Design as a Gateway to a New Market

5/25

Design is increasingly becoming a key driver of business success in global markets. It influences not only the visual appearance of products, but also their functionality, sustainability, production processes, and overall business strategy. This was the central theme of the successful 4th edition of the Design for Business conference, held on May 13, 2025, at the Academy of Arts, Architecture & Design in Prague (UMPRUM), organized by CzechTrade. Together with our client MZ Liberec, we presented a premiere case study titled “Design as a Gateway to a New Market.” The study revealed a project focused on the complete transformation of the product portfolio and corporate identity of a manufacturing company from the Podkrkonoší region. The story—full of both courage and challenges—was told from the designer's perspective by Prof. Doc. M.A. Ivan Dlabač (Chief Designer, Divan Design) and Tom Šindelář (Designer, Divan Design), and from the business perspective by Marek Matěják (CEO, MZ Liberec) and Jan Šeberka (Project Manager, MZ Liberec). In addition to our presentation, the conference featured designers and business owners from companies such as Škoda Transportation, Bomma, Rückl, Todus, Ravak, and others. We would like to thank the organizers for the invitation, the attendees for their strong participation, and everyone for the positive feedback.