The Golden Pin Design Award, Asia's premier accolade for design excellence, officially announces its 2026 global call for entries starting today, March 11 (Wed). Early bird registration discount is available for those who complete payment by May 13, 2026.

The award invites designers, enterprises, and cross-disciplinary teams from around the world to showcase innovative works across four categories: Product Design, Communication Design, Spatial Design, and Integration Design. The Golden Pin Concept Design Award is also accepting submissions concurrently for forward-looking concepts. 

Defining Design Influence Across Asia and Beyond

Established in 1981 and based in Taiwan, the Golden Pin Design Award is organized by the Industrial Development Administration (IDA), Ministry of Economic Affairs, and executed by the Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI). Since opening to international entries in 2014, the award has attracted top-tier talent and global brands, including Grab, Starbucks Coffee Singapore, NIKKEN SEKKEI (Japan), TROXUS (USA), ASUS, Pegatron, ZTE, and Midea. It has become a vital platform for global entities to validate their design prowess within the Asian market.

In recent years, the Golden Pin Design Award has evolved beyond a traditional design competition to become a platform that attracts innovators from a wide range of industries. Among last year’s Best Design of the Year winners were projects such as “ESSENTIAL,” an experiential dining experience by Taiwan’s Michelin Green Star restaurant EMBERS that reflects on marine resource sustainability, and the “Formosensis,” a renovated train and tourism experience developed by Lion Travel that integrates Alishan railway culture with travel design. These projects demonstrate how design thinking can transcend industry boundaries and become a driving force for brand innovation, cultural storytelling, and experiential design. 

The Golden Pin Design Award welcomes innovators from all sectors—anyone creating value through design thinking has the opportunity to shine on the Golden Pin stage.

A Distinguished International Jury Panel

Each year, the Golden Pin Design Award assembles a distinguished international jury composed of leading experts from design, industry, and academia, bringing cross-cultural perspectives to the evaluation process. The prestigious jury lineup spans both academic and professional fields. Past jurors have included iconic figures such as British design master Tom Dixon; Francine Houben, Founding Partner of the top Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo; Korean graphic design master Ahn Sang-soo; Uwe Cremering, CEO of iF International Forum Design; and Babette Strousse, Dean of Industrial Design at ArtCenter College of Design. Renowned Japanese designers such as Naoto Fukasawa, Akira Minagawa, Kashiwa Sato, Taku Satoh, and Oki Sato have also served as jurors, ensuring the highest standards of evaluation.

The 2026 jury continues this tradition of excellence. The first announced members include Thai graphic designer Siam Attariya, Yuki Uchida, designer at Re:public Inc. and a regional revitalization advisor certified by Japan’s Cabinet Office, Yoshiaki Osada, Managing Director of GK Design Shanghai under Japan’s GK Design Group, and Michael Lanz, a renowned product designer and design strategist who has served as a juror for the iF Design Award for many years. The full jury lineup will be announced in the coming months.

Entry Information and Key Dates

The 2026 Golden Pin Design Award and Golden Pin Concept Design Award are open for registration from March 11 (Wed) to June 15 (Mon) at 17:00 (GMT+8). Applicants who complete payment by May 13, 2026, at 17:00 (GMT+8) will qualify for the early bird discount and may continue refining their submission materials until the final deadline.

Golden Pin Design Award: Entries must be products already on the market or completed projects in communication, spatial, or integration design by December 31, 2026. Eligible applicants include business owners and design teams. Winners will receive the prestigious "Golden Pin Design Award" mark and advance to the final selection to compete for the prestigious Best Design Award—the highest honor of the year.

Golden Pin Concept Design Award: Open to students, designers, and companies for innovative concepts not yet realized before December 31, 2026. Three "Best Design Award" winners will each receive a cash prize of NT$300,000 (approx. US$9,300) to help turn their visionary ideas into reality.

Beyond the competition, the Golden Pin Design Award continues to strengthen its role as a platform for exchange and collaboration. Through the annual award ceremony, exhibitions of winning works, and the Golden Pin Salon series, the awards provide valuable exposure opportunities for award-winning designs. In recent years, it has also organized themed matchmaking events to connect designers with industry partners and potential business opportunities. 

Design teams and companies worldwide are welcome to participate. For detailed entry information and online registration, please visit the official Golden Pin Design Award website: https://goldenpin.org.tw/goldenpin/en