With entries coming to a close on 10 May 2010, it’s your final chance to submit your design for Launch Pad 2010.

At Saturday in Design this year, emerging designers will be once more given the chance to showcase their work before a panel of influential judges.

The annual mentoring program has been nurturing the talents of young Australian designers for the past 5 years, launching some of Australia’s most important young designers, such as Keith Melbourne and Tomek Archer.

Kristian Aus was one such finalist at Launch Pad 2009, who with his innovative stool ‘United’ won the praise of the judges, launching his career as an industrial designer.

The founder of Autumn Products – a Sydney-based design consultancy that aims to produce work that is fun and ‘provokes a smile’ – was a finalist with his  laser cut from sheet aluminium stool, which was folded and welded into its unique shape.

The piece is said to reference sea anemones and retro computer game characters.

Aus was originally attracted to the Launch Pad program as a way to showcase his work to a wide audience  – “an environment that would hopefully lead to some level of design industry exposure.”

Visibility is indispensable for new designers, says Aus. “Show it in as many places as you can and value your own opinion as much as anyone else’s.”

And from a designer who was singled out by B-LINE to show his design ’Splash’ at the Salone del Mobile this year, this is advice worth taking.

Autumn Products
autumnproducts.com.au