Design Festival Bern

What Design Festival Bern does

Design Festival Bern is a Swiss non-profit cultural organization (Verein Design Festival Bern) founded in 2015 that operates a biennial multi-disciplinary design festival in Bern's Mattequartier. The festival integrates exhibition, conference talks, workshops, open studios, a design market, and entertainment formats into a single multi-venue platform, with the 2025 edition (DF25) marking the fifth iteration and tenth anniversary over the May 23-25 weekend. It serves two primary audiences: Swiss designers and creative professionals (graphic, product, interaction, illustration) who use the event for exhibition, networking, and visibility, and design-interested members of the general public who attend free exhibitions and paid conference and workshop sessions. The organization is run by an 8-person core team supplemented by 40+ volunteers and supported by recurring institutional partners including Migros Kulturprozent, Berner Kantonalbank, Burgergemeinde Bern, and Standortförderung Bern.

The festival's commercial model combines free exhibition access, a CHF 20 festival pass granting entry to all conference sessions, CHF 8 single-conference tickets, and individually priced workshops (for example, CHF 35 for a Midjourney V7 session), alongside substantial institutional sponsorship and foundation grants that underwrite production. Distribution is event-driven and physically anchored in Bern, with ticket sales handled via the designfestival.ch website and on-site at venues including Cinematte (conference), Kraftwerk (exhibition), Cosmos Workspace (workshops and market), and partner studios such as Büro Destruct, Blackyard, Republica, and Kargo (open studios). Marketing runs through a multi-channel mix including the festival website, partner cross-promotion, earned media via outlets like Hochparterre, social media, and physical printed materials distributed across Bern's public transit and hospitality venues.

There is no proprietary technology platform underlying the festival. The organization operates as a curated cultural event with lightweight digital infrastructure — a website designed and maintained by Duotones GmbH, a Creatives Directory showcasing participating designers, and standard web analytics via Google Analytics. AI does not constitute a core capability; it surfaces only as third-party tooling explored in workshop programming. Strategic value is concentrated in the festival's community ecosystem, institutional partnerships, and decade-long brand position as Switzerland's only multi-disciplinary design festival.

Name

Design Festival Bern

Legal name

Verein Design Festival Bern

Website

https://designfestival.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Design Festival Bern is a Swiss non-profit association that runs a biennial multi-disciplinary design festival in Bern's Mattequartier, serving Swiss designers, creative professionals, and design-interested members of the public through exhibitions, conference talks, workshops, and open studios.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Festival & Cultural Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (71132)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Design festival
• Cultural events
• Design exhibition
• Design conference
• Creative workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue generated from festival passes (CHF 20) granting access to all conference content, and single conference entry tickets (CHF 8). Exhibition access is free. Workshops are priced individually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Design Festival Bern organizes a biennial multi-disciplinary design festival in Bern's Mattequartier, offering exhibition, conference talks, workshops, open studios, design market, and entertainment formats for the Swiss creative community and general public. The festival operates as a non-profit association (Verein Design Festival Bern) with the 2025 edition (DF25) running May 23-25, 2025, marking its 5th edition and 10th anniversary.

Product overview

Design Festival Bern operates as a multi-format cultural event platform hosting an annual design festival combining exhibitions, conference talks, workshops, open studios, and entertainment. The core offering is the Design Festival Bern event itself, with multiple integrated components including: Conference (keynotes and panel discussions), Workshops (hands-on sessions), Ausstellung/Exhibition (design displays at Kraftwerk and Galerie), Open Studios (at Büro Destruct, Blackyard), Design Festival Market (local brand showcase), and Designpromenade (guided design walks). The 2025 edition (DF25) celebrates 10 years of the festival and 5th edition, held May 23-25 in Bern's Mattequartier. Revenue is generated through Festivalpass (CHF 20), individual conference tickets (CHF 8), and workshop fees, while exhibitions remain free admission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design Festival Bern (DF25) Multi-format biennial design festival combining exhibition, conference, workshops, open studios, and entertainment for the Swiss creative community and general public. The 2025 edition (DF25) is the 5th edition and 10th anniversary.
• Conference Keynotes, talks, and panel discussions held at Cinematte venue, featuring design professionals discussing circular economy, AI, design education, and creative industry topics.
• Workshops Hands-on workshop sessions held at Cosmos Workspace, covering topics such as typography, AI image generation (Midjourney V7), pricing design, and creative networking.
• Ausstellung (Exhibition) Free admission exhibition featuring product design, graphic design, and digital design works by Swiss designers, held at multiple locations including Kraftwerk and Galerie.
• Open Studios Open studio sessions at creative locations like Büro Destruct and Blackyard, allowing visitors to observe designers at work.
• Creatives Directory Online directory featuring participating designers, artists, and creative professionals with profiles, exhibition information, and links to their work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 visitors per edition with broad media presence
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LettradesigncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Main partner providing large-format printing for the festival's promotional materials. Lettradesign is a Bern-based sign and advertising technology company.
• Duotones GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Design studio responsible for the festival's website design and development. Located at Wasserwerkgasse 5 rechts, 3011 Bern. Partner since at least 2019.
• CinemattecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Conference venue for the Design Festival 2025 at Wasserwerkgasse 7, Bern. Cinematte hosts keynotes, talks, and film screenings during the festival.
• KraftwerkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Venue hosting the main exhibition 'Bridge' at Wasserwerkgasse 15, Bern. The Kraftwerk provides the exhibition space for the festival.
• Cosmos WorkspacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Venue hosting the market, workshops, and the design festival market at Wasserwerkgasse, Bern. Part of the multi-location festival spread.
• RepublicaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Location partner at Wasserwerkgasse 31 hosting open studio and creative activities during the festival.
• KargominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Location partner at Wasserwerkgasse 29 hosting open studio and design pub quiz events during the festival.
• Büro DestructminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Graphic design studio and location partner hosting open studio events. Büro Destruct was founded in Bern in 1994 and is one of Switzerland's most recognized independent design studios.
• BlackyardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Illustration and graphic design studio at Nydeggstalden 1, hosting open studio events. Blackyard focuses on hand-crafted illustration and typography.
• ArttesaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Architecture and interior design studio at Wasserwerkgasse 20 (3rd floor), hosting material exhibition during the festival.
• Matte BrennereiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Venue hosting the festival afterparty at Mühlenplatz 5. Provides cocktails with spirits distilled on-site.
• Rolling FoodminorOthers · 1 January 2025Catering partner providing food services during the Design Festival Bern 2025.
• VisualcraftminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Supporting partner of the Design Festival Bern 2025. Visualcraft is a creative/design studio.
• LeofotominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Supporting partner of the Design Festival Bern 2025. Leofoto is a photography equipment brand.
• Swiss Design AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Professional association of Swiss graphic designers. Organizes workshops and Pecha Kucha sessions at the festival. Supports the festival program with educational content.
• Circular Economy SwitzerlandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Communication partner aligned with the festival's sustainability focus. Hosts talks on circular economy and design.
• HochparterreminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Swiss design magazine serving as a communication partner, helping to promote the festival to its design-professional readership.
• Kulturbuero BernminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cultural office of Bern serving as communication partner for the festival.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Dutch Design Week: Annual multi-venue design festival in Eindhoven combining exhibitions, talks, workshops, and open studios. Most direct structural analogue to Design Festival Bern's biennial multi-format platform model.
• London Design Festival: Annual multi-venue design festival across London with exhibitions, installations, talks, and workshops. Comparable in blending free public exhibitions with ticketed programming in a creative quarter.
• Helsinki Design Week: Nordic annual design festival mixing exhibitions, open studios, talks, and a children's program. Similar in scale and in combining free public access with paid specialist programming.
• Designers' Saturday: Long-running Swiss design event held in Langenthal featuring exhibitions and open studios across multiple design studios. Directly comparable as another Swiss multi-location design event.
• Vienna Design Week: Austrian annual design festival combining exhibitions, open studios, talks, and special focus countries. Closely mirrors Design Festival Bern's Gastland curator model and Mattequartier-style district focus.
• Stockholm Design Week: Swedish annual design week mixing Stockholm Furniture Fair with citywide design events, exhibitions, and open studios. Similar multi-venue, multi-format European design week structure.
• Blickfang: International design fair held in Zurich, Basel, and Stuttgart showcasing independent designers and labels. Comparable Swiss-based design showcase, though more commercially oriented.
• DMY Berlin Design Festival: Berlin-based design festival featuring exhibitions, workshops, and talks from international designers. Comparable mid-sized European design week model with ticketed and free components.

Broad incumbents

• Salone del Mobile / Milan Design Week: World's largest design week centered on the Salone del Mobile fair plus citywide Fuorisalone events. Much larger scale but the structural archetype for multi-venue design weeks that Design Festival Bern emulates at smaller scale.
• Paris Design Week: Citywide design week organized around the Maison&Objet trade fair, combining showrooms, exhibitions, and talks. Comparable format anchored to an established design-trade ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-festival-bern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 Design Festival Bern