Shanghai Design Week

What Shanghai Design Week does

Shanghai Design Week (SHDW, 上海设计周) is a government-organized annual design event and exhibition platform established in 2010 after Shanghai was designated a UNESCO "City of Design." The organization is operated under the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and guided by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, with brand operations managed by Activation Group (艾德韦宣集团). SHDW does not operate as a technology company; it is an event-based platform with no proprietary technology stack, no disclosed APIs, and no AI/ML capabilities.

The core offerings are the Design Industry Exhibition and Design Launch Events, which aggregate domestic and international design brands, designers, and educational institutions across industrial design, fashion, technology, architecture, and creative industries. Around these two anchor events, SHDW operates 14 sub-brands including the SHDW Sustainable Practice Center, Global Design Week Network, Person of Design, DesignPlus, Design Demo (startup pitching), D Universe (metaverse), Design Care, Design Palette (urban revitalization), and Design City Pass. Distribution is event-driven through exhibitor and audience registration portals, with secondary reach across Instagram, Xiaohongshu, YouTube, and partner media channels (WWD, Wallpaper, The Paper, Yicai).

SHDW's revenue model is sponsorship and partnership-based rather than transaction-based. Strategic Co-operation Partners (Jing'an District People's Government, Tongji University, Paris Design Week) provide structural support, while 20+ Strategic Co-creation Partners (Bank of China, Fosun, Tezign, Veer, China Industrial Design Association, ART021, Xiaohongshu, etc.) provide funding and in-kind resources. Customer segments are horizontal: design practitioners and brands (primary), educational institutions, and government bodies. Pricing for exhibitor booths and audience attendance is not publicly disclosed. The organization has begun international expansion, with branded showcases at Milan Design Week (2024) and Osaka (2025 "Made in Shanghai Osaka Station").

Name

Shanghai Design Week

Legal name

Shanghai Design Week (上海设计周)

Website

https://shanghaidesignweek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shanghai Design Week is a government-organized annual design exhibition and event platform operating under the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, serving domestic and international design brands, designers, and educational institutions through exhibitions, product launches, and sub-brand programs across China's UNESCO City of Design.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Exhibition Services

akta.pro primary industry

Event Fabrication & Scenic/Set Build (Custom Builds, Installations) (BPAFAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH), Scenic Fabrication & Set/Stage Carpentry (MPAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Design exhibition events
• Design industry platform
• Creative industry events
• Design launch services
• Design week network

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibition and Event Services: Revenue generation through exhibitor booth fees, event registration, and sponsorship arrangements with strategic partners and co-creation partners.
2. Event Sponsorship and Partnerships: Strategic partnerships with government bodies (Jing'an District People's Government), universities (Tongji University), and corporate sponsors (Activation Group, Tezign, Bank of China) who support and fund the design week activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shanghai Design Week (SHDW) is a government-organized annual design event platform hosted in Shanghai. Its core offerings are the Design Industry Exhibition, which brings together cutting-edge products and latest designs from leading domestic and foreign industry brands and outstanding designers across all fields, and Design Launch Events, which conduct in-depth cooperation with domestic and foreign design-related brands to host world-class design, fashion, technology, and industrial new product launches. Supporting services include exhibitor registration and audience registration for direct event participation.

Product overview

Shanghai Design Week (SHDW) is a comprehensive design event platform organized by the Shanghai Municipal Government, serving as a unified event brand rather than a traditional software product. The core offerings consist of the Design Industry Exhibition (showcasing cutting-edge products and designs from domestic and international brands) and Design Launch Events (new product launches for design, fashion, technology, and industrial brands). The platform operates multiple sub-brands including: SHDW Sustainable Practice Center (sustainable design advocacy), Global Design Week Network (international design community), Person of Design (industry influencer interviews), NONGHO! DESIGN (visualized radio station with video/audio content), Design YIZIDI/City Pass (design derivatives marketplace and city exploration), Design Care (social welfare initiatives), Design Palette (urban aesthetic revitalization), The New Voice of Design (community networking), Design Demo (startup pitching platform), D Universe/Designverse (metaverse experiences), and DesignPlus (Chinese designer service platform). Supporting services include exhibitor and audience registration. The platform aims to build Shanghai into a world-class 'City of Design' and serve as a launch site for international and domestic original designs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Design Industry Exhibition: One of the most influential design exhibitions in Shanghai, bringing together cutting-edge products and latest designs from leading domestic and foreign industry brands and outstanding designers from all fields.
• Design Launch Events
• SHDW Sustainable Practice Center
• Global Design Week Network
• Person of Design
• NONGHO! DESIGN
• Design YIZIDI
• Design City Pass
• Design Care
• Design Palette
• The New Voice of Design
• Design Demo
• D Universe
• DesignPlus

Products and services

• Design Industry Exhibition (设计产业展会) The main design exhibition component that brings together cutting-edge products and latest designs from leading domestic and foreign industry brands and outstanding designers across all fields, hosting the SHDW opening ceremony, design exhibition, design forums, and exhibition-related events. Designed for design practitioners and design brands seeking creative thinking support, brand management support, and business cooperation opportunities.
• Design Launch Events (创新设计发布) In-depth cooperation with domestic and foreign design-related brands to bring world-class design, fashion, technology, and industrial new product launch events to Shanghai. Designed for brands seeking a high-profile launch podium in the Chinese market.
• Exhibitor Registration Registration service for companies and brands to exhibit at Shanghai Design Week events through an online sign-up form. Designed for enterprise exhibitors.
• Audience Registration Registration service for visitors to attend Shanghai Design Week events through an online sign-up form. Designed for designers, creative professionals, design enthusiasts, and the general public.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Jing'an District People's Government (静安区人民政府)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-operation Partner for Designing a Future Digital District. Assists SHDW in creating cultural and commercial co-prosperity environment that supports design implementation, exchange and development, and building the demonstration zone of future digital district.
• Tongji University (同济大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-operation Partner for Design industry-education integration. Comprehensive, research-oriented, international first-tier higher education institution assisting SHDW to deeply combine design industry and talent training.
• Paris Design WeekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-operation Partner for Global Design Week Network. By initiating an international and multi-dimensional design week network, SHDW and PDW jointly establish a new atmosphere for the global design industry.
• China Industrial Design Association (中国工业设计协会)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Industrial Design Development. The bridge and link between design, manufacture, commercial enterprises, schools of design and government departments. Promotes the integration and improvement of the marketisation of industrial design in SHDW.
• Activation Group (艾德韦宣集团)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Brand Operation. Focuses on the brand operation of top IP and innovative brands of consumer technology. Injects 360-degree management and services of brand operation into the new decade of SHDW.
• Tezign (特赞)majorTechnology or IntegrationStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design Digital Upgrade. New digital infrastructure for creative content. Assists SHDW to build a content centre, upgrade content asset management, and create digital content experience.
• Chen Nan Studio (陈楠工作室)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Type Design. Committed to establishing the Chinese pattern and innovation of design thinking and methods. Reinvented the type design for SHDW.
• Arcplus (华建集团)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Dual Carbon Design. Committed to scientific research innovation and technological development in the field of energy-saving and environmentally friendly buildings.
• The Paper/Pengpai News (澎湃新闻)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design for Universal Promotion. China's media integration development platform leader focusing on news. Assists SHDW in building new Internet mainstream media and all-media matrix marketing platform.
• Wallpaper/卷宗majorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design Process. A towering design and lifestyle magazine platform dedicated to promoting the design process in China.
• BDD WATCHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design-Driven Brand Growth. A content production platform for in-depth research on design-driven brand cases and trends.
• Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (上海创新创意设计研究院)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design Frontier Education. A bridge for deep collaboration between design and education field. Assists SHDW and top universities to carry out special design themed activities.
• WWDmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design Frontier Information. One of the most professional century-old media in the fashion industry providing authoritative, professional and forward-looking support.
• ART021 Shanghai (上海廿一当代艺术博览会)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Cross-border Design Art. A contemporary art platform that gathers top galleries and institutions from all over the world.
• Xiaohongshu (小红书)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Designing a Digital Community. Lifestyle platform and consumer decision entry. Helps SHDW provide more quality living consumption decisions for the new era.
• Fosun Group (复星)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Multidimensional Design Innovation. Innovation-driven global household consumer industry group assisting in various fields of clothing, food, housing and transportation.
• Kefan (科房投资)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design Industry Incubation. A gathering platform dedicated to promoting the deep integration of culture and technology.
• Yicai (第一财经)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design Financial Quotient Resonance. An influential digital finance and business media and information service group in China.
• Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Design (上海交通大学设计学院)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Design Techno-ecosystem Support. A higher education institution with strong scientific research management system and high-quality technological innovation ecosystem.
• NownessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic Co-creation Partner for Creative Design of Integrated Image. An international platform for creative and cultural enthusiasts using short film as interaction opportunity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NYCxDESIGN: New York City's annual design event spanning showrooms, exhibitions, and talks across the city's design districts. Comparable as a city-anchored annual design week positioning a global city as a design capital.
• Dutch Design Week: Europe's largest annual design event held annually in Eindhoven, featuring 2,500+ designers across exhibitions, lectures, and product launches. Directly comparable as a city-scale annual design week showcasing international and local designers.
• Helsinki Design Week: Finland's largest annual design festival covering design, fashion, architecture, and urban design. Comparable as a city-anchored Nordic design week with sub-programs spanning exhibitions, talks, and city activations.
• Vienna Design Week: Austria's annual design event held across Vienna's design district, featuring international and Austrian designers. Comparable as a European city-anchored annual design week combining exhibitions with citywide activations.
• Maison & Objet Paris: Paris's biannual design trade fair for home, fashion, and lifestyle, co-located with Paris Design Week. Comparable as an international design fair/exhibition that anchors exhibitor booth revenue around a city-wide design week.
• London Design Festival: Annual city-wide design festival in London supported by mayoral/civic institutions and corporate partners. Comparable to SHDW in being a government- and partner-backed annual design showcase with global exhibitor participation.
• Dubai Design Week: Middle East's largest design event held biennially in Dubai with government and corporate sponsorship, showcasing regional and international design. Comparable as a government-backed design week in an emerging design market.
• Paris Design Week: Paris's annual design week operated in conjunction with Maison & Objet and partnered with Shanghai Design Week via the Global Design Week Network. Direct city-level design week peer and an existing SHDW strategic partner.
• Milan Design Week (Salone del Mobile): The world's flagship annual design week anchored by Salone del Mobile.Milano, hosting global brands, designers, and exhibitions in Milan. Directly comparable to SHDW as a city-anchored design week that convenes international exhibitors and audiences around design showcases.

Regional players

• Beijing Design Week (Beijing International Design Week): China's other major city-backed design week held annually in Beijing with municipal government support. Comparable as a Chinese municipal design week and the most direct regional competitor within China for design capital status.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCj_97HojtDzDP-v0D3G0nxQ
• Instagraminstagram.com/shdesignweek
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shanghai-design-week

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 Shanghai Design Week