The creative engine of the project Design Wings is talented people who have graduated during the last three years, have ideas and knowledge, and are willing to put their skills into practice. They create design solutions that promote social impact.
Design Wings is a practical opportunity for talented people to gain experience and contribute to the future of business by developing competitive design products and services that promote social impact. The project involves emerging designers, each continuing for five months at one of the participating companies or NGOs.
The main benefits for designers are:
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW SUCCESS
The designers participating in the project, Design Wings, will reveal their competencies in companies and NGOs and contribute to the successful development of the country's cultural and creative industries sector, business competitiveness, and growth.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
While creating design solutions, designers will work and pursue a typical creative result with competent project mentors with extensive professional experience.
KNOWLEDGE AND IMPROVEMENT
The training provided during the project will help all participants take on the challenges ahead and quickly penetrate new knowledge about digitization, innovation, and social impact.
RECOGNITION AND COMPENSATION
We selected project participants who received scholarship contracts for five months. They are expected to become competitive players in the labor market by the end of the project. The estimated amount of the scholarship is 1700 Eur /monthly (all necessary costs for tools, programs, licenses, etc., are included in the scholarship indicated).
Benas Pociūnas
User Experience and User Interface Design (UX/UI)
Benas earned his Bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Technologies from Kaunas University of Technology in 2022.
As a designer, he strives to combine aesthetics with strategic thinking. His goal is not only to create visually appealing solutions, but also meaningful experiences that bring value to both the brand and its users.
If given the opportunity to solve one societal issue through design, Benas would choose to address the gap between people and public digital systems. According to him, these systems often create feelings of distrust and discomfort, especially for older users.
"I would like design to act as a mediator - to speak a language people understand, reduce anxiety, and help them feel confident. My aim is to create systems that don’t force people to adapt to them, but instead adapt to people. In this way, design can strengthen one’s sense of dignity and belonging to the community," Benas says.
Sales Port, SP
Mentor Igor Gubaidulin
Eglė Alejevaitė
User Experience and User Interface Design (UX/UI)
Eglė holds a Master’s degree in Design and a Bachelor’s degree in Product Design from the Vilnius Academy of Arts.
Achievements:
2026 – Shortlisted for the Green Product Award
2026 – Participant in the iF Design Award – Student category
2022 – Good Design Award, 1st place, for a device series designed for people with hearing impairments
Exhibitions
2025 – Dutch Design Week, participating with the Vilnius Academy of Arts and presenting the master’s project “Elt Transformation / Re-ti – Sustainable Solutions for Urban Infrastructure”
2025 – Arch Zona, Elt Transformation – Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Solutions
2025 – Resta, Elt Transformation – Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Solutions
2024 – Stockholm Design Week, redesigned/upcycled chair concept
2024 – Vartai Gallery, student exhibition
2025, 2022 – Titanikas Exhibition Hall, graduate works exhibitions
Collaborations:
2024 – Eurofabrique (Portugal). A collective and experimental initiative exploring major challenges facing Europe. The project encouraged social and political engagement, sustainability, security, and the inclusion of marginalized perspectives, combining performance, installation, and creative experimentation to foster dialogue and collective action.
2024 – iLabs24 (Latvia). Workshops focused on exploring the full life cycle of wood materials—from material growth and idea generation to the development of a final object or product.
Design Approach:
Eglė defines herself primarily as a product designer, working at the intersection of unique object creation, industrial design, and user experience. Her creative methodology is grounded in deep research and its systematic application, ensuring that design becomes not only a visually appealing object but also a tool capable of addressing local and global challenges.
At the core of her work lie empathy, social responsibility, and sustainability. With every project, Eglė aims to improve quality of life and reduce social exclusion, basing her solutions on real needs and genuine user experience.
She applies the principle of eliminating visual noise, striving for maximum functional clarity so that the value of the object is immediate and unambiguous. She places strong emphasis on product longevity and the entire lifecycle — from responsible material selection to strategies for reuse and circularity.
If she could solve one societal issue through design Eglė would focus on strengthening urban infrastructure and fostering community connectivity.
Lithuanian Association of the Deaf
Mentor Marius Bartkus
Laurynas Orlauskas
Visual communication
Laurynas graduated from the Photography and Media Arts Bachelor’s program at the Vilnius Academy of Arts (VAA) in 2024.
Exhibitions:
2024 – #FAMM.BA.2024 / Spirtys, exhibition of graduates from the VAA Photography, Animation and Media Art BA program (Atletika Gallery)
2023 – Group exhibition Mediaramos, marking the 25th anniversary of the VAA Photography, Animation and Media Art Department (Titanikas Exhibition Hall)
Laurynas describes himself as a versatile designer with a broad interest in design – from branding to UI/UX and product design. This wider perspective allows him to better understand client needs, create meaningful user experiences, and solve design challenges more effectively.
His work is grounded in logic and analysis. For Laurynas, aesthetics matter, but only together with a clear understanding of the problem and well‑reasoned solutions. Analytical thinking and collaboration – both with clients and within teams – are among his strongest strengths.
To him, design is a tool that can create real impact. For this reason, he aims to design responsibly, honestly, and with a focus on delivering genuine value to the user.
If he could address one societal issue through design, Laurynas would choose to tackle the lack of community engagement and insufficient public activity and mobility. He would like to encourage people to be more connected to their surroundings, feel like an essential part of their community, and have more reasons to step out of their daily routines and engage more actively in community life.
Center for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities
Mentor Vilius Vaičius
Maksim Nikiškin
User Experience and User Interface Design (UX/UI)
Maksim earned his Master’s degree in Graphic Design from the Vilnius Academy of Arts (VAA) in 2025, and his Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Falmouth University (United Kingdom) in 2022.
Exhibitions:
2025 – VAA Graduation Exhibition. Master’s project “Pavidalas” – a research-based installation “Print from the Forest”, dedicated to exploring post‑war Lithuanian partisan printing technologies and visual heritage (Kaunas Fortress, Fort IV).
Maksim describes himself as an interdisciplinary graphic designer whose strength lies in guiding a project from the very first idea to the final execution. Visual communication, branding, digital interfaces, typography, and print materials naturally integrate into a single creative process. Before joining the project, he worked as a freelance graphic designer for nearly four years and completed internships at Trafi’s marketing department and the design studio Andstudio.
If he could address one social issue through design Maksim would focus on reducing social exclusion. He is especially interested in strengthening community connections – exploring how design can help overcome cultural barriers, bridge generational gaps, and create environments where everyone feels like an equal and valued member of society.
Charity Foundation "Vienybė"
Mentor Vilius Vaičius
Julija Kuprijaškinaitė
User Experience and User Interface Design (UX/UI)
Julija earned her Bachelor’s degree in Photography and Media Arts from the Vilnius Academy of Arts in 2024. In 2023, she studied Digital Art and Multimedia at ESAD College of Art and Design (Portugal) through the Erasmus+ exchange program.
Julija has participated in various creative events and exhibitions both as a contributor and as an organizer. Her works have been showcased at Titanikas Gallery, the Energy and Technology Museum, in a project organized by Meno Avilys, as well as at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria. Although these projects belonged to the field of visual arts, they played a significant role in shaping her aesthetic sensibility, strengthening her conceptual thinking, and nurturing a creative approach to problem‑solving.
Julija describes herself as an empathetic and curious UI/UX designer. Her approach is grounded in understanding user needs and solving real problems – she aims to create solutions that are not only visually appealing, but also intuitive, functional, and empowering for users as they navigate toward their goals.
Her background in multimedia and art taught her to think conceptually, experiment freely, and seek unexpected solutions. This allows her to approach digital products with a broad perspective and effectively translate client ideas into well‑crafted designs.
If she could address one societal issue through design Julija would focus on encouraging physical activity among older adults – promoting awareness of the importance of regular exercise, designing initiatives that motivate movement, and creating communities where seniors can be active together while also reducing loneliness.
"Mama ir auklė" Ldt
Mentor Igor Gubaidulin
Elma Mačiulytė
Visual communication
Elma earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vilnius College of Design in 2025. In 2023, through the Erasmus+ program, she studied 3D Design at Algebra University College in Zagreb, Croatia.
Participation in events:
- 2024 – Naked Print 6pt (Vilnius). Participation in the fair with “Magenta Type” (all collected funds donated to the “Blue Yellow” support foundation)
- 2024 – KEA University (Copenhagen), Erasmus+ “What Is Sustainable?” (an intensive workshop creating a sustainable solution for the Copenhagen-based business “Fire Tyve” following the EU NEB Compass principles)
Elma describes herself as a multidisciplinary and conceptual graphic designer characterized by systemic thinking and a holistic, human-centered approach. She integrates her ongoing interest in cognitive psychology into each of her works. It is important for Elma to understand how people perceive, process, and learn from information; therefore, she particularly enjoys working with graphic systems (infographics, visual identity, wayfinding systems, etc.), educational design, and social projects. In her work, she is able to immerse herself in new topics, relies on research, and enjoys collaborating with representatives of other disciplines or fields, aiming to transform complex ideas into clear and engaging visual solutions. Elma agrees with Victor Papanek’s view that designers are responsible for shaping society based on the values they represent in their creative work. For this reason, she most appreciates being able to contribute to projects that are morally grounded and foster positive social change.
If she had the opportunity to address one societal issue through design, Elma would choose radical individualism (or the economy of individualism). She believes that it is one of the key drivers behind the declining quality of life and many of today’s social and psychological difficulties. Elma is interested in how design can help encourage human connection, collaboration, and greater empathy.
Ribologija, NGO
Mentor Marius Bartkus
Agnė Ašmontaitė
User Experience and User Interface Design (UX/UI)
Agnė completed her Bachelor’s studies in Design at the Vilnius Academy of Arts (VAA) in 2025.
During her studies, Agnė achieved award‑winning results while creating design solutions and concepts for real companies. In collaboration with the VAA Design Innovation Center and the aviation company Magnetic Group, she worked on designing an aircraft lavatory–sanitary capsule, addressing issues of sterility and efficient use of space. Agnė also won an award in a joint project between the Vilnius Academy of Arts and UAB Burbuliukas ir Co – a water bottle design. The designer also presented her clock‑lamp design at the VAA Design Department student exhibition “6 kambariai,” held at Domus Gallery during Design Week.
Agnė describes herself as a designer who works conceptually at the intersection of visual, graphic, and UX/UI design. Her creative practice is grounded in research, scenario building, and a broader understanding of context – aesthetics matter to her, but so does the idea behind the design. Agnė is capable of creating clear and visually strong systems, as well as thinking strategically – from concept and research to the final solution. Her strength lies in connecting different disciplines, experimenting with new forms, and creating design that not only functions but also evokes emotion or tells a story. Agnė is curious, learns quickly, and is interested in new technologies and future design directions, which is why her work often incorporates elements of speculative or futuristic thinking.
If she had the opportunity to solve one societal problem through design, Agnė would address the issue of excessive digital information and diminishing attention. In modern society, people constantly encounter overwhelming streams of information and often cannot determine whether this information is useful or harmful; this frequently distracts individuals, reduces their ability to concentrate, and affects their emotional well‑being.
Pokalbių gidas, SP
Mentor Kaja Elena Brilė
Saulius Juknevičius
Visual communication
Saulius completed his Bachelor’s studies in Multimedia Design (specialization in animation) at Vilnius University of Applied Sciences (VIKO) in 2025.
Creative achievements:
- 2025 – The animated film “Niekas” won the award for Best International Short Animation Film at the Toronto Global Film Festival.
- 2025 – The animated film “Niekas” was recognized as the best Lithuanian student film at the Tindirindis festival.
- 2025 – The animated film “Niekas” was awarded as the best animated film at the 67th National Amateur Film Festival.
- 2025 – Participant in the extended list of the national film awards Sidabrinė gervė.
- 2024 – The animated film “Tarp laimės ir laidynės” was recognized as the best Lithuanian student film at the Tindirindis festival.
- 2024 – Participant in the Lithuanian creators’ competition program at the BLON animation festival.
- Saulius’ animated film “Niekas” also participated in various international film festivals, including Europe's Finest Hours: Young & Animated, Filmfest Dresden, FiSH Festivalbüro, Plein la Bobine, and L'Art en chemin.
Saulius describes himself as an engineer of visual solutions: “It’s not enough for me to construct an aesthetic image – I make sure that it works, moves, stays intact, and tells a story. Since my creative field spans animation, graphic design, and media art, I approach projects not as a collection of separate elements, but as a cohesive mechanism that turns information into an engaging experience”.
Saulius considers analytical thinking to be his greatest strength. He is not interested in creating something merely “beautiful” – he aims for every frame or pixel to become a strategic tool solving real problems. He sees his most valuable skill as the ability to create an atmosphere through the synthesis of image and sound, something that (at least for now) no artificial intelligence can replicate. “I possess almost surgical precision and patience, which allows me to juggle several projects at once without any drama. In design, there are no small details, so my attention to story and aesthetics works like a built‑in stabilizer – I deliver everything on time and without unnecessary noise,” he says.
If he had the opportunity to solve one societal issue through design, Saulius would address social detachment and digital loneliness. It is paradoxical: although we are more “connected” than ever, we often feel like poorly configured files – isolated in our personal clouds. His goal as an engineer of visual solutions is to use design not to make people scroll longer, but to turn visual language into a bridge toward real human connection. Through color, rhythm, and mood, animation has the unique ability to break through the wall of indifference, reminding us that behind every pixel, there is still a human being. Saulius aims for design not to simply fill the space, but to act as an emotional stabilizer, bringing empathy back into the everyday noise of screens.
Medicata Filia, Ldt
Mentor Pijus Cicėnas
Mindaugas Rimša
User Experience and User Interface Design (UX/UI)
Mindaugas completed his Bachelor’s studies in Industrial Product Design at Vilnius Tech University in 2022.
As a designer, Mindaugas is characterized by conceptual and strategic thinking – he is able to view problems from a broader perspective, anticipate business needs, and create clear, innovative solutions that deliver value both to users and to organizations.
If he had the opportunity to solve one societal problem through design, Mindaugas would aim to ensure that every person has equal opportunities to gain knowledge and earn a living, regardless of where they live. He would like design to function as a bridge – simplifying access to knowledge and opportunities, helping people feel confident, and providing genuine choice. His goal is to create systems that promote equality and trust in one’s own abilities.
Retiva, Ldt
Mentor Kaja Elena Brilė
Milda Abraitytė
Visual communication
Milda earned her Master’s degree in Visual Communication Design at the Vilnius Academy of Arts (VDA) in 2025 and her Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design at VDA in 2023.
Achievements:
- 2025 – ADC*E Student Awards: her Master’s final project, the graphic novel “Sekcija,” won silver in the Illustration category;
- Awarded a Young Designer Scholarship by the Lithuanian Council for Culture. She applied with the graphic novel project “Forget–me–nots,” aimed at raising support for Ukraine.
Exhibitions:
- 2025 – VDA Graduation Show, a group exhibition featuring the installation and graphic novel “Sekcija”;
- 2025 – Contra punctum, a group exhibition featuring the conceptual book “Sakyk man (ne)tiesą” (at the VDA exhibition hall Akademija);
- 2023 – VDA Graduation Show, a group exhibition featuring the audiovisual graphic novel “Ten, kur šilčiau” (at the VDA exhibition hall Titanikas);
- 2022 – Paroda 700(V), an exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of the founding of Vilnius (Culture Complex SODAS2123).
Milda is a graphic designer and illustrator who primarily focuses on book design and illustration, but she also strives to expand her competence in other fields of graphic design. In design she values system thinking, reasoning behind decisions, and playfulness. Her strengths, which strongly influence her design solutions, include a genuine joy in communicating with people and a belief that activism and individual action can contribute to building a brighter society.
If she had the opportunity to solve one societal problem through design, Milda would seek to use design solutions to help raise more financial support for Ukraine, which is increasingly struggling to find assistance as people grow accustomed to and desensitized to the idea of war.
Psichikos sveikatos perspektyvos, NGO
Mentor Saulius Leonavičius