Design Age Institute’s mission is to amplify the voice of people as they age and create a thriving economy for aspirational products and services that support happier and healthier ageing.
At a glance
- Design Age Institute ran from 2020–24, and was established to support the UK Government’s Grand Challenge on an Ageing Society, funded by Research England.
- As part of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, the Institute brought together skills and expertise from world-leading organisations in research, design, innovation and learning to tackle the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly ageing population.
- Partners included the UK's National Innovation Centre for Ageing at Newcastle University, the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, the International Longevity Centre and Design Museum.
Key details
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Pathfinder projects
Working with industry partners and businesses across the UK, Design Age Institute's Pathfinder Innovation Programme invests in design and design-led innovation to develop products, services and environments that will enable people to enjoy five extra healthy, independent years of life and to remain at work for longer.
Investment in innovative design for the underexploited healthy ageing market includes seed funding, access to cutting-edge research, business opportunity scoping and mentoring, and connecting project teams with design expertise.
Between 2021–24 the Institute supported 30 innovation projects for the healthy ageing market with £1.3million in investment from Research England and Innovate UK.
Design Age Directory
The Design Age Directory is a national directory for expertise in design for healthy ageing, featuring 45+ UK design companies specialising in design of products, services, and experiences.
The Directory was set up in 2021 to serve as a showcase of UK talent, enabling business and industry to tap into the enormous potential of the longevity economy through good design.
Engagement & Knowledge Exchange
The Institute delivered an exciting programme of workshops, talks, masterclasses and exhibits exploring cutting-edge research into how design is reimagining the future of ageing.
Funders
Design Age Institute was funded by Research England and InnovateUK
