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The Johns Hopkins Healthcare Design Competition 2026 is now open, inviting innovators, researchers, clinicians, engineers, and designers to submit impactful healthcare and medical technology solutions.

This global competition rewards outstanding design projects that address real clinical challenges and demonstrate strong potential for real-world implementation.

Prize Categories

Winners will receive the following cash awards:

• 🥇 First Prize: $5,000
• 🥈 Second Prize: $3,000
• 🥉 Third Prize: $1,000

Design Brief Overview

Applicants must submit a two-page design brief presented as an executive summary of their design project. The brief should be written for an audience of medical technology engineers and designers who may not be deeply familiar with your clinical or healthcare domain.

Design Brief Evaluation Criteria

Design briefs will be assessed using the following four equally weighted criteria:

1. Problem Description (25%)

• Clearly define the healthcare or clinical problem
• Provide relevant medical background
• Explain why existing solutions are insufficient

2. Solution Concept(s) (25%)

• Present your proposed solution
• Explain the design rationale
• Demonstrate how stakeholder needs are addressed

3. Reduction to Practice (25%)

• Describe proof-of-concept results
• Include prototype renderings, images, or experimental outcomes

4. Pathway to Implementation (25%)

• Outline the steps required to move the project to real-world deployment
• Discuss regulatory, manufacturing, clinical testing, or commercialization considerations

Design Brief Format Requirements

Submissions must comply strictly with the following guidelines:

• Maximum length: 2 pages (including figures)
• References may be included on a separate page
• Accepted fonts: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia
• Font size: 11 points or larger, black color
• Type density: ≤ 15 characters per inch
• Maximum: 6 lines per inch
• Paper size: 8.5″ × 11″
• Margins: At least 0.5 inches on all sides
• No content allowed in margins
• Figures, plots, and photos are encouraged and count toward page limit

Application Timeline

• February 1 – Deadline for two-page proposal submission
• March 10 – Finalists notified
• April 12 – Final round (virtual event)

Who Should Apply?

This competition is ideal for:

• Biomedical engineers
• Healthcare innovators
• Medical researchers
• Clinical practitioners
• Medtech startups
• University students and academic teams
• Product designers working on healthcare solutions

How to Apply

Full submission guidelines and application instructions are available on the official competition platform.

👉 Visit the Official Johns Hopkins Healthcare Design Competition Webpage to Apply

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