Student Service Design Competition 2026

The Service Design and Innovation Conference (ServDes) is the premier global forum for advancing rigorous research, innovation, and practice in service design. The ServDes India Chapter is an experimental initiative launched at ServDes25 in India, aiming to leverage India’s diverse socio-economic landscape and growing design ecosystem to foster knowledge and practice that are research-driven, future-proof, and impactful. This pilot chapter aspires to be a scalable model replicable in other regions, enabled by the extensive global ServDes researcher network.

Its vision is to Position India as a leading hub for service design research, education, and innovation, bridging global insights with local relevance that inspires positive impact and systemic change.

Competition Objective

The competition aims to leverage students’ creativity and service design skills to address real-world challenges faced by India’s social sector. Solutions must be innovative, actionable, and culturally sensitive, motivating NGOs to implement them effectively.

Problem Statements

Participants will submit a service design project, which addresses pressing social issues such as rural healthcare, climate-resilient farming, digital literacy, and reskilling for the unorganized sector.

Eligibility and Participation

• Open to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students enrolled in academic institutions during 2026.
• Teams of 2-5 members are encouraged, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration.
• No single person’s entry will be considered valid.
• Each team can submit one project by addressing a selected problem statement.

Key Dates

• Competition Launch: January 26, 2026
• Submission Deadline: June 30, 2026
• Announcement of finalist teams: August 15, 2026
• Final Presentations and Announcement of Winners: September-October 2026, at the ServDes India Chapter Conference.
• The final Conference date will be announced well in advance.

Submission Guidelines

Deliverables:

• A presentation (PDF, max. 15 slides) detailing the service design process and proposed solution.
• A two-minute video-pitch explaining the solution.
• Optional supporting material (prototypes, sketches, system maps).
• Language: Submissions must be in English.
• Acknowledgement of use of AI in a given format.
• The final submissions can be made through the this submission portal

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

• Relevance: How well the solution addresses the problem statement and fits India’s social
  context.
• Methodology: Application of service design tools and processes.
• Innovation: Creativity and uniqueness of the solution.
• Feasibility: Practicality and scalability of implementation by NGOs.
• Presentation: Clarity, structure, and visual quality of the submission.

Competition Process

1. Preliminary Round: Top submissions will be shortlisted based on the evaluation criteria.
2. Relevance: How well the solution addresses the problem statement and fits India’s social context.
3. Methodology: Application of service design tools and processes.
4. Innovation: Creativity and uniqueness of the solution.
5. Feasibility: Practicality and scalability of implementation by NGOs.
6. Presentation: Clarity, structure, and visual quality of the submission.

Prizes and Recognition

• Winners: Cash prizes, trophy and certificates of recognition will be awarded.
• Showcase Opportunities: Winning projects will be featured at the ServDes India Chapter website.
• Implementation Support: Selected solutions may receive support for implementation by partnering NGOs.

Rules and Ethics

1. All submissions must be original and adopted for this competition.
2. Intellectual property rights remain with the teams, but organizers and NGOs reserve the right to use ideas for implementation.
3. Cultural sensitivity and respect for local values are mandatory.