Entries for the James Dyson Awards 2020 are now open to inventive and entrepreneurial undergraduates and recent graduates of engineering and design, with a brief to invent “something that solves a problem”.
This year, in addition to the international winner, there will be a new international prize for efforts in sustainability.
“Recognising the role that engineers and scientists play in creating a sustainable future, we have decided to introduce a second international prize focused on ideas which do more with less and tackle environmental or social issues,” James Dyson said.
Potential winners of the sustainability accolade will have paid close attention to their invention’s part in today’s sustainable agenda, through its materials, design process, methods of manufacture, or the solution to the invention itself.
Past winners have addressed issues such as plastic waste, energy generation and medical treatment in developing countries. One in five of the past international winners have gone on to successfully commercialise their inventions.
The 2019 national winner Ryan Tilley created the Gecko Traxx, a portable and affordable accessory for manual wheelchair users to access the beach and other off-road terrains. The Gecko Traxx was also a JDA 2019 international runner up.
Entries will be judged first at a national level before progressing to the international stage. A panel of Dyson engineers then selects an international shortlist of 20 entries which are reviewed by Sir James Dyson who selects the International winner, International runners-up and the new Sustainability winner.
The International winner receives a prize of $55,000, plus $9,500 for the winner’s university; the Sustainability winner receives $55,000; the two International runners-up each receive $9,500 and each national winner receives $3,500.
The deadline to apply is 12am July 16, 2020. Candidates enter through an online application form via the James Dyson Award website.