INDEX: is one of the biggest design awards in the world, worth 500,000 EUR, and is commonly referred to as the Nobel Prize of design. Established in 2005, it celebrates designs that seek to change the world for the better.

There are five prizes up for grabs, awarded in five different categories:

• Body
• Home
• Work
• Play
• Learning and Community

INDEX: Award is aligned with the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which officially came into force on January 1st 2016. They call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

The international INDEX: Award Jury consists of 15 influential men and women from all over the world - each one adding insight and experience from their field of expertize to the unique, collective intelligence of the group.

All rights to the nominated designs belong to and stay with the legal bearer of the rights.

Eligibility

Open to any design that improves life or holds the potential to do so.

It can be tangible design (products, digital design, architecture, urban planning) or intangible design (concepts, policies, strategies, services, systems). Design nominated must date back no more than five years.

Prize

Since the inaugural INDEX: Award in 2005, more than 6,100 nominations from over 120 countries have been scrutinized by our jury’s keen eyes. This has resulted in 516 finalists, spanning everything from life-saving water straws and invisible airbags to intelligent roads and ocean cleaning systems.

So far, the 35 winning design teams have received a grand total of 3.5 million EUR.