Serious Injury law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp announced the return of their Design the Change Competition, with entries now open.

The competition, now in its fifth year, invites students from UK universities to design a product aimed at improving the lives of people with a spinal cord injury.

The Spinal Injuries Association estimates that more than 105,000 people in the UK are currently living with a spinal cord injury. Such life-changing injuries can mean that previously simple tasks can, overnight, become challenging and time-consuming. Globally, not enough is being done to create accessible tools for people with spinal cord injuries to perform everyday tasks without difficulty. The competition raises awareness of this need for improved accessibility in the world and how design plays an integral role in making this happen.

The firm is calling on students to think creatively, innovatively, and empathetically to invent a product aimed at improving the lives of people with a spinal cord injury. The designs can be something simple, such as a newer, easier way of accomplishing an everyday task, or something complex, such as completely reimagining a common household appliance. Judges are looking for unique, practical ideas that truly consider the needs of people with this injury.

Last year’s winner was Lois Moore, a Product Design BSC student at Sheffield Hallam University, who designed an adaptable computer mouse – the ‘Arc Mouse’ - which allows a user with tetraplegia to attach a mouse to their hand, press buttons, and control the cursor on their computer, all without needing to grip.

The competition is open to individual students as well as teams of up to four students. Students can be either undergraduates or postgraduates, from any higher education institution, college, or university in the UK. If submitting a team entry, all members of the team should attend the same university but do not need to be reading the same subject.

Entries must be submitted by 4th May 2027. All entries will be judged by the firm’s panel of experts, with the winning entry receiving £5,000 and the runner-up receiving £2,500. The winner will also be offered a week work experience with BBK’s charity partner and competition supporter, Cerebra at their Innovation Centre in Wales. For full details on eligibility, the design brief and how to enter, please visit the Design the Change competition page.

Victoria Oliver, Partner and Head of the Spinal Injury Team at Bolt Burdon Kemp, said: "A spinal cord injury is a life-changing injury – in just a moment a person’s life is monumentally transformed.

“The Design the Change Competition is not just about creating innovative products; it’s about encouraging the next generation of designers to think differently about accessibility and inclusion. Too often, everyday environments and products are not designed with the needs of people with life-changing injuries in mind, which can have a significant impact on their independence and quality of life.

“By putting their experiences and needs at the heart of the design process, we hope to inspire practical, creative solutions that can make a real difference. Last year, Lois Moore’s winning adaptable computer mouse really wowed the judges, and we’re looking forward to seeing the ideas that students bring forward this year, and the positive impact they could have on those living with spinal cord injuries.”

For more details click here.