College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University

What College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University does

The College of Design and Innovation (D&I) at Tongji University is an academic institution founded in 2012 and headquartered at 281 Fuxin Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai. It operates as a college within Tongji University, a public research university, and serves undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and exchange students pursuing design disciplines including industrial design, environmental design, media and communication design, and design theory. The college also engages industry partners, government entities, and the broader academic community through collaborative research, talent development, and community-based design projects.

D&I operates over 50 specialized research labs and centers, including the AI and IoT Innovation Lab (partnered with Huawei), the Tongji DESIS Lab (social innovation and sustainability), the Permutation Design Lab (computational design), the Digital Animation & Entertainment Lab, the Behavior Cognition Design Research Lab, and Tongji Fab Lab. Key platforms include the She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation published with Elsevier, the annual Tongji Design Week (part of Shanghai Design Week), the NICE 2035 Livingline community living lab, and the Siping Space Creation Action urban renewal initiative. International partners include Aalto University (Sino-Finnish Centre), MIT Media Lab (City Science Lab), and the cumulus global design association.

The college's revenue mechanics are non-commercial in the traditional sense: funding flows from government education budgets, national and provincial research grants (e.g., NSFC, NSSF, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission), tuition from domestic and international students, and industry partnerships for joint research, consulting, and corporate training. Named enterprise partners include Huawei, YANG DESIGN, Aston Martin, and Mobike (Meituan). Distribution occurs through China's national enrollment system, international exchange programs, academic publications, and design events. The college does not generate independent commercial revenue.

Name

College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University

Legal name

College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University (同济大学设计创意学院)

Website

https://tjdi.tongji.edu.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University is a Shanghai-based academic institution offering undergraduate to doctoral design education, operating 50+ research labs, publishing the She Ji journal with Elsevier, and running community design initiatives like NICE 2035, serving students, industry partners, and the public sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Higher Education

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Industrial Design Services (541420), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE), Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI)

Keywords

• Design education
• Industrial design research
• Social innovation design
• Sustainable design studies
• Human-computer interaction

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a public university department, the college receives government funding for education and research activities.
2. Research Grants: Funding from national, provincial, and municipal government research programs, including National Natural Science Foundation, National Social Science Foundation, and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission projects.
3. Tuition Fees: Revenue from domestic and international student tuition for undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and exchange programs.
4. Industry Partnerships: Collaborative projects with enterprises including design consulting, joint research, corporate partnerships, and custom training programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The College of Design and Innovation (D&I) at Tongji University is an academic institution offering undergraduate, master's, and doctoral design degree programs. It operates more than 50 specialized research laboratories covering AI/IoT, digital fabrication, social innovation, sustainable design, and human-computer interaction, while engaging in industry collaboration, community-based social innovation projects (e.g., NICE 2035), and academic publishing through the She Ji journal with Elsevier.

Product overview

College of Design and Innovation (D&I) at Tongji University is a comprehensive design education and research institution offering undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and exchange programs. The institution operates multiple specialized research labs and centers including the Artificial Intelligence and IoT Innovation Lab, Digital Animation & Entertainment Lab, and Tongji DESIS Lab for social innovation. D&I publishes the She Ji journal through Elsevier, organizes the annual Tongji Design Week with the Emerging Practices Conference, and runs community innovation platforms like NICE 2035 Livingline and the Siping Space Creation Action. The college also facilitates maker competitions (China-US and Cross-Strait Youth Maker Competitions) and the Shanghai International Design Innovation Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Design Programs Bachelor's-level design education covering industrial design, environmental design, media and communication design, and design theory for domestic and international students.
• Master's Design Programs (MDes) Postgraduate master's programs in design disciplines for domestic and international students, including the MDes Fall 2026 admissions cycle.
• Doctoral Design Programs PhD-level design research education including direct-PhD pathway through recommended exemption admission for postgraduate candidates.
• International Exchange and Dual-Degree Programs International student exchange and dual-degree programs through partnerships with Aalto University, MIT, and the cumulus global design association network.
• She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation Open-access peer-reviewed academic journal co-published with Elsevier covering design process, design thinking, economics, and innovation for researchers and practitioners globally.
• Tongji Design Week Annual design week event officially partnered with Shanghai Design Week, featuring student exhibitions, academic conferences including the Emerging Practices Design Research and Education Conference, and industry showcases.
• NICE 2035 Livingline (Future Life Prototype Street) Community-based social innovation living lab creating future living prototype neighborhoods in the Siping Road area, connecting academic research with real community development and serving as host to enterprise design labs such as Aston Martin's first overseas design laboratory.
• Siping Space Creation Action (四平空间创生行动) Collaborative community space transformation initiative with Siping Road Subdistrict, creating innovative public spaces including pocket gardens, art installations, and micro-renovation projects such as the award-winning Red Staircase project.
• Industry Collaboration and Custom Training Programs Custom research projects, design consulting, joint research collaborations, and executive/corporate training programs offered to enterprise partners across design, technology, mobility, and manufacturing sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 papers accepted at CHI 2026, a top-tier human-computer interaction conference, with 2 receiving Best Paper Honorable Mention recognition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability14 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Aston MartinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2018Aston Martin's first overseas design laboratory established at the NICE 2035 Future Living Prototype Street, showcasing how international luxury brands can engage with community design innovation.
• Mobike (Meituan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2018Strategic partnership announced for comprehensive collaboration in new product development, design innovation, and technology applications, leveraging Mobike's position in urban mobility.
• Shanghai International Institute of Design and InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2017Established in January 2017 with support from Shanghai Municipal Government, this institute serves as an international platform for design research and practice, contributing to Shanghai's Science and Technology Innovation Center strategy. The institute focuses on translating design innovations into practical applications.
• Aalto University (Finland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2010Joint establishment of the Sino-Finnish Centre (中芬中心) creating a strategic paradigm for innovative education, research, and practice. The partnership involves dual-degree programs in Product Service System Design, System Design, and Design MBA, with activities spanning design, architecture, urban planning, ICT, business management, and engineering.
• MIT Media Lab / MITcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research through the Tongji-MIT City Science Lab, focusing on urban science, smart city design, and innovative urban solutions. The lab conducts joint research and hosts visiting scholars.
• YANG DESIGNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep industry-academia collaboration for CMF (Color, Material, Finish) trends education. Students completed industrial design bench projects based on YANG DESIGN's 2026 trend forecasts, resulting in works exhibited at China Furniture Fair.
• cumulus Association (International Art Design Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership in cumulus, the global association of art, design, and media universities, enabling international academic exchange, joint projects, and network participation.
• HuaweicoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic technology partnership through the AI and IoT Innovation Lab, utilizing Huawei's communication technology and IoT platform for joint research on AIoT solutions, chip development, and industry applications.
• Tongji-Huangpu School of Design and InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated secondary school established in collaboration with Huangpu District Government, implementing design thinking education at the high school level with faculty shared between institutions.
• Italian Institute of Culture in ShanghaiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Design for All initiatives, Italian Design exhibitions, and cultural exchange projects including the ARTE for All KIDS project and WDCC 2024 Italian Design exhibition.
• Shanghai Design WeekcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of Shanghai Design Week, with Tongji Design Week serving as a major component. Annual joint activities include exhibitions and academic seminars.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MIT Media Lab: MIT's research lab at the intersection of design, technology, and innovation. Direct research collaboration partner via Tongji-MIT City Science Lab and comparable in interdisciplinary design-tech research output.
• Design Academy Eindhoven: Dutch design school renowned for industrial and conceptual design. Comparable as a specialized design institution with international standing and industry collaboration focus.
• Carnegie Mellon School of Design: US design school within Carnegie Mellon University with strong design research and industry partnerships. Comparable in combining design education with HCI, technology, and research output.
• China Academy of Art: Premier Chinese art and design university based in Hangzhou. The closest direct domestic competitor in design education and research, with comparable faculty reputation and international recognition.
• Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture: Finnish design school and strategic partner via the Sino-Finnish Centre. Comparable in combining design, research, and industry collaboration across multiple design disciplines.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): One of the world's leading standalone design schools in the US, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across industrial design, architecture, and visual studies. Comparable in mission and curriculum scope.
• Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA): Top Chinese fine arts and design university in Beijing. Comparable as a leading Chinese design school competing for top students, faculty, and industry partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Royal College of Art: A globally top-ranked postgraduate design and fine arts university in London. Directly comparable as a leading design-focused higher education institution with strong industry partnerships and design research output.

Regional players

• Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design: Leading design school in Hong Kong with strong industry links and design research. Comparable in design education scope; serves as a regional peer within Greater China.

Emerging players

• Stanford d.school: Stanford's design thinking institute focused on interdisciplinary innovation education. Comparable in design thinking methodology, industry partnerships, and emphasis on social innovation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xe.weibo.com/tjudesigninnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/college-of-design-and-innovation-tongji-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University