World Design Partners

Autodesk is an industry leader with a long history of creating innovative design and digital design software that empower more than four million customers in over 150 countries.

Autodesk’s partnership with WDO began in 2005 as the company was one of three founding members of the Icsid Corporate Innovators (ICI) programme – an initiative that played a key role in the organization’s development thanks to its generous financial support and the willingness of the ICI partners to actively engage the corporate pillar and work towards our goal of involving more practicing industrial designers in our work.

autodesk.com

BMW is a German luxury vehicle, motorcycle, and engine manufacturing company often referred to as one of the best-selling luxury automakers in the world. It adopts a broad and flexible approach to design and innovation to meet the challenges of fast-growing megacities against dwindling resources and complex legal stipulations to address changing mobility needs. It also continually conducts active research into improved concepts with cost-cutting potential, such as innovative tank and refuelling technologies.

BMW Group is a long-standing corporate member of WDO and a significant advocate of our programmes and projects. Their partnership involvement has substantially supported the World Design Capital initiative in Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014 and most recently in Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) in 2016, with content-building activations within these communities.

bmwgroup.com

Compal Electronics is a Taiwanese original design manufacturer, handling the production of notebook computers, monitors and televisions for a variety of clients around the world, including Acer, Lenovo, Dell, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard and Fujitsu. It is the second largest notebook manufacturer in the world. 

As a corporate member of WDO, Compal is a strong advocate for sustainable business practices. In 2017, the company partnered with WDO and contributed funds to help support the organizations’ technology needs.

compal.com 

Continuum is a design and innovation consultancy and a long-standing corporate member of WDO.

Continuum’s partnership with WDO began in 2005 as the company was one of three founding members of the Icsid Corporate Innovators (ICI) programme – an initiative that played a key role in the organization’s development thanks to its generous financial support and the willingness of the ICI partners to actively engage the corporate pillar and work towards our goal of involving more practicing industrial designers in our work.

Since then, Continuum continues to support WDO, contributing expertise to the restructuring of programmes such as the World Design Capital, which enables us to strengthen our brand value and deliver a higher quality of programming.

continuuminnovation.com

Cumulus International Association of Universities and Colleges in Art, Design and Media was founded in 1990 and aims at building and maintaining a dynamic and flexible academic forum, which brings together top level educational institutions from all parts of the world. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with WDO in 2019 with an aim to advance art, design and media and to mutually promote each organization’s initiatives.

cumulusassociation.org

Design for America is a national network of campus studios using design innovation for good. Since 2009, DFA has inspired more than 4000 passionate students, professionals and community members to take on pressing local issues. Alongside IBM, WDO partnered with Design for America (DFA) as part of the COVID-19 Design Challenge in 2020 to mobilize designers to use their skills to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Global Goals Jam is part of Design Across Cultures and is operated by the Digital Society School, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Global Goals Jam is an innovation chain where multidisciplinary, multicultural design teams collaborate to tackle similar local challenges all over the world.  In 2019, WDO and Global Goals Jam signed a Memorandum of Understanding in a pilot to promote the World Industrial Design Day™ (WIDD) Mini-Jam under the banner of the Sustainable Development Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12).

globalgoalsjam.org

IBM is a leading cloud platform and cognitive solutions company. Since 1911, they are the largest technology and consulting employer in the world, with more than 350,000 employees serving clients in 170 countries. IBM harnesses human-centered design thinking and services to solve complex problems and empower individuals to achieve their business goals.

As one of the partners of the COVID-19 Design Challenge alongside Design for America (DFA), WDO worked in collaboration with IBM to lead and mobilize designers to use their skills to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2005, the U.S. portion of the International Space Station (ISS) was designated by Congress as a national laboratory, enabling access to space-based research and development for a broad range of commercial, academic, and government users. The ISS National Lab is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), under agreement with NASA.

WDO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ISS in 2020 to launch the Design in Space for Life on Earth Design Challenge. This collaboration represented a unique opportunity to leverage industrial design to go beyond the limits of Earth to solve real problems facing our planet today. Under the sponsorship of ISS, WDO is looking to develop spaceflight projects in the future.

Microsoft Mobile is a multinational mobile phone and mobile computing device manufacturing company that designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes mobile phones, smartphones, tablet computers, and related accessories and services, which was established following the acquisition of Nokia’s Devices and Services division by Microsoft.

Microsoft Mobile (formerly Nokia) was the first company to join the World Design Partner Programme in 2013, continuing a partner relationship that began in support of WDC Helsinki 2012.

Through local project activations, Microsoft subsequently set an objective to provide a service of lasting effect with their involvement in the WDC Cape Town 2014 programme. Contributing knowledge and expertise to community development and the improvement of quality of life, Microsoft launched a Mobile Library in the Langa Township to digitally empower its residents through access to mobile devices and the Internet.

microsoft.com/en/mobile

The MIT Press is a university press affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. The Press advances knowledge by publishing significant works from leading educators and researchers around the globe on the topics of Art and Architecture; Visual and Cultural Studies; Cognitive Science; Philosophy; Linguistics; Computer Science; Economics; Finance and Business; Environmental Science; Political Science; Life Sciences; Neuroscience; New Media; and Science, Technology, and Society. 

mitpress.mit.edu 

Montréal International is a non-profit organization with a mission to contribute to the economic development of Montreal (Canada), which is also a UNESCO City of Design and home to numerous international non-governmental organizations.

Through Montreal International’s financial assistance, which was made possible by funding obtained under agreements with the Government of Canada, the Government of Québec and the City of Montreal, WDO was able to first establish our Secretariat in 2005 and later to expand in 2012 to meet our overall operational growth plans and employ full-time staff to carry out our projects and programmes.

montrealinternational.com

New Cities Foundation (NCF) is an independent non-profit organization recognized internationally for its leadership and expertise in finding and implementing real solutions to urban development issues through innovation. Much like WDO, NCF works with entrepreneurs and leaders from business, government, academia, civil society, the media and the arts, and partners with some of the most forward-thinking companies who share a passion for the future of cities.

In 2017, WDO and NCF formulated a collaborative agreement with the aim of identifying mutually beneficial activities that would drive urban progress and empower global communities to discuss solutions to some of cities greatest challenges. With a specific focus on issues related to mobility, the partnership provides WDO with additional outlets to develop workshops and dialogues on the topic.

newcitiesfoundation.org

Nestlé (South Africa) (Pty) Limited joined the World Design Partner Programme with a singular focus to introduce its NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® machines and brand of coffee – a coffee shop quality line of beverages brewed by award-winning machines, in connection with the WDC Cape Town 2014 programme, which provided multiple opportunities for beverage sampling and a showcase of the innovative technology and industrial design of the Dolce Gusto machines.

nestle.co.za

Design-driven Swiss watchmaker Rado is a globally recognized brand, famous for innovative design and its use of revolutionary materials to create some of the world’s most beautiful and durable watches. The proud recipient of over 30 international design awards, the brand collaborates with leading designers on the creation of new timepieces and runs worldwide competitions for up-and-coming young designers. To that end, Rado has been a significant supporter of the World Design Capital programme by introducing its Rado Star Prize to Cape Town in 2014, Taipei in 2016, Mexico City in 2018 and most recently to Lille Metropole in 2020 .

rado.com

SoundWaters, founded in 1989, is an environmental education organization focused on the protection of Long Island Sound and its watershed. Annually, SoundWaters hosts shipboard and land-based programmes for 32,000 children, including 11,000 from underserved communities. SoundWaters works in partnership with schools, communities, civic organizations, businesses and other environmental and educational organizations to develop experiences that foster a sense of responsibility for the environment and encourage actions that ensure the sustainable future of the Long Island Sound ecosystem.

In early 2021, Soundwaters, SPE Foundation and WDO entered an agreement to work on the Million Bottle Caps Design Challenge coaching middle school students based in the United States on a solution to the local and global problem of microplastics.

The SPE Foundation supports the development of plastics professionals by funding quality educational programmes, grants and scholarships emphasizing science, engineering, sustainability, and manufacturing while working to create inclusive opportunities for students around the world. The PlastiVan® program serves over 25,000 students a year changing the perception of plastics one classroom at a time by promoting sustainable practices, innovation and STEM careers in the plastics industry.

In early 2021, Soundwaters, SPE Foundation and WDO entered an agreement to work on the Million Bottle Caps Design Challenge coaching middle school students based in the United States on a solution to the local and global problem of microplastics.

Tupperware Corporation is one of the world’s leading direct sellers, supplying premium food storage, preparation and serving items. Tupperware products have been recognized and acquired by many of the world’s finest art museums and industrial design collections as the company strives to create innovative and surprising solutions for the kitchen and home that feature up-to-the-minute and beautiful designs.

Tupperware’s partnership with WDO began in 2005 as the company was one of three founding members of the Icsid Corporate Innovators (ICI) programme – an initiative that played a key role in the organization’s development thanks to its generous financial support and the willingness of the ICI partners to actively engage the corporate pillar and work towards our goal of involving more practicing industrial designers in our work.

Today, Tupperware remains actively engaged as a corporate member and leads by example acting responsibly to drive solutions and practices that are better for the environment and proactively seeking to minimize waste, energy use and greenhouse gases globally across all its manufacturing processes.

tupperwarebrands.com

The United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-Africa) is the united voice and representative of local governments in Africa, based in Rabat (Morocco). It organizes the Africities Summit every three years. In 2018, during the event in Marrakesh, UCLG-Africa and WDO signed a Memorandum of Understanding and cooperated on the development of a panel entitled “Design for a Better World”.

uclga.org

In 2007, a partnership with educational member University of Brighton (United Kingdom) was launched to house the WDO’s archives, storing records since the founding of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design in 1957. These archives are now part of a ‘living’ collection at the University of Brighton Design Archives, where they are used by academics and researchers to enhance their understanding of the organization and the progression of the industrial design profession. WDO works in an ongoing manner with the university to keep the organization’s archival records up to date.

brighton.ac.uk

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UN Women has a universal mandate to provide guidance and technical support on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s rights, across all levels of development and in all regions.

WDO’s partnership with UN Women began in 2020 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to develop and launch the Generation Equality Asia Pacific Design Challenge. The two-week virtual design sprint brought together over 100 participants across varied sectors and disciplines to brainstorm and identify human-centric design solutions to support the prevention of violence against women and girls (VAWG).

The World Packaging Organisation (WPO) is a non-profit, non-governmental, international federation of national packaging institutes and associations, regional packaging federations and other parties including corporations and trade associations. The organisation strives to encourage the development of packaging technology, science, access and engineering, as well as contribute to the development of international trade and stimulate education and training in the packaging sector. In late 2020, WDO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with WPO to leverage their shared commitment for sustainability and education as a means to organize and implement a variety of collaborative projects.