Entries open for 2025 DAME Design Awards

Entries open for 2025 DAME Design Awards © FOTOGRAAFniels

This year's edition of the prestigious DAME Design Awards at Metstrade, the global leisure marine industry's gold standard recognition for excellence in equipment design, is now open for entries.

A wide field of participants will gain credibility and raise the profile of their latest launches while supporting the invaluable work of this year's chosen charity, the Ocean Conservation Trust.

Celebrating outstanding marine design

Now in its 34th edition, the DAME Design Awards continues to reward the valuable myriad hours of design effort invested by hard working individuals and teams across the global leisure marine equipment sector. It does so by picking out the best examples of designs that enhance accessibility, enjoyment, sustainability and efficiency in boating.

A panel of expert jurors, drawn from across the industry, will gather to assess each entry based on functionality, aesthetics, efficiency, environmental impact, and innovation. Their evaluation recognises both revolutionary new concepts and incremental refinements that enhance long-standing marine equipment.

Entries Now Open

The DAME Design Awards is open to entries from all Metstrade exhibitors until 19 September 2025. Submissions are made via an entry portal, with products then being shipped to arrive in Amsterdam no later than 6 October 2025. The judging process includes an initial virtual assessment, followed by an in-depth, two-day product examination at RAI Amsterdam.

A jury of leading designers and user experts will use this unique process to select a shortlist of nominated products, which will then compete for category awards, as well as a discretionary Environmental Design Award. One of the category winners will ultimately take the coveted and highly valuable DAME Design Awards Overall Winner title. More details and entry submission information can be found at damedesignawards.com.

A showcase at the heart of Metstrade

All nominated products will feature in the DAME Design Awards Showcase in Hall 13 at Metstrade, a high-profile exhibition space visited by many thousands of marine professionals across the three days of the show. More than 500 products have been showcased here over the past decade alone, bringing global visibility and tangible commercial benefits to successful entries.

The winners will be announced during Metstrade's Official Opening prior to the first day of the show on Tuesday 18 November 2025.

DAME 2025 chosen charity

Each year, the entry fees from all DAME Design Awards submissions are donated to a charity selected by the Metstrade Exhibition Committee.

For 2025, the Ocean Conservation Trust has been chosen as the recipient. This organisation grew out of the work of marine scientists, educators and divers who collaborated 25 years ago to create a charity showcasing some of the amazing habitats and animals found in a healthy and vibrant ocean by founding the UK's National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth. Their efforts have since broadened into globally focused work raising the curtain on the current state of ocean health and of the impacts of people upon it.

The organisation's CEO, Ian McFazden, commented: "The Ocean Conservation Trust is honoured to be chosen by the DAME Design Awards, where innovation meets purpose, to help drive forward our mission to protect and restore our Ocean for future generations. We rely on generous donations like this to continue our vital work, restoring precious seagrass habitats, advancing marine conservation, and connecting people with the Ocean. We are sincerely grateful for this inspiring show of support."