Hallam student wins at New Designers 2026

Final year product design student Sam Collins has been awarded a major spotlight award at New Designers 2026 for his community midwifery kit, Nata. 

Press contact: Emma Griffiths | e.griffiths@shu.ac.uk

Sam was inspired to create Nata after speaking to practicing community midwives, the Royal College of Midwives and the team at Sheffield Hallam University’s midwifery course to understand the day-to-day challenges of the roles.  

After this initial research, Sam found that current kit bags are bulky and inefficient with many midwives saying that the baby weighing scales they take to appointments were a particular pain point.  

Sam created Nata to address this issue within the design on the bag itself. By integrating weighing scales directly into the kit and reducing the need for separate equipment, Nata offers a more streamlined solution and allows midwives to spend more time with patients.  

At New Designers 2026, Sam was awarded the KeyShot Award for Exceptional Design and Visual Communication for Nata. He was also shortlisted for New Designers Joseph Joseph ‘Intelligent Design’ Award, the New Designers ‘Future Native' Award, and was a finalist at the Design Truth Awards. 

On winning the award, Sam said: “It was an absolute privilege to have attended New Designers and be shortlisted for the Design Truth Awards where I met some extremely talented and wonderful people. To be nominated three times and to win the Keyshot award at New Designers was mind-blowing - it certainly made the hard work over the 16 weeks feel worth it. 

“People seemed drawn to my insight-led and proactive approach to design as well as my physical model outcome, skills and methods. I would not have learned these without the support and encouragement from my tutors and incredible workshop facilities at Sheffield Hallam University. 

“I’m so happy to have represented Sheffield Hallam and studied with them for four years, it's been a pleasure!” 

Mark Fisher, Course Leader in BA (Hons) Product Design at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “Following a successful industry placement, Sam entered the final year of the Product Design course eager to apply his knowledge, skills, and experience to a real-world design challenge. His project is a brilliant example of an insight-driven creative process, and Sam has engaged directly with academics and students from our undergraduate Midwifery course throughout.  

“This collaborative approach has allowed Sam to develop a deep understanding of the problem space and created an opportunity for academic experts and trainee midwives to bring their valuable clinical expertise to the design process. Systems-thinking and relentless attention to detail results in a product design solution that could offer real benefit to community midwives and their patients. I wish Sam the best of luck with his next steps and I’m certain he has a bright creative future ahead.”