An ergonomics
competition with
a public agenda.
ErgoLympic 2026 is the international edition of a competition first held in Malaysia in 2016. Its 2026 expansion is built on a simple premise: human-centred design is no longer optional in product, mobility, workplace and everyday life.
Background
Why now, why international.
International ErgoLympic 2026 — the Ergonomics & Human Factors Design Competition 2026 — is one of the headline programmes of the University–Industry–Investor Summit (URIIS) 2026, the flagship platform that brings universities, industry and investors together to deepen collaboration, drive innovation, and connect research to commercial pathways.
Inside that ecosystem, ErgoLympic functions as three things at once: a competition, an innovation showcase, and a talent-matching platform. It surfaces human-centred solutions across products, furniture, mobility, public space, industry, digital tools, healthcare and inclusive community design — and puts them in front of the people who can take them to market.
Following four prior editions in 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023, the 2026 edition is the strategic expansion of the brand to an international stage, paired with a co-host organiser model that lets us mobilise designers, schools and industries across borders.
Beyond the trophies, ErgoLympic 2026 is positioned as a venue for talent discovery, real ergonomic solutions, university–industry–investor networking, and matching innovators with strategic partners both at home and abroad.
Designing
Human-Centred Futures.
Ergonomics for products, mobility, workplaces and everyday living. Every entry must demonstrate a clear connection to this main theme — and to one of the eight design tracks (A–H).
Editions
A decade of human-centred work.
Objectives
What this programme is for.
A clear, ambitious set of goals — to elevate the discipline, accelerate prototypes into the world, and connect the people who do the work to the people who can scale it.
A prestigious international competition
Establish ErgoLympic 2026 as a high-profile, international-grade ergonomics & human-centred design competition — and one of the highest-impact components of URIIS 2026.
Encourage practical, high-impact solutions
Stimulate the development of ideas, prototypes, interventions and ergonomic solutions that are practical, inclusive, safe, productive and impactful.
Build a global network of collaboration
Create a working network across Malaysian institutions and overseas partners — industry, professional designers, researchers, investors and international communities.
Introduce human-centred design across fields
Surface human-centred and ergonomic thinking across products, furniture, transport, industry, healthcare, digital tools and public spaces — making the discipline visible to a wider audience.
Raise awareness of design fundamentals
Reinforce safety, comfort, usability, productivity and sustainability as core principles for any human-centred work — and as criteria for what good design looks like.
A fair playing field, level by level
Create a competition that is fair to participants at every level — from secondary school to university to professional, startup and industry teams.
Attract real global participation
Drive cross-border participation through co-host organisers, country ambassadors, university and industry networks — supported by webinars and outreach in multiple languages.
Open commercial & partnership pathways
Create commercialisation, media exposure, industry-partner relationships and innovation placement opportunities for selected participants — and build the ErgoLympic brand as a serious, recurring international competition.
Hosts & Partners
Lead host. Co-host. Strategic partners.
Malaysia is the lead host and main secretariat. The international co-host expands reach into partner countries; strategic outreach partners drive country-level participation and sponsored awards.
Malaysia · URIIS 2026 · UPM · HFEM
Main secretariat, URIIS coordination, grand-final management, finance, sponsorship, venue, VIP and local media relations.
Qiannan Normal College for Nationalities, China
International outreach, institutional and national promotion, mentor webinars, co-sponsorship in cash and in-kind, partner-country mobilisation.
Indonesia · China · Other partners
Call-for-participation amplification, shared promotional material, candidate nomination, institutional and media support — and award sponsorship in cash or in-kind.
University · Industry · Investor Summit
ErgoLympic 2026 sits inside URIIS as a flagship innovation showcase — finalists access pitching sessions, networking and industry-matching alongside the wider summit.