Six new student-designed products that enhance wellness, sustainability and convenience in the home earned top honors in IHA’s Global Innovation Awards (gia) Excellence in Student Design competition, sponsored by the International Housewares Association (IHA).
The eight industrial design students behind the winning products in the 33rd such competition will showcase them at The Inspired Home Show 2026, to be held March 10-12 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The Show, which brings together over 2,000 brands with attendees from 115 countries, will provide a unique opportunity for students to pitch their products and network with top leadership in the home and housewares industry, according to IHA.
This year, students tackled challenges encompassing key lifestyle drivers, including healthy home environments, small-space living, food portability and waste reduction.
First Place Winner
Alex Kadkhodaian, Senior, Arizona State University — Pura
Pura (pictured above) is an environmentally friendly air purifier that features a biodegradable filter made of mushroom mycelium fiber. The design includes a compact footprint, the option for freestanding or wall-mounted placement and cost-effective materials and features that allow for sufficient airflow, a significant factor affecting air purifier efficacy.
Kadkhodaian was awarded the grand prize of $3,500.
Second Place Winner
Brandon Escalona, Third Year, FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences (Austria) — LevelUp
LevelUp is a guided physiotherapy device designed to provide older adults with the support they need to maintain a consistent, confident home exercise routine. This slim, mounted product features a projector, camera, mirror and speaker system to project exercises that users can emulate on the wall in front of them, all while tracking movement and providing clear, real-time guidance.
Escalona was awarded a second-place prize of $2,500.
LevelUp
LevelUp
Third Place Winners
Four projects earned Third Place honors, each receiving a $1,500 award:
Loyal Prach, Senior, University of Wisconsin-Stout — Cove
Cove is a smart, temperature-controlled lunchbox that allows users to pack any meal they like, hot or cold. It has a modular food container system that lets users quickly swap, pack and clean their food containers.
Mike Minerva, Graduate, Rochester Institute of Technology — Kokoro
Designed for people who appreciate art and design, value analog processes, and seek meaningful alternatives to digital culture, Kokoro is a daily recording device that doubles as a work of art. The piece combines vintage techniques and modern engineering.
Kyle Hagerty and Kathryn Hoang, Seniors, Georgia Institute of Technology — Preserv
Preserv is a set of baby training dishes designed to be useful past the baby stage. Thoughtful color design help plates and bowls that suction to eating surfaces transform into long-lasting lids for glass bowls and storage containers.
Charlie Johnson and Matthew Li, Juniors, University of Washington — Steamline
Steamline is a compact, all-in-one ironing and steaming station. It’s designed to improve safety, organization and efficiency for those living in small spaces.
Cove
Kokoro
Preserv
Steamline
Honorable Mentions
Six products also earned honorable mentions, with each of their designers receiving a $250 award:
- Peter Sutton, Junior Western Washington University — Beam: A compact projector and soundbar in one, providing a simple solution to quality visual and audio.
- Rand Aldukhayil, Senior, Purdue University — BiT: A stackable, modular measuring device that builds from 1/8 cup to 1 cup, eliminating the need for multiple measurement tools.
- Kazuki Okamoto, Senior, California State University, Long Beach — Flow: An innovative container system that stores ingredients, unfolds to a cutting board and keeps leftovers all-in-one.
- Carmen Briones, Senior, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design — Harbor: An app-controlled rain collection system with a built-in pump that allows users to water their gardens and monitor status with the touch of a button.
- Allison Knowles, Junior, Western Washington University — Pivot: A design-forward toaster designed to remove the guesswork from toasting and add a moment of calm to every morning.
- Bella McDermott, Junior, Western Washington University; and Gerardo Reyes, Junior, Rochester Institute of Technology — Pulse: An app-controlled tool that monitors the moisture level, pH and overall health of plants’ soil, eliminating uncertainty in how to care for indoor plants.
IHA’s gia Excellence in Student Design competition invites industrial design college students to either redesign an existing housewares product to meet evolving consumer needs or create a concept for a new product. Winning projects are evaluated based on their innovation, production feasibility, marketability and overall quality. Since its inception in 1993, the competition has received more than 7,500 submissions and launched many design careers and fostering the next generation of innovators.
This year’s winners were chosen by a panel of 14 industry designers, brand companies and professors, including three past gia winners who have gone on to successful industrial design careers.
