Winner announcement
Winner announcement
Student design team Salamanders (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad) wins Student Service Design Challenge 2025
Student design team Salamanders (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad) wins Student Service Design Challenge 2025
Student design teams from design academies and universities from around the globe have invested 5 months in design research, ideation and prototyping to design a service that promoted equality and inclusivity. The jury selected team Salamanders, a team of seven 3rd year Bachelor students from the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India, as the Gold winner of this year's edition. Their ‘Dildaar Initiative’ strengthens local aid efforts by reconnecting with global networks through acts of human connection and shared food among underserved groups.
The 6th anniversary edition of the Student Service Design Challenge gathered students from all over the world. Universities from many countries were represented; from Australia, China and India to Chile, Mexico and USA, from Rwanda and Turkey to multiple European schools. More than 160 student teams -over 1000 students- representing almost 100 schools and universities answered the call to reimagine how services are designed and delivered to meet complex global challenges, creating solutions that advance equity, resilience, and wellbeing for individuals, communities, and the planet.
The 2025 Student Service Design Challenge has encompassed five unique challenges. On top of winning the overall 2025 competition, students could win an 8-week design incubation program for one of these five challenges. Student teams were invited to design a service concept to:
- Redefine humanitarian pathways for giving (Red Cross)
- Expand self-confidence horizons (Philips)
- Create personalised digital-first public services for all (Government of Estonia)
- Create healthy habits from the start (ISDIN)
- Empower society to overcome bias (IBM)
With solutions focusing on a variety of issues, ranging from personal wellbeing, premature baby care, gamified learning, organ donation and school selection, to crises preparedness, immigrant labour, and gender pay gap, it was difficult for the Jury to select the winning concept based on how well the solutions met the challenge's comprehensive criteria: people centric, society oriented, circular & sustainable, technology enabled, and business viable and experience based.
The Jury: "We were truly impressed by the creativity, the passion, and the hard work demonstrated by all the teams. The level of insight work stood out as fantastic. The transformation of insights into informed, meaningful design was one of the most exciting aspects to observe, especially for those of us who guide others through this process professionally.
We also acknowledge that the challenges addressed were deeply relevant. While the teams focused on local issues, these often reflect global conditions found in countries around the world. The insights and solutions presented hold potential well beyond the original context: they are applicable internationally. We were equally impressed by the tangible outputs delivered. Across the board, the work was inspiring.
This year, teams were asked to co-create and co-design with users throughout the journey. We firmly believe that designing something impactful requires involving those for whom the service is intended. We were pleased to see the level of user engagement. Despite the difficulty in finding and inviting participants, teams made real efforts to include user voices. We saw this in the discussions and the materials submitted. As a jury, we were genuinely impressed by how this was handled. Congratulations to all participating teams. It was a privilege to witness your work."
Winner SSDC2025 (overall)
1
GOLD winner
Dildaar - a culturally grounded service that enables community-led food support
The SSDC 2025 jury unanimously awarded the GOLD prize of the overall competition to ‘Dildaar' from team Salamanders (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India). Dildaar is a service that connects local aid organisations with the global network. Driven by a sense of community, its primary activities include distributing home-cooked meals to those in need, particularly in Muslim neighbourhoods across India.
Team Salamanders: "From co-creation workshops, our first key insight was the need for a service accessible from within the home. By focusing on non-monetary forms of giving, we could better engage women. Feedback revealed that food, unlike money, carries fewer cultural stigmas, avoiding mistrust or reluctance, and is seen as a symbol of care, health, and dignity."
"The team presented a deeply thoughtful and beautifully expressed proposal rooted in community, dignity, and care. Dildaar stands out for its elegant use of storytelling and its ability to bring together cultural values, social trust, and humanitarian action. Rather than imposing new tools or behaviours, Dildaar uses familiar systems to build local and scalable infrastructure. It's meaningful and moving and offers an honest, inclusive, and spiritually resonant approach to giving."
An interdisciplinary group from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India, with backgrounds spanning industrial design, visual communication, narrative design, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Drawing perspectives from India, the UK, the US, and the Netherlands, they are committed to crafting thoughtful, impactful, and lasting design solutions to help shape a more inclusive world.
"Over the 5 months spanning the course of the challenge, we have gained invaluable learnings and experience in trying to craft a more inclusive world. Through fieldwork, co-creation, and research, we combined diverse skills to design a service with lasting community impact. The guidance and critical feedback received from coaches and mentors, helped shape our nuanced perspectives and ultimately design a successful, collaborative solution."
Team members - Sriya Reddy, Aditi Modi, Apurva Rouduri, Manuel K Mathew, Nikita Lakkaraju, Shiva Soni and Ishna Savadatti2
SILVER winner
Glassbox - a service helping students engage critically and creatively with artificial intelligence
The jury awarded team Glassbox (Central Saint Martins-UAL, United Kingdom) the second highest distinction in this year’s challenge. Their service ‘Glassbox’ is an AI platform that helps students engage with AI in transparent and reflective ways, enabling smarter collaboration, greater creativity, and deeper learning.
Team Glassbox: "After many sessions with our experts, we returned to a fundamental question: should this be an AI-first service, or could we address the problem through more playful, adjacent interactions? Through long discussions, we realised the goal wasn’t to replace or improve AI. It was to help students use it more mindfully and collaboratively right from the start in the flow of their work."
"Glassbox stands out for its original take on AI in education, using shared interactions to promote transparency and collaboration. The concept encourages ethical awareness and opens new possibilities for how we learn with technology. We commend its conceptual clarity and its direct engagement with current behaviours in student learning, making visible how AI can erode critical thinking and engagement."
A team of four MA Innovation Management students from Central Saint Martins, University of The Arts London, united by their shared interest in exploring design as a tool for cultural, social, and environmental transformation. With backgrounds spanning fashion, exhibition and museum design, narrative strategy, digital marketing, and systems thinking, they bring a multidisciplinary approach to complex challenges. They believe that transparent, collaborative design processes can lead to more equitable futures.
"Being part of the Student Service Design Challenge has been one of the most meaningful (and sometimes chaotic) parts of our year. Between academic deadlines and the unpredictability of life, we turned sticky-note storms, interviews, workshops, and late-night calls into a service we’re proud of. The journey reminded us that curiosity and collaboration can carry you through even when things feel overwhelming."
Team members - Aldo Zocca, Mingming Liu, Pradipta Ray and Vrushali Landge3
BRONZE winner
Lou – a service for LGBTQ+ users that removes gender barriers and enables personalised discovery
The jury honoured team Synergy (Royal College of Art, United Kingdom) with the final spot in this year’s top three for their service Lou, a fashion discovery platform that removes gender barriers and empowers LGBTQ+ users through a personalised, expressive, and representative browsing experience.
Team Synergy: "Our product addresses gender inequality by amplifying marginalised values and building a queer-positive digital shopping space. As it grows, Lou aims to incorporate resale features to support a more sustainable and circular economy."
"This is an inspiring and original concept that responds to a real and under-addressed need. Lou creates a browsing experience that makes people feel seen and represented, particularly in spaces where mainstream fashion platforms fall short. We especially value the simplicity of the solution and the clarity of its intent. Their effort to enable more comfortable and affirming experiences is both timely and necessary."
An interdisciplinary team of five students from the Royal College of Art in Service Design and Product Design, with backgrounds in service design, product development, marketing, and visual design. Their varied interests and strengths unite in their commitment to enhancing people’s experiences. Motivated by innovation, they aspire to create meaningful improvements in society through collaboration.
"While we had our share of ups and downs, the chance to delve into meaningful areas of exploration kept us motivated. We are immensely grateful to our coaches for their constant support and guidance. Seeing the outcomes of our work and receiving valuable insights from experts made it all worthwhile. We are proud to say that through it, we have developed a deeper understanding of our brief's subject area."
Team members - Sakshi Bhagwan Shirsekar, Aditi Goyal, Ayushi Gohil, Julie Plovgaard and Yiyun ChenWinners Red Cross Challenge
1
First place
(8-week design incubation program)
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
RedConnect - a service that helps small charities share tools, simplify logistics, and grow their impact
Red Cross’ jury selected ‘RedConnect’ from team AfterBurn (London College of Communication, UAL, United Kingdom) as the 1st place winning service. RedConnect is a service that helps small charities access shared tools, streamline logistics, and increase impact while preserving autonomy and values.
Team AfterBurn: "From the insights gathered through the workshop, informal interviews, and observations, two broad problem areas emerged that helped us identify opportunity areas: building trust and expanding the scope of giving, and shifting from needs to empowering action."
"RedConnect shows what radical trust and decentralisation could look like in humanitarian systems. More than a tech platform, it’s a catalyst for equity—empowering underrepresented organisations to lead, not just receive. We’re impressed by how the team navigated digital, relational, and institutional layers with both empathy and ambition, sparking new ways of working and building bridges."
A team of seven Master’s students in Service Design from the University of the Arts London and the Royal College of Art. Their strength lies in their diversity, with members from varied educational, professional, and cultural backgrounds, including design, technology, business, and social sciences. This multifaceted expertise allows them to approach challenges through a unique lens, blending creativity with analytical problem-solving. United by a shared passion for driving meaningful social change, they are committed to designing solutions that address complex societal challenges and foster sustainable, equitable development.
"Throughout the project, we strengthened our understanding of service design and its role in building trust and supporting local communities. Working together on a complex brief, we learned to balance collaboration with individual responsibilities and stay adaptable throughout the process. The experience not only built our confidence in tackling real-world challenges, but it was also a lot of fun!"
Team members - Ahsan Sajjad, Karina Lang, Smriti Sarath, Alissa Mahat, Diksha Ashok, Noora Yasmin and Maria Luisa Castro2
Second place
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
Dildaar - a culturally grounded service that enables community-led food support
Second place was awarded by Red Cross to service Dildaar from team Salamanders (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India). Dildaar is a grassroots service linking local aid organisations and global allies to deliver home-cooked meals in marginalised Muslim communities across India.
Team Salamanders: "From co-creation workshops, our first key insight was the need for a service accessible from within the home. By focusing on non-monetary forms of giving, we could better engage women. Feedback revealed that food, unlike money, carries fewer cultural stigmas, avoiding mistrust or reluctance, and is seen as a symbol of care, health, and dignity."
"This project reminded us that giving is emotional, cultural, and deeply human. Dildaar is beautifully grounded in food, community, and dignity; a heartfelt and practical response to exclusion. It shows that even something as simple as a shared meal can become a powerful act of solidarity. Dildaar isn’t a service, it’s a feeling. And the team captured that feeling with care and conviction."
An interdisciplinary group from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India, with backgrounds spanning industrial design, visual communication, narrative design, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Drawing perspectives from India, the UK, the US, and the Netherlands, they are committed to crafting thoughtful, impactful, and lasting design solutions to help shape a more inclusive world.
"Over the 5 months spanning the course of the challenge, we have gained invaluable learnings and experience in trying to craft a more inclusive world. Through fieldwork, co-creation, and research, we combined diverse skills to design a service with lasting community impact. The guidance and critical feedback received from coaches and mentors, helped shape our nuanced perspectives and ultimately design a successful, collaborative solution."
Team members - Sriya Reddy, Aditi Modi, Apurva Rouduri, Manuel K Mathew, Nikita Lakkaraju, Shiva Soni and Ishna Savadatti3
Third place
Zia - a service that supports young Muslims in fulfilling Zakat through trusted tools at work
3rd place in the Red Cross challenge was awarded to team ZIA (Royal College of Art, United Kingdom) for their service concept ‘Zia’, a digital giving service that helps young Muslim professionals and Islamic businesses fulfil their Zakat obligations through clear, trustworthy tools integrated into daily work life.
Team ZIA: "We explored how young Muslim professionals in the UK approach Zakat—personally, socially, and financially. While it holds deep spiritual meaning, many face barriers to giving with confidence and consistency. On the corporate side, Islamic businesses often value Zakat but lack structured, compliant pathways for institutional giving."
"ZIA is a bold and timely innovation, showing how faith, finance, and tech can work together in service of something greater. It gives a clear, scalable and Shariah-compliant infrastructure for Zakat but also a hopeful vision of what values-aligned digital philanthropy can look like in a modern world. More than an app, it’s a pathway bringing vision and precision together beautifully."
A multidisciplinary team of Master’s in Service Design students at the Royal College of Art, named after the Arabic word for “shine” or “light.” Drawing on expertise in architecture, product design, strategy, visual communication, interior design, and UI/UX, they strive to bring clarity and impact to humanitarian systems. Rooted in empathy and driven by innovation, they aim to create inclusive solutions that illuminate and support charitable ecosystems.
"The challenge pushed us to understand a new ecosystem: culturally, spiritually, and systemically. It encouraged us to work with sensitivity, humility, and human-centred thinking. Excellent tools and resources gave us structure while leaving room for creativity, and our coaches offered timely, insightful feedback that shaped our direction without steering it. Overall, it was a rigorous, collaborative, and deeply meaningful experience we’ll carry forward in our design practice."
Team members - Alice Chapman, Devika Mallik, Neha Parekh, Olivia Cederquist, Sanyogita Nikam and Saloni SehgalWinners Philips Challenge
1
First place
(8-week design incubation program)
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
DiaLog - a service helping patients track symptoms, gain insights, and connect for more inclusive care
The Philips’ jury awarded team Diagnostic Squad (Royal College of Art, United Kingdom) 1st place in this challenge for DiaLog, a service that helps patients manage symptoms, access personalised insights, and connect with doctors and peers, supporting more inclusive, informed care.
Team Diagnostic Squad: "Through interviews and co-creation sessions with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, we grounded our research in lived experiences and continuously tested our concept to ensure it remained people-centric and responsive to real-world needs."
"This project took our breath away. DiaLog looks at the problem of diagnosis limbo from multiple angles and provides a number of ways to track, understand, and connect around symptoms. The service is robust and offers a unique and fitting experience for every individual. We commend the team for using both qualitative and quantitative research to design a service with empathy at its core."
This group of seven MA Service Design students from the Royal College of Art share an interest in inclusive wellbeing and equity in healthcare, with a particular focus on addressing the gender gaps that persist in health systems today.
"Participating in this challenge has been a self-care journey in itself. Our team’s lived experiences were our spark. Over the past few months, we’ve had the opportunity to explore, validate, and build on that. With the trust of patients who shared their most vulnerable moments, the honesty of healthcare professionals, and the support of our mentors, we’ve come to see how service design can make a real difference."
Team members - Vivien Fergusson, Jessica Wonomihardjo, Miran Jurisevic, Lucia Perez Gonzalez, Maya Burnand, Richa Kejriwal and Kate Winbaum
2
Second place
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
GoBro! - a gamified service helping working-class men connect through activity and peer support
Philips awarded second place to team Hive-Five (London College of Communication, United Kingdom) for their service ‘GoBro!’, a gamified wellbeing service that encourages UK working-class men to connect through physical activity and peer support, building community from the ground up.
Team Hive-Five: "The project starts with the identified barrier of social construct on masculinity preventing men from actively seeking help and influencing men's view on vulnerability with negative connotations."
"From motivations to challenges, the team did a great job researching and understanding their target audience. The service meets users where they are; making use of the apps they already use and forging connections in the physical spaces they already frequent. The result is a service that promises more meaningful interactions and deeper relationships among men."
A dynamic group of multidisciplinary designers, researchers, and creatives currently pursuing an MA in Service Design at the University of the Arts London (UAL). United by a shared passion for social impact and sustainability, they bring together a range of cultural perspectives and expertise. With a collaborative and empathetic approach, the team is exploring new ways to foster open conversations, reshape traditional narratives, and design services that create meaningful change.
"Throughout the Challenge, we discovered the true value of collaboration. Working together across different backgrounds and skill sets, we learned how to listen, adapt, and build on each other’s strengths. The process helped us grow as designers and teammates, deepening our understanding of service design through real-world application and shared learning."
Team members - Jayasmita Das, Anagha Karanje, Andrina Putri Syarifa, Michelle Kason and Sara Ng3
Third place
The Philips Stack - a modular service system helping users plan self-care with personalised, visual routines
3rd place in the Philips challenge was awarded to team Challengers (The University of Sydney, Australia) for their service ‘The Philips Stack’, a modular self-care system that helps users visualise time, personalise routines, and plan wellness in a way that fits real life. Team Challengers was also recognised with an Honourable Mention in the overall competition.
Team Challengers: " Building on insights from research into personal self-care experiences, we entered the ideation phase, generating solutions across four key areas: integrating self-care into daily routines, using gentle behavioural nudges, fostering social accountability, and reframing self-care as a necessity rather than a luxury."
"The team did a beautiful job designing a simple solution around a mindful ritual. Their use of tangible computing balances function with delight, and we highly value how they kept the user at the centre of their work, from concept to validation."
A dynamic group of six designers from the University of Sydney, bringing together expertise in strategic and service design, product design, UI/UX, and design research. True to their name, they thrive on tackling complex challenges with a focus on community, sustainability, accessibility, and human-centred design; all powered by close, creative collaboration.
"We took on a challenge unlike anything we’d done before and pushed ourselves to the limit. We navigated time zones, deadlines, and unfamiliar territory side by side, deepened our understanding of service design, and uncovered the value of self-care. This journey has been as much about personal growth as it has been about design, and we’re incredibly grateful for the lessons, support, and friendships we’ve gained along the way."
Team members - Tamara Ariyandi, Sanita Budihardjo, Alannah Clark, Joseph Zachary Chong, Dakshajaa Ramprasad and Minha SongWinners Estonia Challenge
1
First place
(8-week design incubation program)
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
Numa - a service helping families stay emotionally connected to premature babies in NICU
The Estonian government awarded 1st place to team 3dots&more (Royal College of Art, United Kingdom) for their service solution, Numa: an interactive service that keeps families emotionally connected to their premature babies in NICU, allowing them to feel more involved and helping professionals make more informed decisions. 3dots&more was also recognised with an Honourable Mention in the overall competition.
Team 3dots&more: "Our research revealed a deep sense of helplessness among mothers post-birth, especially when separated from their premature babies. We found that while many services support the pregnancy journey, few address the critical post-delivery period when proactive care is most needed."
"We applaud the team for addressing a critical and emotionally complex challenge: supporting parents of prematurely born children. This is a deeply human-centred issue, and the concept succeeds in capturing the emotional weight of the experience while offering meaningful support. One of its greatest strengths is its scalability, opening up opportunities for it to serve a wide range of use cases across various hospital settings and healthcare providers."
A group of MA Service Design students from the Royal College of Art, drawn together by a shared belief that design can care, listen, and transform. They navigate complexity with empathy at the core; softening systems, elevating hidden voices, and reimagining how support can truly feel.
"Participating in this challenge has been a transformative experience for our team. It allowed us to delve into a topic close to our hearts, explore new methodologies, and understand what it means to apply our service design learnings in life-giving moments. This experience has shaped us deeply, reinforcing how essential thoughtful design is in moments that truly matter."
Team members - Natalia Z., Mila Krasteva, Madeleine Mai, Meghna Gopalana and Desiree D'souza
2
Second place
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
DigiNaka - a service connecting informal workers and contractors through trusted hubs
In second place, team 7th Sense (NMIMS School of Design, India) was recognised for ‘DigiNaka’, a service that bridges informal labour and contractors through digital and physical access points, aiming to create a trusted and efficient ecosystem for India’s informal workforce.
Team 7th Sense: "We started our research by identifying major informal sectors in Mumbai and spoke with workers & contractors to better understand their pain points. We found that exploitation, lack of awareness, and digital illiteracy were common challenges across all types of naka workers."
"The DigiNaka project takes on a real-life, real-world issue with clear social relevance. The team has identified a problem that affects a vulnerable and often overlooked group, and approached it with commendable empathy and intent. The project is grounded in strong user understanding and reflects an important attempt to bring visibility and structure to an unregulated sector."
A passionate group of multidisciplinary design students from NMIMS School of Design, united by their drive to create meaningful, human-centred experiences. Guided by empathy, creativity, and systems thinking, they believe in the power of the “seventh sense” — an intuitive design instinct that helps them look beyond the obvious, sense unspoken needs, and craft inclusive, future-focused responses.
"Being part of the Student Service Design Challenge gave us a platform to turn empathy into action. The experience challenged us to navigate complex social systems, question our assumptions, and design for impact at scale. It wasn’t just a milestone. It was a powerful reminder that when design is grounded in real lives, it can spark real change."
Team members - Sharvaree Grampurohit, Sharvari Joshi, Jasmeet Walia, DIVYA KOPPIKAR, Arpita Karmakar, Pranjal Chavan and Aslesha Gunjal3
Third place
LifeGo - a one-stop e-gov service guiding youth from school to work with personalised, inclusive support
The Estonian government awarded third place to team USix (Tongji University, China) for ‘LifeGo’, a one-stop e-government service that supports school-to-job transitions through AI-powered personalisation and integrated, inclusive assistance across all life domains.
Team USix: "We began by examining the localised employment service system in our community, exploring existing initiatives that aim to bridge the gap between job seekers and positions, and uncovered systemic mismatches in supply, expectations, and opportunities."
"LifeGo reflects a nuanced and empathetic view of what independence means for young people navigating cultural expectations, family dynamics, and personal identity. This deepened perspective greatly strengthens its relevance and integrity. By identifying multiple intervention points and combining a life-event-based approach with an AI-powered assistant and digital platform, the team demonstrates holistic and ambitious systems-level thinking."
A team of six Master’s students from Tongji University in Shanghai with complementary backgrounds in product-service systems, industrial design, design strategy and management, and environmental design. United by a shared passion for innovation and sustainability, they strive to create impactful responses to real-world challenges, drawing strength from their diverse cultural and academic perspectives.
"Joining the Challenge was an eye-opening experience for us. We grew as a team, strengthened our service design skills, and gained valuable insights through feedback and collaboration. The journey also pushed us to reflect more deeply on the role of public services in supporting citizens through life transitions, a perspective we’ll carry forward in our future work."
Team members - Yanqu Chen, Hanyu Sun, Mingxin Hao, Zijing Wan, Qin Zhao and Yuting YeWinners ISDIN Challenge
1
First place
(8-week design incubation program)
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
Skin & Kin - a service helping families build healthy sun-care habits through playful SPF tools
Team Jade-Eye (Central Saint Martins-UAL, United Kingdom) secured 1st place in the ISDIN challenge with ‘Skin & Kin’, a service that helps parents and kids build shared, healthy routines through real-time UV tracking, gamified learning, and playful SPF tools.
Team Jade-Eye: "Our starting point was simple: sunscreen is often the first thing forgotten and the last thing regretted. Through co-creation sessions, interviews, and experience tours with preteens, parents, educators, dermatologists, and other stakeholders, we uncovered a deeper truth — sun care isn’t just a health issue; it’s an emotional one."
"We value this project for its thoughtful and holistic approach to sun protection, combining real-time UV tracking and timely reminders with features that engage both children and parents. Its smart integration of behavioural nudges and family-focused resources made it a compelling solution with strong potential for lasting impact. The project aligns well with ISDIN’s mission and existing app ecosystem and shows a strong understanding of brand consistency and user needs."
This team brings together students from Central Saint Martins, University of The Arts London, The Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, and University of Amsterdam. Shaped by diverse cultural roots across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe and drawing inspiration from the symbolism of jade, an emblem of harmony, wisdom, and protection, the team strives to harness design's transformative potential to create solutions that bridge tradition and innovation.
"What stood out was how much we learned from each other, the professionals, and even children, whose fresh perspectives reshaped our understanding of the brief. This journey stretched us beyond our comfort zones, teaching us the agile nature of design, tangible skills and equally vital soft skills like empathy, listening, and co-creation. It was a creatively charged, deeply reflective experience we’ll carry forward."
Team members - Tanisha Gangwal, Devi Mohan, Shayna Girish Naik, Jiayin Yu and Gianluigi Yan2
Second place
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
Ray - a service building sun-safe habits in kids through a smart dispenser and virtual pet
The ISDIN jury awarded second place to team The Innovation Forge (Imperial College London and Royal College of Art, United Kingdom) for their service ‘Ray’, which fosters sun-protection habits and independence in children through a personalised dispenser and playful interaction with a virtual pet.
Team The Innovation Forge: "Parents struggle to prioritise sun protection amid other caregiving responsibilities, and children's resistance makes habit adoption even harder. Reapplication is rarely monitored in schools, despite peak sun exposure occurring during school hours."
"We were impressed by Ray's playful yet effective approach to habit-building, using a personalised Tamagotchi character to foster emotional connection, encourage sunscreen use, and make long-term engagement both fun and meaningful for children. By combining gamification with educational value, it presents a creative and promising strategy to instil healthy routines from an early age."
A diverse group of designers and innovators from Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, united by a shared focus on creativity, research, and real-world impact. With specialisations spanning service design, engineering, and behavioural science, they bring interdisciplinary thinking to the forefront, combining human-centred design, systems thinking, and technical insight to try to tackle complex challenges.
"This journey has been a powerful reminder of what collaboration can achieve. Throughout the challenge, we experienced firsthand what it means to design within complexity. We navigated the messiness of real-world systems and used research as our compass to stay grounded in what people truly need. We became more confident in embracing uncertainty and more intentional in how we frame problems and test ideas."
Team members - Yingnan Li, Jiayi Xue, Swetha Muralidharan, Nicholas Berry and Xiyu Du3
Third place
Sun Loop - a service helping families build sun-safe habits through playful park stations
Team 4ALL (IE University, Spain) came in 3rd place with ‘Sun Loop’, a service that helps families build sun safety habits early, through playful sunscreen stations in parks and take-home SPF kits.
Team 4ALL: "A key finding from a pediatrician was that children around the age of seven learn best through initiation. This reshaped our thinking and helped us design an ecosystem that models behaviour and interactions, while also recognising that sun care is often not enjoyable for children, especially in on-the-go scenarios."
"Placing sun protection stations in public spaces like parks and beaches is a thoughtful and community-focused idea. The addition of a refill product designed for the whole family reinforces healthy sun protection habits across all age groups, while addressing the deeper challenge of making these behaviours stick long term."
A group of third-year Bachelor in Design students from IE University in Madrid, united by a shared commitment to inclusive, human-centred design. With strengths spanning product and service design, branding, and user experience, they combine diverse perspectives to develop thoughtful and realistic responses that address everyday challenges in holistic and accessible ways.
"The Challenge offered the perfect balance of structure and freedom—guided by high-quality resources and briefs, yet open enough to let us explore our own direction. We chose a path we didn’t know well, and it paid off: we stretched our systemic thinking, learned to approach design from a 360º perspective, and grew stronger as a team along the way. We had fun, we learned a lot, and we’re proud of the project we created together."
Team members - Marion Vincey, Nour Yacoub, Maya Ishaq and Yara TarhiniWinners IBM Challenge
1
First place
(8-week design incubation program)
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
Flare! - a campus safety service that makes emergency preparedness a shared daily habit
Team Flare (University of Waterloo, Canada) was awarded 1st place by the IBM jury for their service Flare!, a university campus safety platform that turns emergency preparedness into a shared, everyday habit for students. Team Flare also received an Honourable Mention in the overall competition.
Team Flare: "Flare emerged from lived experiences. As university students, our team saw firsthand how optimism bias undermines engagement with emergency preparedness. We spoke directly with peers who admitted to ignoring drills and alerts because emergencies felt too abstract or rare to be relevant."
"We were genuinely impressed with Flare’s creative approach to campus safety. The team has turned a commonly overlooked topic into a playful and practical service. Its integration of gamification and stakeholder feedback showcases a strong understanding of real-world systems and user engagement."
A group of five interdisciplinary students from the University of Waterloo, currently pursuing a bachelor's in Global Business and Digital Arts. With a blend of backgrounds in business strategy, product design, digital media, and marketing, they bring four years of hands-on collaboration to the table. Their shared passion for creative problem-solving and diverse skill sets allows them to tackle challenges from all angles. They strive to create thoughtful, interactive, and visually engaging solutions, grounded in research, strategy, and empathy.
"The Challenge has been an incredibly transformative and fulfilling journey. What began as an alarming incident at our own university became the spark for a deeply personal and purposeful design process. This experience taught us how to navigate complex systems with empathy and pushed us to think critically about how service design can make safety more visible, actionable, and human."
Team members - Andrew Kim, Chris Pan, Sasha Takoo, Bernice Heng and Jess Wu2
Second place
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
Echo - a service enabling transparent, ethical communication about AI use
In 2nd place, IBM recognised team Healthcare for Humanity (University of Washington, United States) for their service Echo, a digital platform that facilitates transparent, ethical communication between speech-language pathologists and their clients around the use of AI.
Team Healthcare for Humanity: "Healthcare AI is complex and often vague. In our early rounds, we saw how scattered and intertwined its systems can be. Our goal was to break down this black box and empower individuals to contribute meaningfully by making their voices heard. Grounded in a local context, we tried to build a practical, human-in-the-loop system that’s scalable to other healthcare environments seeking transparency and trust."
"Echo is a sensitive and well-researched solution that tackles bias in AI-supported healthcare. We value its strong focus on transparency and trust for immigrant families, which highlights a clear commitment to ethical and inclusive design."
A team of 1st year Master’s in Human-Centered Design and Engineering students at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA. They have a strong interest in designing for good and see the Challenge as an opportunity to design a service that can address biases within the American healthcare system. The team is passionate about developing equitable systems and empowering those around us.
"Through multiple rounds of research and iteration, we deepened our understanding of what it takes to build human-centred AI in healthcare. Interviews revealed real-world gaps and design opportunities that shaped our direction and taught us to navigate complexity by grounding ideas in real needs. With invaluable guidance from mentors, this challenge helped us grow as a team to create meaningful impact."
Team members - Yu-Jie (Janet) Chen, Alex Chung, Jen Zhang, Gahui Yun and Inhauck Choi3
Third place
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
Glassbox - a service helping students engage critically and creatively with artificial intelligence
The overall Silver winner, team Glassbox (Central Saint Martins-UAL, United Kingdom), also took 3rd place in the IBM challenge for their AI learning platform that helps students engage with AI in transparent and reflective ways, enabling smarter collaboration, greater creativity, and deeper learning.
Team Glassbox: "After many sessions with our experts, we returned to a fundamental question: should this be an AI-first service, or could we address the problem through more playful, adjacent interactions? Through long discussions, we realised the goal wasn’t to replace or improve AI. It was to help students use it more mindfully and collaboratively right from the start in the flow of their work."
"Glassbox stands out for its original take on AI in education, using shared interactions to promote transparency and collaboration. The concept encourages ethical awareness and opens new possibilities for how we learn with technology. We commend its conceptual clarity and its direct engagement with current behaviours in student learning, making visible how AI can erode critical thinking and engagement."
A team of four MA Innovation Management students from Central Saint Martins, University of The Arts London, united by their shared interest in exploring design as a tool for cultural, social, and environmental transformation. With backgrounds spanning fashion, exhibition and museum design, narrative strategy, digital marketing, and systems thinking, they bring a multidisciplinary approach to complex challenges. They believe that transparent, collaborative design processes can lead to more equitable futures.
"Being part of the Student Service Design Challenge has been one of the most meaningful (and sometimes chaotic) parts of our year. Between academic deadlines and the unpredictability of life, we turned sticky-note storms, interviews, workshops, and late-night calls into a service we’re proud of. The journey reminded us that curiosity and collaboration can carry you through even when things feel overwhelming."
Team members - Aldo Zocca, Mingming Liu, Pradipta Ray and Vrushali LandgeHonourable
mention
2
SILVER winner:
monetary prize of EUR 2,500
+ EUR 2,000 for the University
The following concept stood out exceptionally in at least one of the main Challenge criteria and deserved a special mention and recognition from the Jury.
Knitt - a service helping single parents build local connections through shared routines and goals
The jury awarded special recognition to Knitt from team Imagine If (Aalto University, Finland). Knitt is a service that helps single parents connect locally through shared routines and goals, fostering meaningful relationships built on empathy and trust.
Team Imagine If: "Single parents live in a world designed for double parents. Most support systems, from daycare schedules to childcare services, assume two caregivers, making it difficult for single parents to handle unexpected work demands or find time for themselves."
"Knitt stands out for its exceptionally well-executed storytelling, which allowed us to connect deeply with the experiences of single mothers, skillfully combining data and real-life stories to highlight the core frustrations they face. We felt invited into the design process every step of the way. Rooted in local research, it shows strong global potential, resonating with single parents and others seeking a meaningful connection."
A group of Service Design students from Aalto University, passionate about social impact through collaborative design. With backgrounds in social sciences, urban planning, product and UX design, and representing three continents, they bring diverse perspectives to everything they do. United by a belief that even complex challenges can be meaningfully addressed, they seek opportunities to make a lasting difference in people's lives.
"Over the past five months, we undertook a social design challenge to support single parents in Finland. We were amazed by the support and engagement local NGOs and single parents showed us. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to work on a real-world problem that is messy, fuzzy and complex. It brought both highs and lows, but also valuable learning and growth as a team."
Team members - Takashige Doi, Natthorn Uliss, Ronja C., Johanna Svea Weigel, Sushmita Charlu and Yuchen TangPrizes and recognition
All 1st place winning teams earn an 8-week design incubation program under the wing of their respective organisation to further prototype and optimise their concept. During those weeks they will receive guidance from experts in areas such as prototyping, sustainability, technology, and design.
Most notably, all winning teams and their service design solutions will be highlighted and showcased online. This Challenge ends with an exhibition during the Dutch Design Week 2025 (DDW25).
Proprietary rights - The Student Service Design Challenge is not liable for any copyright or trademark infringement on the part of the entrants and is not responsible for obtaining, protecting, or verifying any intellectual property rights relating to the submission material. It is the responsibility of the student design teams to use their own materials and designs, and clearly highlight references. They have been advised and required to obtain third party consents where required by law or by best ethical practices. If you discover that in the submitted materials and designs copyrighted items have been unintentionally used, we ask you to contact us by email. We will ask the concerning student team to delete those items.
Initiated and organized by SERVICE DESIGN COLLEGE.
In collaboration with
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