PDP Gala 2025

Friday 16th of May

9:00 to 17:00 (UTC+3)

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What is the PDP Gala?

For 9 months the PDP teams have been working hard on their unique projects. At the Product Design Gala it is time to reveal the results to the world. For the whole day Design Factory has it’s doors open to everyone who is interested in coming to see the innovations that the future product developers have created. The projects are on display around Design Factory and visitors can interact with the students, test the prototypes and get inspired by the atmosphere of the event. There are visitors from all walks of life and great connections can be formed.

If you want to learn more about PDP scroll down here


Can’t attend?

A video stream from the event will be hosted on this very website. Check out closer to the date for the updated schedule.


2025 PDP Projects


Team Hot n’ Spicy Biofoam


What if buildings could breathe?

Most climate control systems depend on energy-intensive materials and mechanical systems. Our research takes a different approach by harnessing cellulose’s potential to design a passive moisture management system that acts as a dynamic building element.

Each year, Europe’s construction sector discards an estimated 200,000 tonnes of Styrofoam, while the EU’s 2030 ban on single-use plastics approaches. By reimagining cellulose-based façades, we are developing an energy-free, self-regulating system that manages moisture, improves window insulation, and supports passive cooling.

Visit our booth to discover how we’re turning environmental challenges into architectural opportunities with nature’s most prolific resource.

Team Hear Me Out


In early education, engagement is everything – but too often, students struggle to hear and stay engaged, while teachers battle clunky technology. Our solution ensures every student hears the lesson clearly while making classroom control effortless for educators.

Like Catchbox’s existing products, ease of use is at the core. We’ve designed an intuitive system that brings clarity, simplicity, and seamless control to lower-grade classrooms. By eliminating concerns about classroom audio and technology, our solution allows teachers to focus on what matters most – inspiring young minds.

Visit our booth and discover how we’re bringing classrooms to life!

Team Waterbenders


Did you know that scientists found microplastic fibers on Mount Everest? Rainwater carries these tiny pollutants everywhere—from the most remote places on Earth to the water we use every day!

That’s why we designed a filtration system with artificial root filters, inspired by plant roots, to trap microplastics ≤100 µm before they reach groundwater. It’s easy to maintain, scalable, and eco-friendly—a simple way to keep our water cleaner.

Join us at the Waterbenders booth and discover how we’re making a difference, one drop at a time!

Team Curen


Increasing demand for renewable energy requires support from sustainable, cost-effective, and long-term duration energy storage solutions. However, existing technologies have drawbacks such as short lifespans and limited storage capacity.

Based on Halide Energy’s innovative copper redox flow battery chemistry, we are developing a scalable, commercially viable, and modular battery unit designed to reduce power grid congestion costs in the renewable energy sector while lowering the levelized cost of storage and minimizing environmental impact.

Come meet us at our booth and delve deeper into the details of our groundbreaking solution!

Team Archimedes


Have you ever imagined what a scientist’s home looks like? It must be full of cool things, right? Well, we are thrilled to reveal—it absolutely is! Meet the interactive robot, the latest invention by Ada, Heureka’s imaginary scientist. It is designed to engage you in an unexpected way, and it will definitely surprise you.

Explore the playful interaction and immerse yourself in a unique experience. Are you ready to engage with the unexpected? We’re curious and can’t wait to see you at the gala!

Team Fabre


Have you ever wondered how do we obtain accurate estimations of animal populations in the wild? Monitoring biodiversity is extremely important – it allows us to support and protect the beautiful wildlife of our planet. Scientists have discovered a clever way to do that using… dung beetles! But they need our help to make the process of collecting them efficient.

This is why we created Fab:re – a light, affordable and smart trap for dung beetles. We want scientists to be able to collect larger and better beetle samples, making their research more accurate.

Come and check out how we help scientists make better science!

Team Smartko


What’s Hiding Inside Your Load Breaker? Your electrical system knows more than you think—it just needs a way to speak. Smarko transforms ordinary load breakers into smart data hubs, capturing voltage, current, temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels in real time.

With seamless cloud integration and a user-friendly app, businesses and individuals can unlock valuable insights, prevent failures, and optimize energy use effortlessly.

Is your load breaker keeping secrets? Visit our booth and see how Smarko brings hidden data to light!

Team Waterbenders


What’s really in our water? Wastewater treatment is a complex process, and identifying harmful pollutants is often like searching for a needle in a haystack. Traditional methods could require extensive sampling, lab analysis, and time-consuming procedures.

Our team is revolutionizing this approach with hyperspectral imaging (HSI) – a cutting-edge technology that allows pollutants to be detected instantly, without direct contact. By analyzing the unique spectral signatures of substances in water, our system helps industries and municipalities improve water quality more efficiently than ever before.

With real-time detection and data-driven decision-making, we can reduce environmental impact, optimize treatment processes, and ensure cleaner water for all. See the invisible with us – come explore the future of wastewater monitoring!

Team Konecranes Hookers


Installing an overhead crane typically requires other heavy mobile equipment — slow, costly, and resource-heavy. We set out to change that.

Our solution? A self-assembling overhead crane. By using the crane’s own motor and our custom-designed scissor lift system, the crane can now lift and install itself onto its rails — no extra machinery needed. The lift arrives pre-attached, wheels itself into position, and rises smoothly using the crane’s motor.

It’s efficient, compact, and transforms the way cranes are deployed. Come see it in action — a smarter way to build starts here.

Team Sauna


With this project, we aim to address the growing wellness needs of individuals aged 50 to 65. As this group enters a new stage of life, there’s an increasing focus on maintaining health and wellbeing. Our Product highlights the many benefits saunas offer, promoting relaxation and supporting overall wellness.

To make these benefits accessible to more people, especially those living in compact urban spaces, we’re developing an expandable sauna designed to fit comfortably in small city apartments. The result is a convenient, cost-effective, and space-saving wellness device that brings the relaxation and health benefits of a sauna directly into the homes of prime adults.

Team Lindström


What if workwear could do more than protect you? At Team Lindström, we have unlocked new possibilities for the RFID technology at the core of Lindström’s renowned circular business model. Meet “CAL”, our seamless access authorization system and its supporting management features. Think of CAL as your personal assistant.

CAL leverages Lindström’s existing RFID technology and supports their clients’ operations by cutting costs and simplifying tasks for both managers and employees. Supervisors gain back valuable time through more efficient employee management tools. To support employees, interactive and customizable training features are on the horizon to further streamline training processes and improve individual compliance metrics.

Come discover how CAL, our smart, secure workwear assistant can transform safety and efficiency in industrial environments!

Team Dust Busters


The Future of Dust Monitoring is Here! Industrial workers face daily exposure to hazardous airborne particles like hardwood and silica dust—silent threats that can cause severe health issues over time.

Our team has worked on creating an innovative wearable device that monitors air quality with real-time insights.

Join us at our booth to experience the future of workplace safety firsthand! Witness the entire development journey, and see how we are revolutionising industrial health monitoring.

Let’s create safer work environments—one breath at a time.

Team Saab


When mines first started being used in military conflicts, they were primarily made of metal. These mines could be identified with metal detectors, but the technology soon became outdated. Now, many mines are made of plastic, which makes them difficult to find and all the more dangerous. To make matters worse, mine detection methods in Ukraine still rely primarily on metal detection, not allowing for accurate spotting of explosives.

Our team designed a modern solution for mine detection: a drone that combines RGB cameras with a thermal camera. Accurate in detection and safe in use, this technology is another step towards casualty-free demining.

Team Torggler


Tired of wasteful silicone packaging? So are we! Our project, sponsored by Torggler, is reimagining how silicone products are packaged and applied.

Our team developed a double-vision for innovative, eco-friendly, and cost-effective packaging alternatives that reduce environmental impact without compromising quality. We are shaking up the industry sustainability standards by rethinking outdated methods of the past.

Visit our booth at the PDP Gala to experience the future of silicone packaging for yourself!

Team Torminators


The forestry industry faces a looming labor shortage—within 10 years, there won’t be enough workers to sustain our forests. Tornaminators’s solution? An innovative, ATV-mounted attachment for soil preparation and planting. This device reduces manual labor, improving worker conditions by eliminating long walks through tough terrain.

It not only addresses Tornator’s immediate challenges but also ushers in a more sustainable, tech-forward forestry industry. Visit our booth to see how we’re shaping the future of forestry!

Team Vaisala


The installation and maintenance of HVAC systems are time-consuming, costly, and inefficient. The challenge: reducing the process from 3 days to just 3 hours without compromising performance. Through wireless technology, improved service design, and user-centric innovation, a cutting-edge solution has been developed to streamline installation, minimize downtime, and enhance sustainability.

This breakthrough not only improves efficiency but also transforms industry standards. Visit the booth to experience the future of HVAC firsthand and discover how this solution is reshaping the built environment for datacenters.

Team Waumer


As the world heads into the late 2020s, the impact of climate change – longer droughts, growing water scarcity and extended periods without rainfall, are becoming more and more apparent.

At team Waumer, we embarked on a journey to revolutionise water management through the implementation of self-powered IoT enabled water meters. These smart devices provide real-time data on water usage – enabling consumers and water companies to identify inefficiencies, detect leaks, and promote water conservation all without single-use batteries.

All we need is pressure – no pressure.

What is PDP ?


PDP Core Principles

The PDP course brings together students from all schools of Aalto University to work on real world challenges presented by an industry partner. All teams have a budget of 10 000 euros that can be used for the realisation of their project. The challenge is provided by an industry partner and the collaboration between the company and the student team is active throughout the year. PDP is an environment that is as close as you can get to real world working conditions with the additions of the freedom to experiment and fail plus the interdisciplinary composition of the teams that in many places is just a buzz word but in PDP it’s true.

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Alumni

History of PDP

The PDP course has been running for 26 Years and over 300 projects have been completed today. The total number of students who have taken the course is over 3000. These numbers speaks to the impact that the course has had and continuous to have in the Finnish and global industry. Many graduates of Aalto lists PDP as their most valuable experience going into working life. PDP has also led to the formation of startups, patents, employment by the sponsoring company and master thesis positions.

 You can find the main website of pdp here pdp.fi