Meet the 20 Finalists
Meet the students behind this year’s finalist projects. Select a finalist to explore their work and experience their AR packaging concept.
Built for Meaningful Connections
NPEA 2026 united brands, packaging companies, educators, and creative partners to support Indonesia’s next generation of designers. Building on these partnerships, NPEA 2027 welcomes new organisations that share the same commitment to emerging creative talent.
As we move into NPEA 2027, we are building on these relationships while welcoming new organisations that share the same values.
“We work with a select group of partners whose long-term
brand and innovation goals align with what NPEA
represents.”
Kimming Yap, Co-Founder, HOVARLAY
- Partnerships are tailored, not tiered – no packages, only conversations.
- Each partnership is structured around genuine alignment, not inventory.
- Partners gain meaningful proximity to Indonesia’s most credible student
design platform. - The right partnership creates signal for your brand, talent pipeline, and
industry position.
Tell us about your interest
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Nusantara Packaging Experience Awards?
NPEA is Indonesia’s national student competition for AR packaging design, organised each year by HOVARLAY. Students design an oleh-oleh gift box rooted in a real Indonesian place, then build an augmented reality experience that opens when the packaging is scanned. The first edition ran in 2026, drew entries from students at 43 universities and polytechnics across 10 provinces, and closed with an award ceremony at the Indonesia Retail Summit & Expo in Jakarta.
Who runs NPEA?
NPEA is organised by HOVARLAY Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-incorporated experience technology company working across Singapore and Indonesia. Each edition is supported by sponsors and partner universities. Jurors serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their organisations.
When is the awards ceremony?
The NPEA 2026 awards ceremony is scheduled on 27 August 2026.
How are entries judged?
Every entry is judged anonymously by an international jury. Student names and universities are removed before jurors see any submission, so work is assessed on its own merit whichever institution it came from. Entries are scored against five published criteria: visual design and shelf impact 25 percent, cultural storytelling and concept 25 percent, AR experience quality and value 25 percent, phygital integration 15 percent, and brief compliance and execution 10 percent. The 2026 jury was Ariana Susanti of the Indonesian Packaging Federation, Faddy Ravydera of SUKA STUDIO, Muhammad Imaduddin of DEIO and ADGI, William Berlian of Waykambas Branding, and Yulia Saksen of Creativeans.
What do students win?
The 2026 prize pool was 80M+ in cash prizes and platform subscriptions, awarded and paid across a grand prize, second and third place, three category awards, a People’s Choice award and four jury commendations. All twenty finalists also received a one-year HOVARLAY Pro subscription. Prizes for each edition are published when entries open.
Who can enter NPEA?
Any student currently enrolled at a university or polytechnic in Indonesia, on any programme, not only design students. Entry is free, submissions may be in Bahasa Indonesia or English, and each participant submits one entry.
When does NPEA 2027 open?
The second edition is in planning and dates are not yet confirmed. Register your interest and we will email you as soon as entries open.
Do I need AR or coding experience to enter?
No. Every NPEA entry is built on HOVARLAY without writing any code. Students upload their packaging design, attach the AR experience in a browser, and the platform generates the QR code. Online coaching sessions run through the entry period.
Can my university take part?
Yes. NPEA is open to students at any Indonesian university or polytechnic, and institutions can also become partner universities. 36 institutions signed a partnership agreement for the 2026 edition. Partner universities receive digital and social media promotion, communication and publicity related to the competition, exposure to a wide range of community and institutional networks, and increased national branding and competition visibility. Contact us to discuss the 2027 edition.
How can a brand or organisation partner with NPEA?
Through category sponsorship, prize funding, a place on the jury, or a design brief set by your own brand. Partnerships are shaped around what you want to achieve rather than sold as fixed tiers.
Why do brands sponsor NPEA?
NPEA connects a brand to the designers entering Indonesia’s packaging industry, and to the universities that train them. The 2026 edition reached 43 institutions across 10 provinces and produced 274 working AR packaging concepts rooted in real Indonesian places and products. The full results are in the NPEA 2026 Impact Report.
What is AR packaging, and what happens when someone scans it?
AR packaging is physical packaging that opens a digital experience when a code on it is scanned. The experience opens in the phone browser with no app to install, and it can carry product origin, cultural story, instructions for use, or a loyalty journey.
Where can I see the 2026 winners and the participating universities?
All twenty NPEA 2026 finalists have their own page showing the packaging design, the province it came from, and a QR code you can scan to open the augmented reality experience. Every participating institution is named on the universities page.
How were the 20 finalists chosen?
An international jury of five scored every entry anonymously against five published criteria. Scores were aggregated and moderated to select the 20 finalists and the winners. See how judging worked.
Which institutions do the finalists come from?
11 universities and polytechnics: ITENAS (7 finalists), Institut Kesenian Jakarta (3), Institut Teknologi Sains Bandung (2), and one each from UNPAR, Universitas Multimedia Nusantara, UNIBI, Universitas Negeri Makassar, ISI Yogyakarta, UNUSIDA, Universitas Budi Luhur and Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata.
What did each finalist receive?
Every finalist received a certificate and a one-year HOVARLAY Pro subscription worth IDR 2,388,000. Ten of them also won cash awards, from IDR 500,000 for a jury commendation to IDR 9,000,000 for the Grand Prize.