Institute of Applied Art and Design

What Institute of Applied Art and Design does

IAAD (Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design, legal entity IADA s.r.l.) is a private Italian higher education institution founded in 1978 in Turin, operating under the AFAM-ISIA system. It delivers three-year undergraduate programs (Interior Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Digital Communication Design, Textile & Fashion Design, Transportation Design, and Innovation Design), one-year Master's programs (Transportation Design, Digital Marketing & Communication Management, Fashion Management, Design for Mobility Solutions, Event and Exhibit Design, Art Management & Cultural Design), six-month evening professional courses, and Summer/Winter Schools. Three-year programs award 180 CFA, equivalent to a bachelor's degree, following MIUR authorization (D.M. 162 del 13.03.2013 and D.M. 330 del 19.04.18).

IAAD's core product is design pedagogy supported by specialized laboratories (fashion, light model-making, photography and VR), computer-equipped classrooms with Adobe Creative Cloud, 3D modeling tools (Alias, Blender), CAD, rendering, and VR software, plus a device-and-software bundle provided to each enrolled student alongside a Google Workspace for Education account. The school runs a career service, an Erasmus+ mobility program, and an in-house psychological Listening Desk in partnership with the IBTG Association - Scuola Gestalt di Torino. Since 2012 it has been an active member of AD Education, a network of 14 international design schools, and since 2023 it has held bilateral agreements with Art Center College of Design (Pasadena) and Shijiazhuang University.

IAAD monetizes almost exclusively through tuition fees, with pricing structured around income brackets via the ISEEU (Indicatore della Situazione Economica Equivalente) model and scholarships of up to 50% of tuition. It operates two campuses (Turin HQ at Via Pisa 5/d and Corso Regio Parco 15; Bologna at Via Jacopo Barozzi 3/m, opened 2017), a 35% international student body, and an industry network of over 5,000 partner companies that feed internships, project work, and placement. The Master in Design for Mobility Solutions is co-developed with Walter De Silva Partners, who funds a 100% tuition scholarship. Go-to-market combines direct orientation-office consultations (on campus and via Google Meet/Skype), Info Day events, admission tests, open masterclasses, and career days, with international student recruitment enabled through remote admission testing and visa support.

Name

Institute of Applied Art and Design

Legal name

IADA s.r.l.

Website

https://iaad.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IAAD is a private Italian design school founded in 1978 in Turin, delivering AFAM-accredited undergraduate, Master's, and professional programs across transportation, interior, product, communication, fashion, and innovation design to Italian and international students on its Turin and Bologna campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Torino

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: IAAD generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged for undergraduate (three-year) programs, Master's programs, and professional courses. Fees are structured around income brackets determined by ISEEU (Indicatore della Situazione Economica Equivalente) model, allowing differentiated pricing based on family income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

IAAD is an Italian higher education institution (AFAM-ISIA accredited) offering three-year undergraduate programs, Master's programs, six-month professional courses, and summer/winter schools in design disciplines including Interior Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Digital Communication Design, Textile & Fashion Design, Transportation Design, and Innovation Design. The institution delivers education on-site at campuses in Turin and Bologna, supported by specialized laboratories (fashion, model-making, photography, VR), professional software and hardware provided to students, career services, and international mobility programs.

Product overview

IAAD (Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design) is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of design-focused programs. The core offerings include three-year undergraduate courses (Interior Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Digital Communication Design, Textile & Fashion Design, Transportation Design) and master's programs (Transportation Design, Digital Marketing & Communication Management, Fashion Management, Design for Mobility Solutions). Supporting services include Career Service for job placement, specialized teaching laboratories (fashion, model-making, photography/VR), student accommodation partnerships, Listening Desk psychological support, Device Service providing hardware and Google Apps for Education, Erasmus+ international mobility, and Alias Career for gender identity recognition. Summer/Winter Schools and Professional Courses round out the offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Courses in Design Three-year undergraduate programs awarding 180 CFA (AFAM-ISIA equivalent to bachelor's degree) covering Interior Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Digital Communication Design, Textile & Fashion Design, Transportation Design, and Innovation Design. Aimed at recent secondary school graduates pursuing professional design careers.
• Master's Programs in Design Advanced master's-level programs in Transportation Design, Digital Marketing & Communication Management, Fashion Management, Design for Mobility Solutions, Event and Exhibit Design Production and Management, Art Management & Cultural Design, Branding & Digital Design, Writing and Visual Storytelling, Digital Design, and Fashion Product Design. Targeted at graduates and professionals seeking advanced specialization.
• Professional Courses Six-month evening-format professional courses in Interior Design, Web Design, Virtual Fashion Design, and Fashion Styling designed for working professionals and recent graduates seeking continuous training and skill acquisition.
• Summer and Winter School Short-term immersive design experiences offered during summer and winter sessions for prospective students and members of the broader design community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 partner companies offer placement and collaboration opportunities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AD EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Since 2012, IAAD is an active member of AD Education, an international network of 14 schools operating in the field of design and creativity. This membership provides students access to mobility opportunities across other campuses and countries within the network, enhancing the international dimension of IAAD's educational offering.
• Over 5,000 Partner CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAAD partners with over 5,000 companies, public and private, through which it offers students the best opportunities for growth: curricular internships, placement opportunities, design collaborations, workshops with professionals, and meetings with recruiters and companies in the creative sector.
• Art Center College of Design (Pasadena, USA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince Academic Year 2023/2024, IAAD has activated a bilateral agreement with Art Center College in Pasadena, one of the most internationally recognized design schools (particularly for transportation and industrial design). The partnership includes a cycle of special lectures on transportation design delivered remotely between the two universities, with students from both institutions able to attend conferences organized by the other.
• Shijiazhuang University (China)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince Academic Year 2023/2024, IAAD has a memorandum of understanding with Shijiazhuang University, opening the IAAD network to the Asian area. This agreement expands IAAD's international reach beyond Europe.
• Walter De Silva PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Master in Design for Mobility Solutions is offered in collaboration with Walter De Silva Partners. The program is based on an idea of Walter De Silva, a master of Transportation Design who signed the evolution of major brands of the VW group between 2007 and 2015. A scholarship covering 100% of tuition is donated by architect Walter De Silva.
• IBTG Association / Scuola Gestalt di TorinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAAD collaborates with the IBTG Association – Scuola Gestalt di Torino to provide first-year students with a free Listening Desk service: a cycle of 4 one-hour meetings with a psychologist in a protected and non-judgmental space. Meetings can be held online or in person at Via Po 14, Turin. No personal data is shared with IAAD.
• Erasmus+ Partner Universities (France, Germany, Spain)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIAAD holds Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) with Charter number 269982-EPP-1-2015-1-IT-EPPKA3-ECHE and university code I TORINO09. Active interinstitutional agreements with design and visual communication institutions in France (École De Condé, ECV, Groupe ESP-ESD, École Supérieure du Parfum, EAC), Germany (Media University of Applied Sciences), and Spain (Barreira Arte+Diseño, UDIT, EADE, CES Design, ERAM). Student mobility for one semester or full academic year.
• RoomlessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAAD has a partnership with Roomless, a platform for medium-to-long term residential rentals. Students receive a 15% discount on the cost of service with the agent at the time of booking. Roomless connects homeowners with potential tenants for student accommodation.
• HousingAnywhereminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAAD recommends HousingAnywhere, an international housing platform for mobile talents. IAAD students receive a 20% discount on the booking fee, a VIP profile, and priority access to Turin listings. The platform allows booking verified rooms from private landlords and outgoing students.
• SpotahomeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAAD partners with Spotahome, a platform allowing users to rent verified homes online in 100 cities across 28 countries. IAAD students receive a 25% discount on the reservation fee.
• UniplacesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAAD partners with Uniplaces, an international marketplace for student and young professional housing. Students receive a 40% discount on the service fee when booking private accommodation or student residence rooms.
• CampusX (CX)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAAD partners with CampusX, an Italian student housing provider with 10 urban resorts and over 4,540 rooms across Turin (San Salvario and Vanchiglia neighborhoods). IAAD students receive 30% off best available rates and access to all-inclusive formula with utilities, common spaces, maintenance, events, and 24/7 security.
• RELIFEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAAD partners with RELIFE contemporary Student Housing in Turin (Corso Novara 59 and Via Tollegno 22), offering 300 rooms and 331 beds. IAAD students receive a 3% discount on rent for contracts of minimum 9 months. Facilities include gym, co-working spaces, communal kitchen, and events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SPD Scuola Politecnica di Design: Milan-based private postgraduate design school offering master's programs in product, interior, transportation, and communication design. Direct overlap with IAAD's master's portfolio and target career-changer audience.
• ECAL (École cantonale d'art de Lausanne): Swiss university of art and design offering bachelor's and master's programs in industrial, graphic, type, and media design — comparable European peer with similar AFAM-equivalent academic credentials and design-focused curriculum.
• Domus Academy: Milan-based private postgraduate design school (master's and continuing education) with overlapping program areas in design, fashion, and branding. Comparable to IAAD in target student (postgrad/career-changer), AFAM-style degree offerings, and Italy-rooted premium positioning.
• NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti): Milan-based private academy of fine arts offering AFAM-accredited undergraduate and master's degrees in design, fashion design, graphic design, and media — a direct competitor to IAAD in the Italian AFAM higher-education-for-arts category with similar degree-equivalent credentials.
• IED (Istituto Europeo di Design): IED is Italy's largest private design school network, offering undergraduate, master's, and continuing education across design, fashion, communication, and visual arts — directly overlapping IAAD's curriculum, target audience, and tuition-based business model across multiple Italian cities and international campuses.
• Art Center College of Design: Pasadena-based private design college, globally renowned for Transportation and Industrial Design. IAAD now has a formal bilateral lecture partnership with Art Center, and they compete directly for the international transportation-design student segment.
• IED Kunsthal Bilbao / IED Barcelona: IED's Spanish campuses extend the IED network into Iberia, competing with IAAD's Erasmus+ partner institutions for European and international design students in overlapping disciplines.

Regional players

• Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze: Public Italian AFAM institution in Florence offering design, fashion, and visual arts degrees — comparable AFAM credentialing, tuition-based model, and Italian regional student base, with overlap in design program offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Politecnico di Milano — School of Design: Italy's leading public university with the largest and most internationally ranked design school. Competes with IAAD for top design talent in Italy but operates as a public university with research, broader engineering/design mix, and significantly larger scale.
• Central Saint Martins (UAL): London-based globally elite art and design college within University of the Arts London — competes for top international design students and shares curriculum overlap in product, communication, and fashion design at the postsecondary level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iaad_torino
• Facebookfacebook.com/IAAD.TO

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Applied Art and Design