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Competition focus
Bolt Burdon Kemp has reopened its Design the Change Competition, inviting UK higher-education students to develop products that improve everyday life for people with spinal cord injuries. The firm says the initiative is intended to raise awareness of accessibility and encourage design that addresses practical needs.
Eligibility and ideas
The competition accepts individual entries and teams of up to four. Entrants may be undergraduates or postgraduates at any UK higher education institution, college or university. Team members must attend the same university, but can study different subjects. Concepts may range from simpler ways to complete daily tasks to substantially reimagined household appliances.
Prizes and precedent
Entries must arrive by 4 May 2027 and will be assessed by the firm’s expert judging panel. The winner is due to receive £5,000, while the runner-up will receive £2,500. The winner will also be offered a week of work experience at Cerebra’s Innovation Centre in Wales. Last year, Lois Moore won with the Arc Mouse, designed to help a person with tetraplegia control a computer without gripping.
Design rationale
Bolt Burdon Kemp partner Victoria Oliver argues that products and environments often overlook people with life-changing injuries. She says the competition seeks practical, creative solutions shaped around users’ experiences and needs, with the broader aim of supporting independence and quality of life.
