Sixteen manufacturers in the design industry will be looking forward to meeting designers at the design LAB programme during the Speed Dating online event

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency will be using the design LAB incubation programme to facilitate the successful promotion of collaborations between manufacturers and designers, who can apply with a joint tender to win a grant to support their work. The Agency is also helping to support networking opportunities by organising an online “Speed ​​Dating” event, where manufacturers and designers can get to know each other, through 15-20 minute-long webcam interviews they will be able to assess the potential of working together. Sixteen manufacturers have already applied to take part in the online meeting, and designers can choose between them on who they would like to consult with. In order to ensure successful rapid negotiations, the HFDA has compiled a Preparation Guide on the most important topics that are worthwhile addressing during the negotiations. 

Within the support framework of the design LAB incubation programme, designers and manufacturers can apply together for creating furniture, home accessories and textile products – and further details on the topic can be found in this article. The project connects the professionalism of manufacturers and the creativity of designers in the new collaborations, for which it is essential to find the right partners. To ensure this process is a success, the HFDA is organising an online event called Speed ​​Dating on June 10, where different manufacturers and designers can discuss cooperation opportunities with each other through separate webcam interviews simultaneously. The purpose of the virtual meeting is for participants to find the right partner they would like to cooperate with at the end of the event. 

Designers can choose between sixteen manufacturers 

Participation is subject to registration, which takes effect upon signing and submitting the registration form and the data management and confidentiality statement electronically. The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency received registration materials at the following email address: designlab@hfda.hu.  Manufacturers had until May 25^th to submit their applications, after which designers had until June 2^nd to choose from the registered manufacturers they wanted to talk to. 

What should Speed ​​Dating participants expect and prepare for? 

For effective consultations to take place, participants should prepare in advance for the event: both parties will have the opportunity to separately present their portfolio and reference works for 6-8 minutes. In the 15-20 minute discussion, participants should explain as many aspects as possible, from their idea to the preferences and conditions, product specifications under which they envisage possible cooperation. To support effective meetings, the HFDA has prepared a Preparatory Guide for those interested, which details the aspects required for preliminary preparation.

A preparation guide for effective negotiations

The Preparation Guide describes topics that are important for the development of partnerships and discussing them, will help the parties clearly see the relevant details needed for collaboration at the end of the negotiations. The guide not only covers the details needed for implementation, but also the basic factors involved in writing an application. During the discussions, participants should also address issues such as business plan, schedule, financial plan, and the roles and responsibilities in the project, which are also covered in the document.