The World Expolympics is a prestigious program dedicated to recognizing the most exceptional and innovative pavilions at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Kansai, Japan. As a global gathering of nations and industries, Expo 2025 is a spectacular showcase of cutting-edge technology, design, and cultural exchange. Our goal is to honor the standout pavilions and experiences that push the boundaries of creativity, engage audiences in profound ways, and set the stage for the future of experiential design. Developed to honor the creativity, innovation, ingenuity, and immersion woven throughout the guest experiences within the Expo 2025 pavilions, the competition is overseen by The Experiential Design Authority and judged by a select committee comprising U.S. and International Advisory Board members.

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The early deadline is June 20 ($200/entry or $795/Full Expolympics Entry), the regular deadline is June 30 ($260/entry or $1,035/Full Expolympics Entry), and the final deadline is July 12 ($320/entry or $1,275/Full Expolympics Entry).

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Reasons to Enter

1. Low Entry Fees: TEDA Award entry fees are 20- to 50-percent lower than comparable competitions. We believe the purpose of the competition must be to honor the best work, not the best work from the firms who can afford to enter. Therefore, we keep our overhead costs low in order to ensure that cost is not a barrier to entry.

2. More Opportunities for Recognition: Instead of presenting just one award per category, TEDA presents Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, essentially tripling your chances of earning recognition and exposure!

3. Impartial Oversight: While many awarding bodies accept advertising or sponsorship dollars from entrants, The Experiential Design Authority receives no revenue from ads or sponsors whatsoever, keeping the organization itself entirely objective and eliminating conflicts of interest.

4. Transparent Judging: Scores will be released following the announcement of winners, allowing entrants to see where they excel and identify opportunities for improvement. Additionally each entry’s highest and lowest scores are removed, eliminating the possibility of any one judge having undue impact on a given entry’s success. Finally, our judging panel is an exceptional all-star body of renowned professionals in the fields of architecture, experiential design, graphic design, etc.

5. A Worthy Cause: Profits from entry fees will go toward projects such as scholarships for students pursuing careers in experiential design, stipends for students completing internships at experiential design agencies, and recognition programs designed to help aspiring experiential designers establish their portfolios and earn credentials for their resumes.

6. Easy Entry Process: Our online entry form requires as little duplication as possible, making the entry process as simple as possible. But to make it even more efficient, we offer complimentary entry services as well. If you have already submitted your pavilion into a similar competition, you can simply forward us that entry in its entirety, let us know which categories you’d like to enter it into, and we will process the information and send you an invoice for the relevant entry fees.

7. Recognition and Exposure: Gold, silver, and bronze award winners receive one complimentary trophy per win (additional trophies may be ordered following the awards ceremony). Plus, winners will be featured on The Experiential Design Awards website and social channels, via press release, at a live event, and at www.ExhibitCityNews.com and its social outlets. Top-rated entries will also be featured in the print edition of ECN.

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Entry Instructions

• We recommend you download a PDF of the entry form (click the button above) and collect the info and assets required before then copy and pasting everything into the online entry form.

• You will need to share a Dropbox folder (or other accessible folder) of photos and/or videos. You may also use WeTransfer or other file-sharing tools. Simply indicate how you prefer to share those assets in the applicable fields.

• Complete the online entry form (click the button above) and ensure photos/videos are shared.

• Remit payment using the entry form. If you prefer to pay via a method other than the encrypted credit card page, you will have the opportunity to note your preferred payment method using the payment form.

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Entry Categories

Full Expolympics Entry – This all-access entry grants your pavilion entry into all applicable categories for a single price, starting at $1,000. See Important Dates below for regular and late deadline fees.

 

Primary Categories: Pavilions may enter one of the following primary categories.

• Best Large Pavilion: Over 2,500 square meters

• Best Medium Pavilion: 1,000 – 2,500 square meters

• Best Small Pavilion: Under 1,000 square meters

• Best Corporate/Theme Pavilion

 

Secondary Categories: Pavilions may enter as many secondary categories as they wish.

• Best Exterior Architecture

• Best Sustainable Pavilion

• Best Activation/Engagement – Pavilions may submit up to three individual activities or engagements per entry.

• Best Thematic Concept

• Best Presentation – Pavilions may submit up to two individual presentations per entry. These may include live stage presentations, theatrical performances, video/cinematic presentations, etc.

• Best Tech Integration – Any application of technology or multimedia is eligible. Judges will focus on the innovation demonstrated, as well as the impact of integration on the overall guest experience.

• Best Exhibit/Display - Pavilions may submit up to three individual exhibits, displays, or sections/zones of the pavilion per entry.

• Best Design Detail - Pavilions may submit up to three individual elements or design details, including anything from a unique art installation to a specific special effect. Other eligible details might include a remarkable VIP lounge, an innovative queuing solution, an unexpected building material, etc.

• Best Pavilion Team – A separate panel of on-site judges will “secret shop” each entry at unannounced times to gauge the staff’s impact on the overall guest experience.

 

Special Awards: All entrants in the competition’s primary categories will be eligible for the People’s Choice category (with winners selected by popular vote on the Exhibit City News website) and Director’s Choice category (with winners selected by TEDA’s Executive Director). Additionally, a separate panel of judges will consider (free) entries into the competition’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which will honor an individual for his/her/their contributions to the experiential design field and/or the World Expo community. Lastly, our Student Ambassador category invites students of all ages to submit an 800- to 1,200-word essay on any of the following prompts. Entries will be judged be a separate panel of TEDA representatives. Prompts include: Why are World Expos like Expo 2025 still relevant in today's society? What individual pavilion or experience most inspired you at Expo 2025 and why? How has Expo 2025 personally motivated, inspired, or empowered you, and what actions do you plan to take as a result?

• Director’s Choice

• People’s Choice

• Lifetime Achievement Award (FREE to enter)

• Student Ambassador Award (FREE to enter)

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*TEDA reserves the right to combine or expand categories based on the quantity and quality of entries. If two categories are merged, the entries from both categories will be considered. If a category is eliminated altogether, entrants will have the choice of being refunded their entry fee or migrating to a different category. TEDA also reserves the right to move entries into more suitable categories based on eligibility criteria and/or at judges’ discretion.

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Judging Criteria

Judges will consider the following criteria when evaluating entries in the competition’s primary categories: Concept/Design, Creativity/Innovation, Engagement/Immersion, Execution/Fabrication, and Overall Impact. Elemental categories will be evaluated based on category-specific criteria. Judges will be announced on June 19.

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Eligibility

Any pavilion, exhibit, presentation, or component of a pavilion or experiential space at Expo 2025 in Osaka is eligible.

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Recognition

Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will be selected based on judges’ scores (each entry’s highest and lowest score will be removed to ensure no individual judge has undue influence over the results). All winners will be recognized via coverage in Exhibit City News. Winning entrants will be promoted through TEDA and ECN social channels and recognized with a free custom trophy (with the option to purchase additional trophies following the awards ceremony). Winners will be announced at a ceremony hosted in Osaka (details TBD).

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Important Dates

The early deadline is June 20 ($200/entry or $795/Full Expolympics Entry), the regular deadline is June 30 ($260/entry or $1,035/Full Expolympics Entry), and the final deadline is July 12 ($320/entry or $1,275/Full Expolympics Entry).

Finalists will be notified by August 20. And winners will be named during a ceremony on site in Osaka (details TBD) in September.

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The World Expolympics is more than an awards program — it’s a global celebration of the most creative, innovative, and experiential work on display at Expo 2025. Join us as we honor the extraordinary experiential designs that will inspire the world.