[SINGAPORE] Based on the momentum that made its successful debut earlier this year, The Design, AI and Tech Awards (Daita) will return in 2026 in a new category format designed to better recognize the spectrum of Singapore's innovation environment.
Two new categories will be introduced: startups and small businesses and large companies, and co-organizers will be announced Business time Designed by Singapore Institute of Technology (SUTD). The aim of the competition is to encourage innovators from startups and businesses, leveraging design and technology to develop groundbreaking solutions that address real business challenges. Outstanding entries from each category will be finalized to present ideas at a dedicated event, and will be awarded three top awards per category.
Speaking to BT, Professor Tai Lee Siang, SUTD's Vice President, Chief Innovation and Enterprise Officer, said: “Large companies need to gain financial muscle and showcase how AI has made a real difference in operations.
Submissions are evaluated on five criteria. Design thinking process and strategy. Originality, function, aesthetics; Use of AI and Advanced Technologies. Ethical consideration and sustainability. And whether the design had a quantitative and qualitative effect.
Professor Tai's advice to future applicants is to start by focusing on something scalable. “When it comes to AI applications, solutions on a more human scale allow us to truly value their benefits. Unlike very large ones, they can only be expressed astronomical figures, but they don't really feel the impact on society,” he pointed out.
Daita's first edition saw a diverse range of candidates, ranging from fast-growing startups to established industry players. The 2025 award, held in May this year, celebrated a range of innovations across three main categories: product design, system design and spatial design.
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HomeRown Semiconductor Optics Startup Metaoptics Technologies, local autonomous cleaning robot company Lionsbot, and Sengkang General Hospital have won the highest honors. Metaoptics impressed the judges with its advanced color metallance imaging system featuring a single glass layer that replaces traditional multi-layer curved plastic lenses.
Lionsbot was impressed with autonomous robots armed with AI navigation, fleet management and generation AI support, but used 10% of the water used in traditional cleaning machines. Sengkang General Hospital was also impressed by the fully automated sterilization delivery system.
BT editor Chen Huifen said: She added: “What AI and Tech Awards aim to showcase design and human-centered solutions with the potential for AI transformation. The best solutions not only leverage AI, but also solve real problems, elevate people, and improve lives and processes.”
Applications for Daita 2026 are open from now until January 31, 2026. For more information, please click here.
