The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) presented the DesignEuropa Awards for the fifth time at a ceremony held on Wednesday at the National Library of Latvia. Among the honorees was a unique design from the Czech Republic.
The Essenza 300 LT hospital bed, designed by the LINET design team in collaboration with the Prague-based Divan Design Studio, received the award in the ‘Larger Companies’ category. The bed’s technical innovations not only enhance patient safety but also improve efficiency for caregivers.
This year’s ceremony, organized in partnership with the Latvian Patent Office, introduced a new category: the Next Generation Design Award, which recognizes talented designers under 30. The inaugural award went to Chiara Mignani, an innovative Italian designer known for her eco-friendly, high-performance yacht designs.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to renowned German designer Dieter Rams, whose work—balancing functionality and environmental awareness—has shaped the aesthetics and design culture of recent decades.
“This year’s DesignEuropa Awards not only highlight European excellence in creativity, innovation, and ingenuity but also a genuine commitment to sustainability. Our winners demonstrate that design can propel society and industry forward. Dieter Rams, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, has long championed timeless, durable design. Meanwhile, Chiara Mignani, the first recipient of the Next Generation Design Award, represents a future where sustainability is central to European design. Both designers show that the future of European design is bright,” said João Negrão, Executive Director of the EUIPO.
Essenza 300 LT: Award-Winning Hospital Bed
The Essenza 300 LT hospital bed, created by the LINET design team in collaboration with Divan Design Studio, improves patient safety and comfort while enabling caregivers to work more efficiently. Thanks to technological innovations, patients can safely exit the bed with reduced injury risk, caregivers can work ergonomically, and patient transportation is streamlined. The design’s human-centred functionality was especially praised by the jury.
European Design Industry
In the past two decades, the protection of design rights has created new opportunities for businesses. Design-intensive industries generate 26.8 million direct jobs in the EU and contribute 16% to the Union’s GDP.
The DesignEuropa Awards are a highlight in the international industrial design calendar. Previous ceremonies have taken place in Berlin, Eindhoven, Warsaw, and Milan.
