Here's your chance to present, influence and inspire your peers, young professionals and seasoned leaders. Share learnings, unique perspectives, deconstruct processes, and even new beginnings from failures. Your voice, our stage.

DesignUp has never had an over arching theme, until 2025. 

DesignUp 2026: Design at Crossroads

In an era defined by radical shifts—where AI redefines creativity, climate urgency demands action, and the line between titiles, between the physical and digital continues to blur, the profession and practice of Design stands at a pivotal junction. We are no longer just making things better (or prettier) we are deciding which path the future takes.

Design at Crossroads is an exploration of the tensions, choices, and responsibilities that define our craft today, and our intertwined existence. It is about the friction between the old and the new, the automated and the handcrafted, and the global vs. the hyper-local. When every decision carries the weight of systemic impact, which way do we turn?

The Intersections: Where the Paths Cross (and Blur)

This theme invites a deep dive into the friction points where the future is actually being forged. Here are some of the many possible vectors for a deep dive:

• The Great Dissolve. Silos are dead. As boundaries blur, we’re exploring the messy reality of leading when the old maps, and titles, no longer apply.
• The Machine’s Shadow. Beyond the AI magic lies the grit - synthetic slop, murky data ethics, and the hidden human cost. Let’s confront the mirror to design a more original future.
• Wisdom vs. The Avalanche. We’ve got the data, but where’s the insight? How do we reclaim space for deep thinking and nuance in a world of instant, algorithmic shortcuts?
• Radical Humanity. Being "humane" is now a revolutionary act. We’re shifting from "User Experience" to "Human Existence" - designing for collective sanity and soul.

Share Your Story

We are looking for speakers who aren’t afraid to stand at the intersection and point the way. You can approach this theme from multiple perspectives: Careers, Leadership, Process, Change, Innovation, Research & Insights, Craft (Design, Writing, Image-making, Films), Storytelling, Sustainability, and more. It’s your story to share.

We are looking for session submissions in the following categories:

1. Short or Lightning Talks (up to 15 mins): Sharp, punchy insights. We warmly welcome first-time speakers here.
2. Long Talks (25–35 mins): For deeper dives into projects, philosophies, or journeys.
3. Workshops (3 or 4 hours): Hands-on sessions for 25-50 participants.

Keynotes are by invite only, but we may, on rare occasions, move exceptional Long Talks into Keynote slots.

The DesignUp Way

We are always looking for unique stories and fresh perspectives—the Asian, African, Latin-American, and Indian points of view included. We also welcome stories from around the world and from non-designers.

We encourage you to share your failures; we believe our greatest learnings come from the "messy middle" and things that went wrong. Conversely, we strongly discourage using this platform to market your team, sell your product, or pitch your organisation.

The crossroads are here. Which way are you headed?

We cover Premium Economy or Economy class air tickets based on travel time. As well as Airport pick-up and drop, minimum of 2 nights at the Conference hotel. DesignUp is known for it's Speakers' Dinner, it's multiple networking events and activities. DesignUp is independent community-led, volunteer-driven event. We rely on ticket sales and sponsorships to cover costs. We do not pay Speaker Fees.