design innovation institue shanghai

What design innovation institue shanghai does

Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (DIIS) is a non-profit advanced research institution established in 2020 in Shanghai under the cooperation of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the Municipal Education Commission, and the Hongkou District Government. The institute is headquartered in the restored 1934 Lester Institute of Technical Education heritage building at 505 DongChangzhi Road in the Hongkou District of Shanghai's North Bund CBD, a building whose restoration itself received a RICS urban renewal award. DIIS drives design-led industrial transformation through a platform-plus-programs architecture comprising Master Studios, Industry Co-Labs, and the D.Transformer Incubator, supported by the Design Universe event platform and the international Frontier Design Prize award presented at the World Design Cities Conference.

The institute serves three primary customer segments: industry enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, publicly-listed enterprises, and tech unicorns seeking collaborative innovation through 16 industry co-labs; startups and entrepreneurs in AI, medical devices, ESG, and smart hardware, served via the D.Transformer Incubator launched in 2024; and design professionals recognized through the annual Frontier Design Prize. Its core methodology integrates technology, design, and business through cross-disciplinary Master Studios led by internationally recognized design figures including Wang Min (former CAFA Design Dean and 2008 Olympics Design Director), Srini Srinivasan (former World Design Organization President), Simon Collins (former Parsons Dean), and Aldo Cibic (Memphis Group co-founder).

DIIS is government-funded and does not charge for its core services. Its go-to-market is event- and community-led, having hosted 330+ events in 2023 alone and engaged 1 million+ participants through the Design Universe platform since 2021. Strategic partnerships include the World Design Organization, NVIDIA (annual startup showcases 2023–2026), XinChejian, Aptar, XbotPark, iF Design (Suzhou joint laboratory established 2025), UrbanLab, Daily Food, and Mingyang Group. The institute has incubated 100+ startups since 2023 and operates with no disclosed commercial revenue model.

Name

design innovation institue shanghai

Legal name

上海创新创意设计研究院

Website

https://diis.org.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

DIIS is a Shanghai-based non-profit design innovation research institute, backed by Shanghai municipal authorities, that drives design-led industrial transformation through master studios, industry co-labs, and a startup incubator housed in a restored 1934 heritage building, serving enterprises, startups, and designers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Research & Innovation Services

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)

Keywords

• Design research institute
• Innovation incubation
• Industrial design services
• Design ecosystem platform
• Startup accelerator programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Non-profit Research Institution: DIIS operates as a non-profit advanced research institution funded by government support. Founded in 2020 under cooperation of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, Municipal Education Commission, and Hongkou District Government. The institute focuses on creating world-leading design innovation with real-world impact rather than commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DIIS is a non-profit design innovation research institute that operates an integrated ecosystem of Master Studios led by international design leaders, 16 Industry Co-Labs with Fortune 500 enterprises and tech unicorns, and the D.Transformer startup Incubator focused on AI, medical devices, ESG, and smart hardware. It runs the Design Universe event platform (creative camps, salons, exhibitions, industry open days) and the Frontier Design Prize international award program, all anchored in the restored 1934 Lester Institute heritage campus in Shanghai's North Bund.

Product overview

DIIS operates as a platform-plus-programs architecture centered on design-driven innovation transformation. The core offering includes Master Studios (interdisciplinary studios led by design masters), Industry Co-Labs (16 joint labs with enterprise partners), and the D.Transformer Incubator. These are supported by the Design Universe event platform and the Frontier Design Prize international award. The institute leverages its Lester Institute heritage campus as the physical hub for these programs, which collectively serve to drive industrial transformation through design innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 设计寰宇 (Design Universe): Multidisciplinary event platform for fostering design innovation ecosystem, including annual creative camps, design salons, design exhibitions, thematic workshops, roadshows, entrepreneurship awards, industry open days, and public open days.
• 前沿设计创新奖 (Frontier Design Prize)
• D.Transformer Incubator

Products and services

• Design Universe (设计寰宇) A multidisciplinary event platform that creates, aggregates, and activates design innovation ecosystems through annual creative camps, design salons, design exhibitions, thematic workshops, roadshows, entrepreneurship awards, industry open days, and public open days. Since 2021 it has attracted over 1 million participants and hosted more than 330 events in 2023 alone.
• Frontier Design Prize (前沿设计创新奖) A forward-looking international design award established under the guidance of Shanghai municipal government and coordinated by DIIS, recognizing outstanding personalities and works that have made paradigm-shift contributions to the design field. Three categories: Distinguished Contribution, Innovation of the Year, and Innovation of the Year (K-12).
• Master Studios (大师工作室) Four interdisciplinary studios led by internationally renowned design masters — Min Wang (Communications Design), Srini Srinivasan (Industrial Design), Simon Collins (New Fashion), and Aldo Cibic (Community Building) — providing strategic research, product development, branding, training, and prototyping services for enterprises and partners.
• Industry Co-Labs (产业联合实验室) Sixteen joint laboratories established with industry-leading enterprises to address strategic innovation needs through cross-disciplinary R&D, brand elevation, and resource alignment. Engaged partners include NVIDIA, Aptar, XinChejian, XbotPark, Daily Food, and iF Design.
• D.Transformer Incubator (创新孵化器) A design-driven innovation incubator focusing on artificial intelligence, green/low-carbon technology, medical devices, and smart hardware verticals. Collaborates with international startup accelerators to support early-stage companies; hundreds of startups have debuted since 2023, with multiple companies receiving investment and growth.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million+ participants engaged through Design Universe platform since 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• iF DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025DIIS苏州 x iF Design Joint Laboratory established to connect global design excellence with Suzhou's manufacturing capabilities.
• NVIDIAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024NVIDIA startup showcase events held at DIIS multiple times annually (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026), providing platform for AI and hardware startups to demonstrate innovations and connect with the NVIDIA ecosystem.
• 城越UrbanLabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DIIS partnered with UrbanLab on the industry low-carbon acceleration program, focusing on sustainable innovation and ESG initiatives.
• Aptar (阿普塔)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DIIS x Aptar Joint Incubator focused on healthcare and packaging innovation. Aptar Asia Innovation Center collaborates with DIIS on sustainable delivery technology and design, including AIGC platform co-creation workshops.
• 明阳集团minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership on the 'Heart of the Earth' sustainable audio-visual communication initiative, combining design innovation with sustainability goals.
• XbotPark 松山湖机器人基地coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Strategic collaboration with XbotPark on robotics and hard-tech innovation, including joint events featuring founder Li Zexiang discussing tech-design integration and new engineering education.
• 特赞AIGC PlatformminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint AIGC platform collaboration with Shanghai Jiahua (上海家化) and Aptar for design co-creation workshops.
• XinChejian (新车间)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023DIIS x XinChejian Joint Laboratory established as foundational innovation infrastructure at the Lester Institute. The lab is equipped with professional hardware and software facilities, hosts regular tech workshops, maker roadshows, and community-building activities for prototyping and project implementation.
• 每日食品 (Daily Food)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023DIIS x Daily Food Innovation Acceleration Lab established to drive innovation in food and consumer goods sector.
• World Design Organization (WDO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020DIIS is a member of WDO (World Design Organization) and serves as the exclusive mainland China host for World Industrial Design Day global celebrations. DIIS Chief Operating Officer Srini Srinivasan previously served as WDO President until 2022. The partnership includes joint events, design leadership forums, and collaborative promotion of design innovation globally.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal College of Art: London-based postgraduate university wholly focused on art and design, with a similar research-and-innovation mandate including industry partnerships and innovation programs. Comparable to DIIS as an elite design research and innovation institution, though operating as a degree-granting university in the UK.
• MIT Media Lab: Antidisciplinary research lab at MIT focused on technology, design, and societal impact, with strong industry sponsor programs and a master/researcher-led studio model. Closely parallels DIIS's master-studio + industry co-lab + cross-disciplinary research architecture, though anchored to a university setting.
• Tongji University College of Design and Innovation: Shanghai-based design college ranked first in Asia, with which DIIS's co-founder 娄永琪 is affiliated (he is Tongji's vice president). Comparable as a Shanghai-anchored design research and innovation institution with strong industry linkages, operating as a degree-granting college rather than a non-profit institute.
• Parsons School of Design: New York-based design school known for industry collaborations and design leadership, where DIIS Chief Creative Officer Simon Collins was formerly Dean of Fashion. Comparable as an elite design education and research institution with strong enterprise partnerships.
• Aalto University Design Factory: Helsinki-based interdisciplinary innovation platform combining design, engineering, and business, focused on industry co-creation and experiential learning. Closely mirrors DIIS's co-lab + studio + incubation model in a European government-backed university setting.
• Central Saint Martins: London art and design college under University of the Arts London, with strong industry collaboration and innovation programming. Comparable as a globally recognized design education and research institution with design master leadership.

Regional players

• Hong Kong Design Institute: Hong Kong-based design education institution focused on design thinking, innovation, and industry collaboration across Greater China. Comparable regional peer with similar industry co-lab structure but primarily serves Hong Kong's design ecosystem rather than mainland China.
• Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA): Beijing-based premier fine arts and design university where DIIS Chief Academic Officer 王敏 previously served as Dean of the School of Design. Comparable as a leading Chinese design institution, though operating as a degree-granting university with a broader fine arts mandate.

Broad incumbents

• IDEO: Global design consultancy pioneering design thinking and human-centered design with major enterprise clients. Comparable to DIIS in delivering design-driven innovation for Fortune 500 enterprises, but operates as a commercial consultancy with proprietary IP and equity participation in ventures.

Others

• World Design Organization (WDO): International non-profit promoting design and innovation globally, of which DIIS is a member. Srini Srinivasan, DIIS's COO, was formerly WDO President. Closely associated as a network and standards partner rather than a direct institutional competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-innovation-institute-shanghai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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