday life. The brief remains simple yet demanding: design something that solves a problem.

Entries address everything from common frustrations to complex global issues, with judges seeking solutions that demonstrate strong design thinking, originality and technical feasibility. Shortlisted projects are then reviewed by national judging panels comprising design and engineering experts, along with Dyson engineers.

National winners receive $10,020 and a jump to the international stage, where founder Sir James Dyson will personally select the global winners. Each global winner receives $60,050 and international exposure, opening the door to potential commercial development of early stage ideas.

Dyson says the award aims to encourage young engineers who focus on practical solutions. “I established the James Dyson Award to encourage young ‘doers’ in life who are focused on solving the problems they see in the world, not grandstanding about them.

“It’s been inspiring to see so many brilliant ideas from young design engineers, many of whom have gone on to build businesses and take their problem-solving ideas to people and markets all over the world,” Dyson says. “I look forward to judging this year’s submissions.”

Breakthrough ideas from 2025

The 2025 James Dyson Award marked the competition’s 20th year and attracted more than 2100 submissions from young engineers around the world. The entries reflected a strong focus on health technologies, waste reduction and disaster response, demonstrating the breadth of issues that design engineering continues to address.

Australia’s national winner in 2025 was SyriSter, a portable UV C sterilisation device for syringes developed by Hannah Gough, a product design engineering graduate from Swinburne University of Technology.

The project emerged from a pressing need for safer medical practices in crisis zones where sterile equipment remains in limited supply. Using UV C light, SyriSter sterilises syringes in just 60 seconds, helping reduce the spread of life-threatening diseases caused by syringe reuse.

Gough said the recognition had given new momentum to the idea. “It’s surreal to be named the Australian National Winner of the James Dyson Award,” she said. “SyriSter started as just another university project, but knowing it has the potential to make syringe reuse safer in crisis zones, and ultimately save lives, makes me incredibly proud.”

Another standout from the 2025 competition was OnCue, the global medical winner designed to support people living with Parkinson’s disease. Created by Italian product designer Alessandra Galli following her studies at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, OnCue is a smart keyboard that uses haptic and visual cues to assist users in managing motor symptoms.

The system helps guide finger movements while typing, reducing errors and improving digital communication for people affected by Parkinson’s.

“The Award offers real support to young people to help projects move forward,” Galli said.

How to enter the 2026 award

Submissions for the 2026 James Dyson Award are now open through the official website, with the deadline set for midnight 15 July 2026.

University students and recent graduates who studied design or engineering are eligible to apply. Participants retain full ownership of their intellectual property, encouraging experimentation and entrepreneurial development.

Entries are first assessed at a national level by external judges and Dyson engineers. Each country selects a national winner along with two runners-up before Dyson engineers compile an international shortlist of 20 projects. Sir James Dyson then reviews the top entries to select the global winners.

The competition forms part of a broader commitment by the James Dyson Foundation to inspire future engineers and highlight the role of design engineering in solving real world challenges. Founded in 2002, the Foundation has donated more than $292 million (£155 million) to charitable causes and continues to invest in education and medical research worldwide.