DAME R&D Excellence in Adversity Award

Following the cancellation of the 2020 Marine Equipment Trade Show (METSTRADE), which is the world’s largest trade exhibition for the international leisure marine industry, entries are now open for a special one-off DAME (Design at METSTRADE) award competition to be awarded at the virtual METSTRADE Connect event on December 10, 2020.

The DAME R&D Excellence in Adversity Award will recognize the efforts of global equipment manufacturers that have kept design at the forefront of their development efforts during the pandemic challenges of 2020.

This year, METSTRADE would have celebrated the 30th continuous running of the DAME awards. The reputation of the DAME has been built over decades upon a rigorous process conducted by an international Jury of renowned reputation, who meet in Amsterdam to make their final assessments.

Given the many logistical and safety challenges posed by the pandemic, the decision was taken to defer the 30th event to 2021 and assess a field of entries new to market between September 1, 2019 and November 16, 2021 at that time.

“Working in close consultation with our new DAME Chair, Andre Hoek and the members and secretary of the DAME Jury, we felt it important to focus instead on the notable efforts of exhibitors who have kept their R&D efforts rolling through the COVID-19 lock-down or used design in innovative ways to address challenges,” director of METSTRADE Niels Klarenbeek explains. “For that reason we are introducing this special DAME R&D Excellence in Adversity Award for 2020 only.”

The eligibility for this award is any product new to market, or any significant R&D project conducted by an equipment manufacturer, worked on between January 1 and October 28, 2020 that has been progressed, despite the constraints of COVID-19.

The Jury will also take into account design-led initiatives that have improved the safety of the business concerned or the community in which it is based. The scope for entry is wide-ranging, covering all sizes of company and types of activity. The Jury will use analytical assessment as well as emotional response to find the winner and also name any commended entries.

Submission to the DAME R&D Excellence in Adversity Award is free and open to anyone who had committed to METSTRADE 2020 as an exhibitor. Entries must be submitted by October 28, 2020. Also, entries to this special award will also be eligible for consideration in the DAME 2021 30th Anniversary Awards.

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