30 Watt is a product design studio designing products that playfully combine form, function and fun. Their imaginative offerings add personality to the everyday, allowing people to express their style and individuality, while also enjoying the benefits of ingenuity. 30 Watt seeks to expand its network of ideators who appreciate the mission to make everyday products better; and thus, to make the gifting experience genuine, amusing and fun.

Phase one of this mission is the 1st annual 30 Watt Design Challenge! 30 Watt is cordially inviting design students across America to design a gift they'd actually want; gifts that deliver a chuckle, a laugh out loud, or at the very least, expel a small amount of air from one's nostrils.

The 30 Watt Self Gifting Design Challenge brief

30 Watt is on the hunt to expand their product catalogue and are looking for fresh chuckle-inducing designs to help them make their mark on the gifting industry.

So get to work on your best novelty gift design—and remember, novelty gifts are not supposed to be too expensive. Think about it like this: you're going to a friends house for her wine and cheese extravaganza and you have $10 for some wine and $20 for a gift. You want to make everyone laugh and you wanna bring the cheese (We're talking metaphorically here). What is it? How is it made? What is it made of? In general, less is more.

The contest is free to enter. Design students must submit their ideas by March 15th, 2021. Five finalists will be selected to pitch their idea to 30 Watt's panel of three judges with a chance at prize money (first prize is a $1,000 cash prize!), royalties, and a great learning experience.

Please submit original ideas only! Ideas should not be technological in nature, overly complicated with multiple parts, or so outlandish that students know they will never actually be produced. Additionally, refrain from designing products that are hateful, hurtful, political or derogatory. In other words do not dream up anything that could resemble 2020 in any way, shape or form.

How can I enter?

Starting February 1st, you can enter by submitting your original design(s) to our competition website. On March 29th, the 30 Watt team will choose 5 finalists, and on April 15th they'll host a livestream Shark Tank-style pitch where finalists hash it out to impress the judges!

To learn more, please contact designchallenge@30watt.com and visit https://www.30wattdesignchallenge.com/ for more information.