award 2026

 The 2026 "Sea Design Award" powered by Verga 1958 is the first international competition dedicated to the nautical sector, organized by the Liguria Design Cultural Association. It is open to students, recent graduates, and new professionals under 30 from around the world. Now in its fifth edition, the competition has grown rapidly, establishing itself as a benchmark for the nautical sector and appealing to the many young people around the world who, with their innovative ideas, are entering a rapidly growing and evolving sector, also in line with the latest global trends related to sustainability, innovation, and environmental impact. What is needed are forward-looking design projects related to the maritime world—bold and futuristic projects.

The results of the competition will be presented annually during the Tigullio Design District – TDD, organized by the Liguria Design Cultural Association. This is the first international event organized in Liguria dedicated to design, specifically to major themes related to the sea, the outdoors, and, of course, lifestyle, taking place in the splendid setting of the Gulf of Tigullio, between Genoa and the Cinque Terre.

What are we looking for

We're looking for projects related to major maritime themes, without any particular restrictions regarding the product or service category sought, but all of which have a common thread in the nautical sector. For example, you can present a vessel, a product, a service, an innovative system, or a project related to marine environmental protection or disability in aquatic environments, solving everyday problems in this sector with design-related proposals.
For any questions regarding the brief, you are invited to contact the team of Tigullio Design District directly using the email: info@tigulliodesigndistrict.com  with a copy of the email of the general association: assoliguriadesign@gmail.com

International Jury

Javier Tomás Casabé - Yacht Designer & Naval Architect 

Mané Ferrari – Director and Anchor of the Mundo Mar TV Show

Michele Solari – Founder of Barchelettriche srl

Stefano Bitturini  –  Project Manager | Verga1958 ( Head of the Jury )

Tie Ji – Dean of the School of Design at Hunan University

Tommaso Piazzolla – Founder of Nautic One

Participation rules

1- Participation is limited to: students and/or recent graduates who completed their university courses between 2020 and 2026 and/or young professionals born no earlier than 1995, i.e., turning 30 in 2026.

 

2- Send your project to the email address; info@tigulliodesigndistrict.com, copying the general association's email address: assoliguriadesign@gmail.com with the subject line: Sea Design Award 2026

3- Follow the Instagram accounts of Tigullio Design District and Liguria Design ( @tigulliodesigndistrict_tdd - @liguriadesign )

Guidelines

For the successful development of your projects, please consider the following guidelines:

Categories

The competition includes five categories, two of which are new for this 2026 edition:

- Nautical Design: yachts, superyachts, motorboats, sports boats, inflatable boats, sailboats, etc., up to futuristic vessels, new boat solutions, and concept yachts.

- Industrial Design: bollards, onboard instruments, diving fins, diving masks, kayaks, aquascooters, buoys, innovative nautical materials, boat furnishings, objects, products for water recreation, technical clothing, beachwear, etc.

- Design for All: projects dedicated to the world of disability in aquatic environments, social services in the marine/outdoor world, products and services for all those who, on board a boat or on land and on beaches, experience difficulties in the marine environment due to a disability.

- Landscape Design: Projects dedicated to the design and management of open spaces to create urban and coastal environments connected to the sea, beaches, ports, and more, may include architecture and urban planning assessments.

-Interior Design: This includes the interior design of yachts and boats in general, or of seaside properties, beach clubs, beach bars, etc.

Higher scores will be given to projects that take into account aspects related to sustainability, innovation, functionality, sophisticated materials, and aesthetics, and that demonstrate particular attention to presentation.

Required materials

Send us: (either individually or as a group, with identical information for everyone, indicating a contact person who will be responsible for email communication)

- Name, Surname, age, current university or university of origin/degree

- Detailed project description (between 10 and 20 lines, no more) and a series of images to best present your projects.

- Instagram Profile

- The images (minimum 5, maximum 10) must have a high-resolution web resolution; allowed file types: .jpg, .gif, or .png; color mode: RGB; maximum single file size: 1MB.

(Please send us the same 5-10 images in a separate folder, in a square format, without writing, logos, or names, because if you win, they will be used to promote you on the website and Instagram, as well as being sent to the press.)

The winners will be notified privately by mid-March and then publicly announced on the first day of the Tigullio Design District on the website: www.tigulliodesigndistrict.com. From that moment on, they will be promoted on the Tigullio Design District / Liguria Design social media channels, as well as promoted to the press. (We suggest waiting for your joint announcement to be made during the TDD, not before.)

Evaluation criteria

When evaluating the submissions, the jury will consider the following criteria:

Degree of Innovation

Sustainability

Functionality

Aesthetic Quality

Project Presentation

Language

English – this is because the award is aimed at a global audience, so all texts (abstracts, descriptions, tags, etc.) must be written in English.

Contest Deadlines

Submission deadline: March 7, 2026
Private winner announcement: March 15, 2026
Public winner announcement: During the Tigullio Design District

Award

Winners will receive benefits including:

- Publication of their project on the Tigullio Design District website, Liguria Design, and related websites, as well as the opportunity to be promoted by sponsors and partners of the event internationally.

- Inclusion of their profile in press releases about the event sent to partners, organizations, newspapers, and the Italian and international press.

- The opportunity to participate in future editions of the Tigullio Design District and join the Liguria Design network for future activities, exhibitions, and displays.

- The opportunity to connect with companies and professionals in the nautical sector for future collaborations.

- International visibility for their project and talent, useful for launching their career in the world of nautical design.

Thank you for participating!