International Design and Innovation Competition in Saudi Arabia 2026 by Ithra
By: IthraLast update:
Applicant criteria
NationalityNo specific nationality required
Age
- 18 - 60
Gender
- Both
Opportunity criteria
Opportunity FieldMusic, Art and Graphic Design, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Job locationSaudi Arabia
Deadline2026-10-24
Opportunity description
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Saudi Arabia has opened registration for the Ithra Design Challenges 2026, one of the international competitions and challenges in the fields of design and innovation, held as part of Ithra Design Week 2026 in Dhahran.
The challenges are aimed at creatives, innovators, designers, engineers, students, and anyone interested in participating in international innovation and design competitions and developing new solutions to real-world problems. They are open to participants from around the world, and applicants are not required to be professional designers.
Benefits
Participants receive a range of benefits, including:
- Participation in an intensive international design and innovation program.
- The opportunity to work with experts and specialists from multiple fields.
- Mentorship and guidance throughout the development of their ideas.
- Access to resources and workshops available during the program.
- The opportunity to work within international and multidisciplinary teams.
- Development of skills in design, problem-solving, and teamwork.
- Building a professional and creative network.
- Receiving a certificate of participation.
- Selection of one winning project from each track.
- Presentation of the winning projects at the closing ceremony of Ithra Design Week.
- Advancement of winning projects to an additional development and production stage.
- The possibility of further developing selected projects toward practical implementation or market readiness.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years old or older.
- Be of any nationality; the challenges are open to participants from around the world, including Arab countries.
- Be interested in design, innovation, creativity, engineering, product development, or problem-solving.
- Be able to participate in person in the program in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia during the specified dates.
- Be willing to work within a multidisciplinary team and collaborate with participants from different backgrounds.
- Be prepared to develop a new and original idea during the challenge period.
- Be able to commit to the full 6-day Design Sprint program.