Designship

What Designship does

Designship is a Japanese non-profit general incorporated association (\u4e00\u822c\u793e\u56e3\u6cd5\u4eba\u30c7\u30b6\u30a4\u30f3\u30b7\u30c3\u30d7) founded in 2018 that operates Japan's largest annual design conference. The event is held in Tokyo (primarily at Tokyo Midtown) and follows a hybrid in-person plus online model, with 80+ sessions across multiple stages and attendance of 2,500+ participants in the 2025 edition. Its core product is the annual Designship conference, supplemented by pre-event Extra Stage and Open Session programming, public speaker recruitment, and a Vimeo On Demand archive of past sessions. There is no proprietary technology platform; the conference is organized around a curated program of keynote speakers, public-speaker sessions, sponsor exhibitions, and collaboration events emphasizing the narrative (\u7269\u8a9e) dimension of design practice across industries.

The organization monetizes through a multi-tiered sponsorship program (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Font Partner, Inclusive Partner) alongside ticket sales and archive video sales. The 2025 sponsorship roster included approximately 70 companies spanning technology (GMO Internet Group, Sun Asterisk, Sansan), consulting (Nomura Research Institute), internet/media (Hatena, DMM.com, Kakaku.com/Tabelog), insurance (SOMPO Holdings), real estate technology (GA technologies), design tooling (Morisawa, Too), and inclusive design (PLAYWORKS). Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Designship serves a horizontal segmentation of design professionals, design students, design enthusiasts, and corporate sponsors seeking to recruit design talent and build employer brand.

Leadership is provided by Representative Director Moe Hirono (\u5e83\u91ce \u8403) and Director Shohei Komatsu (\u5c0f\u677e \u5c1a\u5e73), supported by a network of approximately 20+ volunteer staff members. The entity operates from Tokyo, Japan, with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external funding rounds disclosed. Its primary venue partner is Tokyo Midtown (used in 2018, 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026 editions), with historical use of Tokyo International Forum (2019) and Shibuya Hikarie (2023).

Name

Designship

Legal name

一般社団法人デザインシップ

Website

https://design-ship.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Designship is a Japanese non-profit organization operating one of Japan's largest annual design conferences, connecting professional designers, students, and corporate sponsors through hybrid Tokyo-based events. Founded in 2018, it monetizes via multi-tiered sponsorships, ticket sales, and Vimeo archive content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Design Conferences

NAICS

Other Specialized Design Services (54149), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Graphics Production & Large-Format Printing (Banners, Wraps, Signage) (THAHAHAG)

Keywords

• Design conferences
• Professional networking events
• Creative industry events
• Design education programs
• Community events

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship Packages: Multi-tiered sponsorship program with Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Font Partner, and Inclusive Partner tiers. Sponsors receive booth space, session slots, brand visibility, and networking opportunities with design professionals.
2. Ticket Sales: General admission tickets for the annual conference. Ticket sales typically begin several months before the event (e.g., August 2026 for the 2026 edition). Some years offered early-bird and regular pricing tiers.
3. Archive Video Sales: Sale of archived session recordings through Vimeo on Demand platform, allowing post-event monetization of content.
4. Public Speaker Application Fees: Free application process for public speakers; no application fees mentioned.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Designship (一般社団法人デザインシップ) is a non-profit general incorporated association that organizes Japan's largest annual cross-industry design conference, bringing together professional designers, design enthusiasts, and corporate sponsors. Beyond the flagship conference, it runs educational programs (Designship Do), subsidiary events (Extra Stage, Open Sessions), and sells archive video recordings through Vimeo On Demand.

Product overview

Designship is an annual design conference organized by 一般社団法人デザインシップ (Designship Association) that connects design professionals across different industries in Japan. The event features keynote sessions, public speaker presentations, sponsor sessions, open sessions, and extra stage events. The conference has been held annually since 2018, with events typically spanning 2 days featuring 80+ sessions and attracting 2,500+ participants. Designship Do is an educational division mentioned as part of the organization's activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,500+ attendees and 70+ sponsors for 2025 edition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• GMO Internet GroupflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Diamond sponsor of Designship 2025 and 2026. Major technology company providing significant sponsorship investment and exhibition presence at the conference.
• Nomura Research Institute (NRI)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Platinum sponsor. Major Japanese consulting firm supporting the conference and participating in sessions.
• Sun AsteriskcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Platinum sponsor. Digital creative studio actively participating in conference sessions and exhibitions.
• Hatena / toittacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Platinum sponsor. Internet company supporting design community initiatives.
• SOMPO HoldingscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Platinum sponsor. Major insurance group investing in design community engagement.
• MorisawacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Exclusive Font Partner. Leading Japanese font company providing font-related programming and branding support.
• PLAYWORKScoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Inclusive Partner. Inclusive design firm contributing accessibility expertise and programming.
• Tokyo MidtownflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Primary venue partner for multiple Designship editions (2018, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026). Major Tokyo commercial complex providing premium conference facilities.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Design HubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Open Session partner for 2021, collaborating on design community programming.
• Tokyo International ForumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Conference venue for Designship 2019, providing large-scale exhibition and session facilities.
• Good Design Award (Japan Design Promotion Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration partner providing 'Good Design Award linkage sessions' featuring award-winning designers and projects.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Adobe MAX: Adobe's flagship annual creative conference combining keynotes, sessions, and announcements — comparable as a much larger, platform-backed design/creative conference serving a similar professional audience.

Direct peers

• OFFF: International design, creativity, and digital arts festival with annual flagship events and city editions — directly comparable as a multi-track, sponsor-supported design conference for creative professionals.
• Semi Permanent: Design and creativity conference held across multiple cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, etc.) featuring speakers, workshops, and sponsor activations — directly comparable as a multi-city design conference brand.
• AIGA: US-based professional association for designers that runs major design conferences, awards, and education programs — the most direct international analog to Designship's role as a national design community convener.
• D&AD: UK-based non-profit running the D&AD Awards, professional development, and an annual festival of design and advertising — comparable as a design advocacy body combining education, awards, and live events.
• IxDA (Interaction Design Association): Global membership organization for interaction designers that runs Interaction conferences and local events — directly comparable as a community-led, education-and-events-focused design association.
• CreativeMornings: Global monthly breakfast lecture series for the creative community with chapters in 200+ cities — directly comparable as a community-led design event platform built around personal storytelling and local volunteer chapters.

Emerging players

• Design Matters (live events): Live design event series and podcast hosted by Debbie Millman featuring prominent designers and brand leaders — comparable as a narrative-led design conversation platform targeting a similar professional and enthusiast audience.
• Figma Config: Figma's annual design conference, recently expanded globally and free to attend — comparable as a digital-first design conference that targets overlapping professional design audiences and competes for sponsor attention.
• Awwwards: Web design awards and conference platform hosting talks, events, and online education for digital designers — comparable as a design community combining content, awards, and live events targeted at digital design professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/designship

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Designship