Nando's Hot Young Designer Talent Search 2024 is on

Woven ceiling panels by John Vogel, ceramic beaded screen by Studio Kalki, Terra-cotta central planter by Plantr, green planter by TheUrbanative, woven benches by John Vogel, woven lights by Ashanti Design. Location: Nando’s Central Kitchen, Johannesburg. Image by Elsa Young.

Each iteration of the biennial talent search seeks relevant new product designs for Nando’s restaurants around the world; for 2024, entrants have been challenged to design their own sensational screens.

Since 2014, the best young creative talents in South Africa have shared their designs for lights, patterns, benches and servers which Nando’s interior designers across the world have gone on to utilise in hundreds of casas (as Nando’s calls its restaurants) – linking young designers with commercial opportunities.

The fifth edition of the talent search returns with a new commitment to the future of young South African designers. HYD 2024 will not only serve as a platform for stand-out design and creativity, but as an opportunity to unlock mentorship and business acceleration.

As such, the 2024 search is looking for designers and makers who are also entrepreneurs with a desire to understand the business of design.

As both creatives and entrepreneurs, candidates will be assessed by their readiness to face the challenges of the commercial design sector.

Mild-steel powder-coated screen by Dokter and Misses with beaded panels by Qaqambile Bead Studio, depicting patterns designed by the finalists of Nando’s HYD 2018 ‘The Pattern Hunt. Showcased as part of the Right Here Right Now exhibition by Clout/SA. Image by Justin Patrick.

Ten finalists, who will be chosen by a carefully curated panel of judges against the application criteria, will go on to participate in a design immersion followed by a pitch session.

Thereafter, five designers will be shortlisted to take part in ‘The Laboratory of Learning’ - a focused mentorship and business programme linked to prototyping their design.

A finalist will be chosen based on the quality of their participation in the Lab and will go on to access more in-depth one-on-one business mentorship.

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With this new structure, HYD 2024 will present a winner who is not only an exceptional creative talent, but an enthusiastic entrepreneur, and an ambassador for South African design.

The winning screen will also be listed on The Portal to Africa – the Nando’s online marketplace where interior designers working on Nando’s restaurants around the world can shop for original pieces of furniture and lighting designed and manufactured in South Africa.

Nando’s HYD is establishing innovative ways to link young designers to creative and commercial income-generating opportunities in an effort to foster a more inclusive design sector.

The Nando’s HYD talent search is managed on behalf of Nando’s by Clout/SA, a creative agency and business-to-business market-maker for South African design, and sponsored by Nando’s.

Entries close on Tuesday, 18 June 2024.

For more, go to clout-sadesign.co.za.