About Design Ventura
Design Ventura challenges students in years 9, 10 and 11 to design a new product for the Design Museum shop.
Design Ventura, the Design Museum’s flagship learning project, is an opportunity for students to develop design thinking, creative and business capabilities and employability skills. The project was launched in 2010 in partnership with Deutsche Bank, as part of the bank’s global youth engagement programme and has seen over 160,00 students participate.
Teachers are offered training and resources to develop their own professional practice and to run the project in school with the support of design and business industry experts.
Students, working in teams, are asked to consider the whole process of design, from initial ideas to manufacturing and budgets to marketing and branding.
The top ten state school teams are invited to a pitching event at Deutsche Bank London head office. The winning team is announced at a Celebration Event at the Design Museum and go on to work with a professional design team to develop their idea and see it on sale the Design Museum Shop.
International and Independent schools are welcome to participate but compete for a different, separate prize.
For 2024-25 there will be a themed online mini challenge for students in years 7-11.
Register your schoolSupport and benefits for registered schools:
- Supports the delivery of the Design and Technology curriculum, including the D&T GCSE specification (KS3 and GCSE mapping can be found here – you will need to be logged in)
- Free teacher CPD sessions, including live online sessions, with pathways to Goldsmiths College MA in Design Education
- Free workshops at the Design Museum, supported by design and industry professionals
- Online resources, including workshop plans, films and step through process
- Flexible project structure that can be run as an extra-curricular activity, a STEM/STEAM project or towards CREST awards or Arts Mark
- Support from the Design Museum team
- All participating students receive certificates
- The top ten ideas are displayed in a public exhibition at the Design Museum
- Winners will work with professional designers to see their idea manufactured and sold in the Design Museum shop
Who can take part?
- Students in years 9, 10 and 11
- UK state schools
- 4-6 students per team
- D&T, A&D, Business & Enterprise Students and related creative subjects
- International and Independent schools are welcome to participate in the project but we are unable to offer free workshops and they will compete for a separate prize. For more details please contact the Design Ventura team.
Key Dates


Design Ventura Staff
-
Elysia Thorpe
Programme Manager Design Ventura -
Aithne Tılsım Palfreyman
Assistant Programme Manager Design Ventura -
Sally Jones
Freelance Educator and Artist -
Lea Jagendorf
Freelance Educator & Designer
the
DESIGN
MUSEUM
The world’s leading museum devoted to contemporary design in every form from architecture and fashion to graphics, product and industrial design. The Design Museum opened in its spectacular new location in the former Commonwealth Institute building on High Street Kensington on 24 November, 2016. The Museum is an international showcase for the many design skills at which Britain excels and a creative centre, promoting innovation and nurturing the next generation of design talent. Learning is at the heart of the museum with provision from early years through formal learning to adult courses and the varied public programmes of events.
Our values Plan your visit Find out moreThe Shop
The Design Museum shop aims to sell the most beautiful, innovative, intelligently designed products and publications from around the world. It operates through two retail spaces at the new site in Kensington and through the online shop.
Find out more Shop websiteThe Collection
The Design Museum’s collection is an important record of the key designs that have shaped the modern world. It tells the history of mass production, from the manufacturing innovations of the nineteenth century up to the digital and making revolution of the last few years.
The Collection Design objects Designer Maker UserKings College School
Prendergast Ladywell School
Clapton Girls’ Academy
The Long Eaton School
burnham grammar school
Fabia Hully
Beaminster School
Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School
Glenthorne High School
East Barnet School
Tunbridge wells Grammar school for Boys

Forest Hill School
Colfe’s School
Charles Darwin School
St benedict’s School
Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School

Oakwood Park Grammar School
Salesian College, Farnborough
The Keystone Academy
The British School

Fareham Academy

St. Patrick’s and St. Brigids College

2020 Winner - Heckmondwike Grammar School

2019 Winner - Twynham School Sopers Lane

2018 Winner - Simon Ball All-through School

2017 Winner - Weatherhead High School

2016 Winner - Harrogate Grammar School

2015 Winner - Finchley Catholic High School

2014 Winner - Burnage Academy for Boys

2013 Winner - Weald of Kent Grammar School

2012 Winner - Trinity School

2011 Winner - Walworth Academy

2010 Winner - Haberdasher’s Aske’s Hatcham College

2017 Winner – Weatherhead High School
