Organizer Information
The InnovMetal Award (IMA), formerly known as the China Hardware Products International Industrial Design Competition, is a professional industrial design competition focused on the hardware products sector. Established in 2006, the award is designed to connect international design resources with the hardware manufacturing industry in Yongkang, Zhejiang, China, a major hardware manufacturing center. The 2026 edition is organized by the Yongkang Municipal People’s Government, with support from Zhejiang University of Technology, the Zhejiang Industrial Design Association, and other governmental, industrial, academic, and technology organizations. The competition is undertaken by the Yongkang Science and Technology Bureau, with multiple local hardware companies participating as industry partners.
Title & Description
2026 InnovMetal Award
2026 InnovMetal Award (IMA) is an international industrial design competition held under the theme “Design Driving the Future of Hardware.” The award seeks innovative approaches to traditional and emerging hardware products, encouraging designers to develop new functions, values, materials, structures, services, and user experiences while supporting sustainable development and future-oriented living.
The competition has two main tracks. The Product Track welcomes commercially and socially valuable design products and services that have strong potential for rapid commercialization and integration with Yongkang's manufacturing ecosystem. There are no restrictions on product categories.
The Creative Track presents six industry-specific design challenges covering green and healthy drinkware, multifunctional quick-assembly rooms and sheds, home fitness equipment, Yongkang city souvenirs, smart entry doors, and smart agricultural machinery for hilly and mountainous areas. Participants are encouraged to combine innovation with manufacturing feasibility, market value, sustainability, user experience, and practical implementation.
Categories
- Industrial / Product Design
- Hardware Design
- Consumer Product Design
- Sustainable Design
- Smart Product Design
- Home & Lifestyle Product Design
- Fitness & Rehabilitation Equipment
- Architecture-Related Product Design
- Cultural & Creative Product Design
- Agricultural Machinery Design
Creative Track themes include titanium drinkware and kitchenware; modular rooms, sheds and garden structures; home fitness and rehabilitation equipment; Yongkang-themed souvenirs; smart residential entry doors; and intelligent agricultural machinery.
Eligibility
The competition is international and open to students and faculty members of universities and research institutions, design institutions, enterprises, independent designers, design studios, and design teams.
For the Product Track, publicly submitted works undergo preliminary evaluation, while institutionally or expertly recommended works may advance directly to the second-round evaluation subject to approval by the Organizing Committee. Product Track teams may include up to five members.
For the Creative Track, submissions are open to eligible participants from domestic and international universities, design institutions, enterprises, independent designers, and other qualified applicants. Creative Track teams are recommended to have no more than three members.
Program Benefits & Awards
IMA offers a substantial prize structure with a total prize fund of RMB 3.84 million.
Product Track:
- 1 Gold Star Award
- 2 Silver Star Awards
- 3 Bronze Star Awards
- 10 Excellence Awards
Creative Track and related awards:
- 6 Gold Creation Awards
- 12 Silver Creation Awards
- 18 Bronze Creation Awards
- 120 Creative Excellence Awards
- Up to 200 Creative Merit Awards
- 16 Outstanding Instructor Awards
Winners receive trophies and/or certificates according to the award category, while prize money is distributed by bank transfer. Prize money is pre-tax, with applicable personal income tax withholding handled in accordance with Chinese regulations.
The Product Track additionally offers opportunities for enterprise matching between selected projects and Yongkang manufacturers, scheduled for November–December 2026. This creates potential pathways for commercialization and industry collaboration.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Announcement: August 1, 2026
- Promotion: August–October 2026
- Submission System Opens: September 2026
- Application Deadline: 31 October 2026
- Preliminary Evaluation: Mid-November 2026
- Product Track Enterprise Matching: November–December 2026
- Second-Round Evaluation: Late December 2026
- Final Evaluation & Award Ceremony: March–April 2027
Location
Yongkang, Zhejiang, China
Additional Details
IMA evaluates submissions according to four principal criteria: innovation, feasibility, completeness, and market/industry value. The Product Track places particular emphasis on commercial potential and implementation, with feasibility and market value each accounting for 30% of the score. The Creative Track similarly gives 30% each to innovation and market & industry value.
Designs should therefore go beyond visual novelty. Judges will consider manufacturing processes, materials, structures, user experience, commercialization potential, sustainability, and the ability of a proposal to contribute meaningfully to the hardware industry.
The competition is particularly relevant to designers interested in industrial design, product innovation, manufacturing, smart hardware, sustainable products, and design-to-market development.