Written by A 24-race F1 World Championship, Euro 2024, the Olympics and the Paralympics, Cycling World Championships and Weightlifting World Championships. These are just a few of the sporting competitions which will occupy the minds of athletes, coaches, teams and supporters alike over the next few months.
But while many will be turning to sporting endeavours, we’re proud to encourage competition of a different kind. We’re all about the pursuit of knowledge, new skills and the chance to stand out in a competitive global job market.
Last year our first Designathon brought together bright minds from around the globe to showcase their talents and exchange ideas. Such an event is analogous to athletes from different countries coming together for their discipline’s World Champs or the Olympics. Designathon 2023 provided industrial design and engineering students with an opportunity to collaborate, challenge and compete.
Athletes train hard and compete to push their limits, they work with their teammates to hone set-pieces and make incremental gains for success. Their coaches help them to develop their skills and gameplay, making sure they display the qualities of a winning team.
Many parallels with Designathon 2023. I saw students complete training on Autodesk Fusion, a tool used by designers and in factories around the world. They learnt new skills, and developed their knowledge. They worked as teams, responding to a challenge set by our team of student experts. They competed against other student teams for prizes. They embraced the opportunities, sharpening their skills and expanding their knowledge in the process.
In my opinion, Designathon 2023 was fantastic. I loved it – it reminded me why I do what I do, work in the education sector. It was an amazing display of collective learning and collaboration. I saw students of industrial design and engineering come together to gain digital skills – and compete for the honour of being recognised as the best team at Designathon 2023! I saw lots of collaboration – and fun along the way.
I particularly liked what Team Titan from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, had to say:
Design competitions encourage innovative thinking and creativity. They provide a platform to experiment with new ideas and solutions, which is a critical skill in any design-related career. It will serve as a proof of expertise in future endeavours.
We enjoyed it so much, we’ve decided to do it again. But unlike many sporting competitions we’ve decided to usurp a two or four-year cycle, we’re going for an annual event!
So, make a note in your diary, Designathon 2024 is on 26-27 June – and we’re open for entries from teams of students!!
If you need some inspiration, find out about last year’s winners.
Winner: Team Ying Yang, Gazi University, Turkey
Ömer Kağan Yılmaz and Ahmet Kaya.
The Ying Yang mobile machine uses powerful suspension systems and wheels to keep up with the changing rhythm of the world. It has strong tempered glass to withstand harsh weather conditions and, in addition to a small ecosystem housed in its three-story body, it only uses renewable energy sources, specifically the most mobile of them all, solar panels, to ensure sustainability.
It features modifiable plant pots, instant health analysis of plants and soil with built-in artificial intelligence support, and panels opening in the most suitable position for high yield. It produces minimal waste by converting its own waste plant outputs into biomass energy through the method of biomass combustion.
Second: Team Titan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Julia Daramola, Alao Kolawole, and Oluwaseun Adeyera.
The students from Team Titan designed a system comprising solar panel for energy supply, connected to a small hydroponic unit where crops are grown in a nutrient-rich, water-based solution, eliminating the need for soil.
Portability is achieved through a lightweight, collapsible frame with wheels, allowing easy movement and reconfiguration. The design integrates sensors and automated controls for nutrient and pH level management, ensuring optimal growing conditions while leveraging renewable energy.
Third place: Team Concept Squad, Tunisia
Azza Reguigui, Oussema Benaissa, and Emna Ksaier.
Team Concept Squad placed third with Air-O-Ponics, an innovative machine that transforms air into clean water.
The students from Tunisia designed a machine which uses condensation technology to extract moisture from the air. Produced water is used for watering plants in a hydroponic system, a method of growing plants that does not require soil, the plants are grown in an aqueous nutrient solution. The Air-O-Ponics is powered by solar energy.
Get your team ready for DESIGNATHON 2024: Designing a green tomorrow
A chance to train and compete. Designathon 2024 offers student teams the opportunity to learn how smart design can play a part in the transition towards a more sustainable future. They will also showcase their creativity and design skills in crafting concepts for a better world. And compete for prizes!
- Where: online
- When: 26 and 27 June 2024
- Train on day 1: student teams from around the world will learn about Autodesk Fusion and key workflows.
- Compete on day 2: student teams will put new design skills to the test in the Designathon challenge.
Sign-up now: Entries are accepted from teams of students – a team of 2 (minimum) or 3 (maximum).
Because we like just a bit of healthy competition – we’re now competing with ourselves (with your help). Last year’s competition involved 180 students in 70 teams from 24 countries representing 64 educational institutions. We want to boost these numbers.
Are you up making the 2024 edition of the Designathon a winning competition? Bigger and better than Designathon 2023?
Tomas Karlsson is the Sr. Manager of channel services at KnowledgePoint. This means he oversees the management of outsourced extended enterprise learning programmes, recruiting and supporting global network of training providers on behalf of organisations, including Autodesk.
Organised by KnowledgePoint, Designathon 2024 is part Autodesk’s commitment to education. The two-day online event will see students develop vital digital skills, and compete in the global Designathon challenge. For more information about the Designathon 2024 and Autodesk’s commitment to education: https://tinyurl.com/yvb885dp