Business of Design

Who is this for

The Business of Design Programme is looking for Established Singapore-based furniture, lifestyle product and multi-disciplinary design studios, and design-driven furniture and lifestyle brands that have the potential to internationalise.

Aim

The Business of Design (BOD) programme aims to grow the export value of Singapore designs by building mindshare in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets in Asia.

Programme Outline

To give Singapore-based design entrepreneurs added support to grow their brands globally and to augment the Singapore Design Brand, the DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) officially launched the first run of the Business of Design (BOD) programme in 2019, which is currently underway.

The second run of the BOD Programme aims to generate new business opportunities for up to 8 established Singapore-based furniture, lifestyle product and multi-disciplinary design studios and design-driven furniture and lifestyle brands with the potential to internationalise in markets such as Europe and Asia (including Japan and Southeast Asia).

The BOD programme entails:

1. Connecting design studios and brands to the global marketplace through in-market consultants who will guide them in their pitch to secure business opportunities, connect them to business circles, and provide mentorship.
2. Strengthening the brand strategy and narrative of individual design studios and brands, to facilitate stronger recall by enforcing quality perception of the design studio and brand.
3. Promoting a set of distinct Singapore design brand values through themed collective showcases involving supported design studios and their partner manufacturers, at appropriate international platforms.

Supplementary Market Entry Webinars

To support interested design studios and brands that are keen to internationalise in understanding the commitment required to enter the European and Asian markets, Dsg  co-organised a series of market entry webinars that were held on 26 & 29 March 2021, in addition to the three phases of the BOD programme. These webinars are part of a capability development programme that targets a broader base of design studios and brands alongside prospective BOD participants.

The webinars aim to educate viewers and attendees about essential market entry knowledge, including an overview of specific markets and the fundamentals of conducting design-related business in those respective markets, such as commercial contract projects and retailing design products.

The webinars have been uploaded onto Dsg’s YouTube channel here.

How to Apply for BOD programme

Interested applicants are required to:

a) Attend or view the market-entry webinars for the target markets you are interested in (link to the uploaded videos here).

b) Applications will close by Friday, 30 April 2021 (23:59).

Eligibility Criteria

a) Applicant must be a Singapore-registered design enterprise from any of the following fields:

• Furniture and lifestyle product design
• Multi-disciplinary design
• Design-driven furniture and/or lifestyle product brand owners

b) Lead applicant must be a Singaporean or Permanent Resident.Apply for the BOD open call here

Selection Criteria

The BOD programme prioritises established design studios and brands that fulfil the following criteria:

a) Have a compelling and differentiated brand philosophy, with aspirations to  towards good design, that impacts positively on the environment, culture, society and/or economy.

b) Have strong business fundamentals and can readily scale up to meet international demand.

c) Have a good understanding of the commitment required in entering a new market. We strongly encourage interested design studios and brands to attend or view the video(s) of the market entry webinar for the market(s) which they are keen to expand into.

Download the full BOD programme infokit here for more details on the eligibility and selection criteria, key milestones and the selection process.