Department of Design - Politecnico di Milano

What Department of Design - Politecnico di Milano does

The Dipartimento di Design is the principal Italian center for scientific research in design and one of 12 departments of Politecnico di Milano, a public Italian university founded in 1863 with the Design department formally established in 2013. It delivers undergraduate, graduate (Laurea Magistrale), and PhD programs spanning communication design, fashion design, product design, service design, and social innovation, and operates postgraduate professional programs through the POLI.design consortium. Its technical and research infrastructure comprises the Design Competence Center (DCC) system — DCC Immagine (visual/image lab with professional TV set), DCC Moda (fashion lab with dress forms and textile tools), DCC Prototipi e Allestimenti (precision prototyping workshop), and DCC Pilot (experimental design) — together with Polifactory makerspace, Imagis Lab (communication design and digital media), Polimi DESIS Lab (social innovation), and LeNSlab (sustainability).

The department runs fundamental and applied research, collaborates with industry on commissioned projects, and supports technology transfer and startup incubation via PoliHub (e.g., Narvalo Urban Mask, co-developed with BLS, won Red Dot Award Product Design 2021). It holds the 'Dipartimento di Eccellenza' designation from the Italian Ministry of University and Research, participates in major international research networks (DESIS, LeNS), and maintains strategic partnerships including a dual-degree program with Tongji University in Shanghai and EU-funded initiatives such as NetZeroCities and Creative Europe.

Its business model is that of a public academic unit: funding derives from government educational allocations, competitive research grants (EU PNRR, Creative Europe, NetZeroCities, national grants), regulated Italian tuition fees, and project-based industry collaborations. It does not generate commercial product revenue at the department level, though spinoff ventures (e.g., Narvalo) translate research into commercial outputs. GTM and pricing are not commercially framed — distribution runs through Politecnico degree channels, POLI.design professional programs, PoliHub incubation, design events (Milan Design Week, Salone del Mobile, DRS), and a multilingual magazine/publications platform. Customer segments include students and learners, industry/corporate research partners, research and academic institutions, and public-sector/community organizations.

Name

Department of Design - Politecnico di Milano

Legal name

Politecnico di Milano - Dipartimento di Design

Website

https://dipartimentodesign.polimi.it

Company type

Public

Founded year

1863

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Department of Design at Politecnico di Milano is Italy's principal center for scientific research in design, delivering undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs across design disciplines and operating specialized research labs, international academic partnerships, and startup incubation through PoliHub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Design Research

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Design education
• Design research
• Industrial design programs
• Service design
• Communication design

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Department of Design is an academic unit of Politecnico di Milano delivering undergraduate, graduate (master's and professional master's), and doctoral programs in product, interior, communication, fashion, and service design. It also conducts applied design research through its Design Competence Centers (DCC) and dedicated labs, and supports industry collaborations, design-driven innovation projects, and academic spin-offs.

Product overview

The Department of Design at Politecnico di Milano is an academic department focused on design research and education, not a commercial product company. Its offerings consist of: (1) Educational programs including Bachelor, Master, PhD, and professional master's courses across design disciplines; (2) Research laboratories including the Design Competence Center (DCC Immagine for visual communication, DCC Moda for fashion, DCC Prototipi e Allestimenti for prototyping, and DCC Pilot for experimentation), along with specialized Research Labs and Interdepartmental Labs; (3) Research publications and magazine content; (4) Incubation support for startups such as Narvalo, which developed the Narvalo Urban Mask protective face mask with FFP3 certification and won the Red Dot Award 2021.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree Programs in Design

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• DESIS Network - Design for Social Innovation and SustainabilityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020International coordination committee member (since 2011) of the DESIS network. The Polimi DESIS Lab coordinates activities and Professor Davide Fassi serves as international coordination committee member.
• PoliHub - Innovation Park & Startup Accelerator of Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPoliHub is the innovation park and startup accelerator associated with Politecnico di Milano. The Department of Design collaborates with PoliHub to support startup ventures, including the incubation of Narvalo Urban Mask. The partnership facilitates technology transfer from academic research to commercial applications.
• BLScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBLS is a boutique company specializing for over 50 years in the production of respiratory protection products and industrial PPE. Located in the Bovisa district of Milan. BLS collaborated with the department on the Narvalo Urban Mask project, providing expertise in filtration materials and technologies, exemplifying university-industry innovation partnership.
• PolifactorycoreTechnology or IntegrationPolifactory is the makerspace of Politecnico di Milano, functioning as a talent in residence facility. The Department of Design utilizes Polifactory for prototyping and experimentation, including technology testing for projects like Narvalo Urban Mask.
• Tongji University (Shanghai)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing dual degree program partnership (Politong) between Politecnico di Milano's School of Design and Tongji University in Shanghai. Professor Davide Fassi served as Politecnico di Milano Rector's delegate for strategic relations with Tongji University (2017-2022).
• LeNS - International Learning Network on SustainabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network for sustainability learning. Martina Motta is a member, and LeNSlab POLIMI is the department's research group focused on sustainability education and research.
• ADI - Associazione per il Disegno IndustrialecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADI is the Italian Association for Industrial Design. The department has extensive collaboration including Compasso d'Oro awards, ADI Design Index selections, and the Farnesina Design Collection recognition for faculty works.
• Triennale di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe department has had works selected for 'The New Italian Design' exhibition at Triennale di Milano, one of Italy's premier design institutions.
• Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MIUR)coreOthersThe department is designated as 'Dipartimento di Eccellenza' (Department of Excellence) by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, receiving dedicated funding for the Design for Systemic Change project.
• Creative EuropecoreOthersEuropean funding program supporting projects like Human Cities/SMOTIES (Creative works with small and remote places) and other international research initiatives.
• NetZeroCitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded initiative accelerating cities' transition to net zero emissions by 2030. The department participates in learning programs and contributes to urban climate neutrality transition research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture: Aalto's design school in Helsinki integrates design, art, and architecture with strong industry ties. Comparable as a Northern-European research university with design at the core, similar disciplinary breadth, and active sustainability research.
• Parsons School of Design (The New School): A leading New York design school within The New School, with strengths in fashion, communication, and product design. Comparable in its disciplinary breadth, industry-facing professional programs, and urban-Milano-style research agenda.
• Central Saint Martins (UAL): Part of the University of the Arts London, CSM is a global benchmark in fashion, product, and communication design education. Comparable to Politecnico's Department in scale, disciplinary coverage, and industry-driven project culture.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): One of the oldest and most prestigious US design schools, with programs in industrial design, graphic design, and architecture. Comparable to Politecnico in being a research-active, globally ranked design institution producing leading design scholarship.
• Design Academy Eindhoven: A leading Dutch design school known for socially engaged, research-driven design. Comparable to Politecnico's Department in positioning design as a discipline of inquiry and in producing award-winning graduates and projects.
• Royal College of Art: A globally top-ranked design university in London offering postgraduate programs across communication, fashion, product, and service design. Directly comparable to Politecnico di Milano's Department of Design in mission, disciplinary breadth, and international standing.
• IIT Institute of Design (Illinois Institute of Technology): A US graduate-only design school with deep expertise in design methods, service design, and systems thinking. Comparable to Politecnico in its research-led, methodologically rigorous approach and corporate engagement model.
• Tongji University College of Design and Innovation: Shanghai-based design school and Politecnico's flagship dual-degree partner under the Politong program. Directly comparable in research scope, design-for-innovation focus, and growing global ranking position.

Regional players

• IED Istituto Europeo di Design: An Italian network of design schools offering undergraduate, master, and continuing education programs in design, fashion, and visual communication. Comparable as a domestic Italian competitor for design students and POLI.design professional-program learners.
• Domus Academy: A Milan-based postgraduate design school with strong industry links and a focus on fashion, product, and communication design. Comparable as a Milan-anchored peer leveraging the same Italian design ecosystem and overlapping industry partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-design-polimi

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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