Global leaders in technology, design and innovation will judge entries in the Lexus Design Award 2019 and support finalists in turning their concepts into working prototypes.

The newest member of the judging panel is John Maeda, the global head of computational design and inclusion at Automattic, a publishing platform development company.

He joins three judges who have previously served on the panel: eminent architect Sir David Adjaye; Paola Antonelli, senior curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York; and Yoshihiro Sawa, president of Lexus International.

There are four mentors for the 2019 award: co-founder and design director of design brand Established & Sons, Sebastian Wrong, who is famous for iconic furniture designs including the Heidi stool; Jessica Rosenkrantz, a pioneer of generative design and co-founder of the Nervous System design studio; architect and designer Fabio Novembre; and Shohei Shigematsu, a partner in the world-leading architectural firm OMA.

The Lexus Design Award – presented in co-operation with designboom, a popular digital magazine  for architecture and design culture – is an international competition that seeks to nurture emerging creative talent.

Now in its seventh year, the award encourages the use of design thinking to solve everyday problems and help build a better future for individuals and society.

Six finalists, to be announced in January, will be mentored and receive a production budget of up to three million yen (more than $37,500) to create a prototype of their work for display by Lexus at Milan Design Week 2019.

The finalists will be judged on how well their prototype anticipates the needs of people and tomorrow’s society. The designs must also demonstrate innovation and originality, while at the same time captivating and engaging the public.

Entries close on October 28. More information, including individual profiles of the judges and mentors, is available at LexusDesignAward.com and by using the official hashtag #LexusDesignAward.