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Thrive Summit

Competition

Design Battle - Unleash your creativity

Do you have what it takes to create visually stunning and impactful designs under pressure? Design Battle is a high-stakes competition where designers put their creativity, technical skills, and design knowledge to the test.

Compete in teams, tackle a real-world design challenge, and showcase your ability to create compelling visuals that communicate effectively.

Social proof

Design Battle moments

Photos from previous Hustlers Conference competitions. The same arenas return for Thrive Summit 2027.

Black Ink Team receiving first prize for the Design Contest

1st prize: Black Ink Team · Design Contest.

Aafanyu receiving second prize for the Design Contest

2nd prize: Aafanyu · 100,000 FCFA on stage.

Design Challenge winners on stage at Hustlers Conference

Design Challenge honourees: certificates and prizes in hand.

Rewards

Prizes

Prize amounts to be decided.

Partner training details will be announced closer to Thrive Summit 2027.

How it works

Challenge Format

Teams will receive a design brief on-site detailing the challenge.
They will have a limited time to brainstorm, design, and present their work.
Judges will assess the final designs based on the outlined criteria.
Teams must present and justify their design choices during evaluation.

Evaluation

Judging Criteria

Teams will be evaluated based on the following:

Design Principles & Rules (40%)

  • Application of core design principles: Scale, Pattern, Contrast, Movement/Rhythm, Emphasis, Balance/Alignment, Unity
  • Understanding and following essential design rules: Approaching design as a communication process, Identifying brand voice & audience, Using a simple readable font and cohesive color palette, Effective use of white space and visual hierarchy

Aesthetics & Harmony (25%)

  • Consistency in color schemes, typography, and imagery
  • Design that aligns with the tone, mood, and audience

Creativity & Visual Appeal (20%)

  • Uniqueness, originality, and eye-catching design elements
  • Ability to make the design stand out from the competition

Communication of Objective & Significance (15%)

  • How well the design conveys its intended message
  • Clarity in explaining design choices and content significance

Important rule

Pre-made templates or AI-generated designs are NOT permitted. All work must be original!

Eligibility

Who can Participate

  • Open to all designers residing in Cameroon
  • Registration fee: to be decided
  • Teams must consist of 2 to 5 members
  • At least one team member must have basic design skills (graphic design, UI/UX, or branding)
  • All participants must bring their own laptops for the competition
  • Teams can use any design tool but must state their chosen software and explain why they selected it
  • Registration dates to be announced
  • Participants must be available in person in March 2027 in Buea, Cameroon (exact dates TBA)

Coming soon

Are you ready to showcase your design skills

Competition registration is coming soon for March 2027.

Registration coming soon
Registration coming soon