INDEX: Award receives nominations from all over the world (so far, 80+ countries) and is awarded biennially in Copenhagen, Denmark, under the attendance of HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark, who is patron of INDEX: Design to Improve Life®.

INDEX: Award is split into five categories: Body, Home, Work, Play &Learning and Community, representing the entire scope of human life. And one prize worth €100,000 will be presented to the winner in each category.

Until December 31st, 2012 anyone can nominate his or her favorite life-improving design for INDEX: Award 2013. All the submitted entries are displayed on the nomination website, and nominating for INDEX: award is open for all and completely FREE OF CHARGE.

From the pool of nominations, an international jury of designers, design scholars and thinkers, business people and curators will then select a group of finalists, which will be announced in June 2013. All finalists will later be displayed in the world touring INDEX: Award 2013 Exhibition - premiered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in late August 2013.

Below, you will see a few of the 15 challenges that we encourage designers from all over the world to address with Design to Improve Life. The challenges span all aspects of human life and brings perspective to how we can use design as a tool to solve the issues of global and local societies.

EDUCATION is about learning and sharing knowledge and about the importance of educating present/future generations to understand each other and to improve life.

FOOD is about production, distribution and consumption of a vital, resource-heavy commodity.

HEALTH is about preventing/curing diseases and improving conditions to increase life quality for people.

WATER is about managing our planet’s most valuable resource while providing safe access to it.

Go to our INDEX: Award 2013 nomination website here.

Browse all the finalists for INDEX: Award 2011 here.

View ALL finalists for INDEX: Award since 2005 here.