Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS)

What Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS) does

The Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS, انجمن صنفی طراحان گرافیک ایران) is a professional guild and syndicate founded in 1997, headquartered in Tehran, Iran. It is the primary recognized industry association for graphic designers in the country, holding affiliation with ICO-D (International Council of Design). The society operates a digital platform at igds.ir that hosts member profiles, portfolio galleries organized by discipline (typography, branding, packaging, posters, infographics, motion graphics), a virtual exhibition system, an event calendar, and a comprehensive archive of member-designed Persian typefaces. Member IDs extend into the low 2000s, indicating a distributed base of several thousand licensed graphic designers.

IGDS generates revenue primarily through recurring membership fees, with member certification published for year 1405 (Iranian calendar, 2026/2027), and supplements this with corporate sponsorships (notably Tipax and Koofa) and event-related income. The society bundles a set of member services — standardized pricing guidance (نرخ نامه), supplementary health insurance (بیمه تکمیلی), legal consultation, job board access, and the Art Credit Fund (صندوق اعتباری هنر) — alongside recurring events such as the Silver Cypress (سرو نقره‌ای) awards and Graphic Design Week (هفته گرافیک). Members include internationally recognized type designers whose work has earned TDC Distinguished Typeface designations, Granshan competition recognition, and a Silk Road International Biennial gold award, signaling the society's role as the institutional anchor of Iran's professional design community.

Name

Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS)

Legal name

انجمن صنفی طراحان گرافیک ایران

Website

https://igds.ir

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IGDS is a Tehran-based professional guild founded in 1997, serving as the recognized industry association for Iranian graphic designers. It provides membership credentialing, portfolio hosting, pricing standards, insurance, legal consultation, events (Silver Cypress, Graphic Week), and ICO-D international affiliation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tehran

HQ country

Iran

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The society operates primarily on membership fees. The website references membership fee guidance for year 1405 (2026/2027) and mentions member certification for 1405.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IGDS is the official professional guild and trade association for graphic designers in Iran. It provides membership services including a portfolio and member gallery platform, pricing guidance, supplementary health insurance, legal consultation, and a job board. The society also operates the Graphic Design Museum, the annual Silver Cypress Award, and Graphic Design Week, while serving as an ICO-D member organization.

Product overview

Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS) is a professional guild/association for graphic designers in Iran, not a technology product company. The organization provides member services including a portfolio gallery platform for showcasing design works (typography, logos, posters, packaging), operates the Graphic Design Museum, organizes the annual Silver Cypress Award and Graphic Design Week events, and offers member benefits such as pricing guides, supplementary insurance, legal consultation, and a job board. The society serves as a professional community platform rather than a commercial software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Member Gallery and Portfolio Platform Online platform for members to showcase graphic design works including typography, logos, posters, packaging, and visual identity projects, with category filtering, view statistics, and social sharing capabilities for practicing Iranian graphic designers.
• Graphic Design Museum Virtual museum showcasing the history and heritage of graphic design in Iran, featuring archival works and commemorative exhibitions for the design community and public visitors.
• Silver Cypress Award Annual prestigious award and exhibition recognizing excellence in Persian typography and graphic design, serving as a national benchmark of design quality.
• Graphic Design Week Annual week-long event celebrating graphic design with exhibitions, workshops, and educational programs for the design community.
• Pricing Guide Service Standardized pricing reference (نرخ نامه) for graphic design services, helping members set professional rates; rate card published annually for year 1405.
• Supplementary Insurance Health insurance program providing extended coverage benefits (بیمه تکمیلی) to society members as a welfare benefit.
• Legal Consultation Professional legal advisory services for members on intellectual property, contracts, and professional matters.
• Job Board Employment marketplace connecting graphic designers with job opportunities (استخدام).
• Virtual Exhibition Online virtual gallery for displaying member works and hosting digital exhibitions across categories including typography, branding, packaging, posters, infographics, and motion graphics.

Named customers50 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICO-D (International Council of Design)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGDS is a member of ICO-D, the global organization representing the design profession internationally. This membership positions the society as part of the worldwide design community and provides international legitimacy and networking opportunities for Iranian designers.
• Tipax (تیپاکس)minorOthersTipax, a logistics and delivery company (tipaxco.com), is listed as a society sponsor on the IGDS website.
• Koofa (کوفا)minorOthersKoofa, a printing services company (koofaprint.ir), is listed as a society sponsor on the IGDS website.
• Granshan Type Design CompetitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGDS members have received recognition at the Granshan international typeface design competition.
• Type Directors Club of America (TDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGDS members have received the Distinguished Typeface designation from TDC, one of the most prestigious international typeface recognition programs.
• Silk Road International BiennialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGDS members have received recognition at the Silk Road International Biennial in China, specifically the professional section.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Design Management Institute: Global membership organization connecting design, business, and innovation professionals. Comparable as a peer professional association providing thought leadership, events, and credentialing, though focused on design management rather than graphic design practice.
• ADC (Art Directors Club): International creative collective recognizing excellence in design, advertising, and creative direction. Comparable as a peer organization hosting awards programs and a member community serving graphic designers.
• D&AD: UK-based organization promoting design and advertising excellence through awards, events, and professional development. D&AD's professional development and awards programming model parallels IGDS's Silver Cypress and Graphic Week offerings.

Direct peers

• BNO (Beroepsorganisatie Nederlandse Ontwerpers): Dutch professional association for designers providing member services, advocacy, and standards. BNO is a direct peer as a national guild/association serving graphic designers in a specific country, mirroring IGDS's structure.
• ICO-D (International Council of Design): The international umbrella organization for design professions, of which IGDS is a member. ICO-D provides the global network that IGDS plugs into and represents the same guild/association model at a worldwide scale.
• AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale): An elite global association of graphic designers, many of whose Iranian members are also IGDS members. Comparable as a peer organization recognizing design excellence and providing a network of leading designers.
• Type Directors Club (TDC): A leading international organization for typographic excellence that awards the TDC Distinguished Typeface designation (which IGDS members have won). Comparable as a peer organization setting standards in the same typography and graphic design niche.
• AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts): The US national professional association for designers, providing member services, events, and advocacy. AIGA is the most direct functional analog to IGDS as a guild/association for graphic designers, differing only in geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeaparat.com/igds_ir
• Instagraminstagram.com/igds.ir
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/igds-ir

Compliance1 record

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 Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS)