Stop sleepwalking products and services into existence
This year’s BEDA Design Forum invites Europe’s design community to look deeper—to challenge the unseen assumptions, default choices, and inherited systems that shape the products and services around us.
The 2026 edition of the BEDA Design Forum will take place in Munich, Germany, on Friday, 8 May 2026.
Under the theme “Beyond Thoughtless Design”, we will explore the dynamic intersection of design, policy, and accessibility, uncovering how these forces can be reimagined to strengthen innovation and societal wellbeing. From mapping design policy across Europe to reframing accessibility and design’s role in enhancing it, the programme will highlight perspectives that stretch beyond the expected.
Join us for a full day of:
- Thought-provoking talks that question today’s design norms
- Practical insights that bridge policy and practice
- Knowledge exchange that broadens professional horizons
- Collaboration opportunities with design leaders from across Europe
Speakers
Among the speakers will be experts, such as:
- Katerina Katmada , Product Design Lead at Kinvent
- Rihards Funts , a designer who brings a unique, lived perspective to accessibility through his own experience
- Dr Chele Esteve Sendra, an engineer, professor and director of the Chair on Digital Divide and Disability
- Dr Teri Okoro , UK Design Council Expert and Founder of TOCA_UK
- Prof. Dr Karel van der Waarde, information designer and lecturer at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and University of Hasselt
- Svenja Bickert-Appleby, design strategist, innovation consultant and Founder of New Order Design
Moderators: Prof. Regina Hanke and Marzia Mortati
The European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), together with BEDA, will explore how EU design protection can empower creators to safeguard their innovations in the Deep Dive World Café Session. The session will be led by Sophia Bonne, Senior Advisor in the Business Development Department at the EUIPO.
“Unlocking the Power of EU Design Protection: Shaping a Collective Vision for Greater Awareness”
This interactive event is your chance to share insights, shape strategies, and co-create solutions to bridge the design awareness gap. Together, we’ll uncover:
- What messages truly resonate with designers about the value of EU design protection
- How to make awareness campaigns more impactful, ensuring every creator knows how to defend their work
- Innovative ways to promote this essential tool, turning knowledge into action.
Whether you’re a designer, innovator, or industry leader, your voice matters. Let’s build a future where EU design protection is recognised, accessible, and indispensable for all creators.
Be part of the conversation shaping a more intentional, inclusive, and future‑ready design landscape.
Let’s stop sleepwalking solutions into existence—and start designing with purpose.
Registration
Registration Link: luma.com/s9wy0jo8
Programme
Find the provisional Programme for the BEDA Design Forum 2026 attached below.
The event is free of charge.
Supporters
BEDA Design Forum local supporters are the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, bayern design and their flagship event, munich creative business week, happening from 4-10 May 2026.
This BEDA Design Forum edition is organised within the scope of the MADres project: Co-funded by the European Union | Powered by BEDA | Supported by Creative Europe
