This ad will be closed automatically in X seconds.

IHA announces Student Design Competition winners

The winners of the 32nd annual competition will showcase their work at The Inspired Home Show 2025, 2-4 March in Chicago.

Six innovative student-designed products that enhance convenience, sustainability and independence in the home earned top honours in the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) Excellence in Student Design competition, sponsored by the International Housewares Association (IHA).

As the industry’s premier student design contest, this 32nd annual edition celebrates forward-thinking solutions for the home and recognises the next generation of student designers from around the world.

The six winning industrial design students will showcase their projects at The Inspired Home Show 2025, IHA’s global home + housewares marketplace, held 2-4 March at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The show will provide a unique opportunity for students to pitch their products and network with top leadership in the home and housewares industry.

This year, students tackled challenges ranging from food preparation and senior care, to sustainable cleaning and pet companionship:

First place winner

Helios render 2

David Griffin, Junior, Western Washington University – Helios

Griffin’s Helios is an inflatable heating module that allows users to prepare and keep meals warm while on the go, preserving food quality and taste. The innovative system provides a portable and efficient solution for travelers, campers and busy professionals seeking hot meals without traditional kitchen appliances like microwaves.

David was awarded the grand prize of $3,500.

 

Second place winners

Two students tied for second place, each receiving a $2,500 award:

untitled 15

David Minogue, Sophomore, University of Notre Dame – PullPal
Designed for senior citizens, PullPal is a dog whistle and training tool that helps older adults maintain strong bonds with their pets. Judges recognised its potential to enhance companionship, encourage activity and improve senior well-being.

clean-render-1

Delna Balsara, Senior, University of Notre Dame – Clean
Clean is a storage and disposal solution for seniors managing incontinence care. By organising clean and soiled products separately, it simplifies the changing, cleaning and disposal process, promoting independence and dignity.

 

Third place winners

Three students earned third-place honors, each receiving a $1,200 award:

Alex Marovec, Senior, Western Michigan University – Nimbus Electric Mop
The Nimbus Electric Mop is a smart cleaning device that picks up spills and deposits waste directly into the sink, offering a hands-free, mess-free cleaning experience.

Peter Carlsson, Kyle Hampton and Amber Mies, Juniors, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Pail
Pail is a compact lunchbox designed to fit seamlessly into the bottle sleeve of a backpack, making it an ultra-portable meal storage solution for students and professionals alike.

VeroHorizontalPoster4

Clara Rozmaryn, Junior, University of Kansas – Tilt
Tilt is a sustainable cleaning system that empowers users to make their own non-toxic cleaning solutions at home. It features long-lasting glass bottles, recycled plastic components and eco-friendly formulas, aligning with the growing demand for waste-free, chemical-free home products.

 

Honourable mentions

Six products earned honourable mentions, with their designers receiving a $250 award:

Connor Burkett, Junior, Western Michigan University – Ignite Weed Burner – A chemical-free, low-labor weed burner for safer and easier yard maintenance.

Mia Nakano, Junior, University of Washington – Harbor – A versatile fishing kit that combines a cutting board, cooler and storage with essential tools for catching, filleting and transporting fish.

Elizabeth Skinner, Junior, Western Michigan University – Gleam – A rechargeable, all-in-one handheld steam cleaner designed to maintain a healthier kitchen.

Jin Lee, Sophomore, College for Creative Studies – PURIVAC – A compact and efficient desk vacuum for workspace cleanliness.

Anna Blessinger, Senior, Purdue University – Elio – An adaptive lantern designed for small spaces.

Ada Carter, Sophomore, University of Illinois Chicago – Tula – A tulip-shaped chair that rotates inward to encourage young children to enjoy reading.

 

About the competition & The Inspired Home Show

The gia Excellence in Student Design competition invites college students to either redesign an existing housewares product to meet evolving consumer needs or create a concept for a new product. Winning projects are evaluated based on their innovation, production feasibility, marketability and overall quality.

 

Since its inception in 1993, the competition has received more than 7,200 submissions, launching countless design careers and fostering the next generation of innovators. This year’s winners were chosen by an esteemed panel of 18 industry designers and professors, including three past gia winners who have gone on to successful industrial design careers.

 

The Inspired Home Show 2025, IHA’s global home + housewares marketplace, takes place March 2-4 at McCormick Place in Chicago, marking the 125th edition of the Show since 1939. While not open to the public, the Show features the latest home and housewares innovations and provides industry professionals with a platform for networking, trendspotting and product discovery. For more information or to register, visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.

 

MORE NEWS
Copy of Progressive Preschool featured image - 2025-04-16T230635.978
 
Recent figures from the Progressive Housewares Retail Barometer show that retailers voted staff and social media as the most positive influences on their businesses....
Copy of Progressive Preschool featured image (13)
 
The latest BRC KPMG Retail Sales Monitor shows a 1.1% growth in total retail sales in March, against a 3.5% growth in March 2024....
Copy of Progressive Preschool featured image - 2025-04-16T224643.755
 
Independent retailers across the UK continue to face stubborn levels of retail crime according to the latest survey conducted by BIRA. ...
Copy of Progressive Preschool featured image - 2025-04-16T223715.223
 
Ninja, Salter, Breville, Cosori and Philips are among those making the list of Good Housekeeping’s top 15 air fryers....
Copy of Progressive Preschool featured image - 2025-04-16T221404.688
 
ProCook has announced its Q4 trading update, highlighting a strong trading performance. ...
Copy of Progressive Preschool featured image - 2025-04-15T123702.764
 
BHETA is to hold an in-person meet the buyer event with John Lewis 13 May at the Hilton London Watford. ...
Get the latest news sent to your inbox
Subscribe to our daily newsletter

The list doesn't exist! Make sure you have imported the list on the 'Manage List Forms' page.