With 35 days to go until Dezeen Awards entries close, last year's winners have explained how victory has boosted business and enhanced credibility.

One studio said that the award has helped it receive "more attention, more interest and naturally more validation," while another said that winning gave them "the push of confidence that a young designer needs."

Other winners said that receiving a Dezeen Award drew more attention to their studios, brought them new business opportunities and increased their confidence.

"Winning had an immediate positive impact on us" and "demand is now global," said a studio that was crowned interior designer of the year.

Dezeen Awards 2021 is open for entries until 2 June – enter now to see how receiving a Dezeen Award could change things for you and your business.

This year, there are 33 project categories and six studio categories. There are also three new sustainability categories and five new media categories, which will reward the best photography, video, visualisations and websites.

Here is what last year's winners had to say:

"Sense of pride and validation"

"Winning a Dezeen Award has made our clients more confident with making decisions and moving forward on new projects with us," said Cristina Margain of Mexico-based Esrawe Studio, which won both interior designer of the year and restaurant interior of the year at Dezeen Awards 2020.

"Winning has provided our clients and our team with a sense of pride and validation," she added.

"We have received more attention, more interest and more validation," said Margain. "We have also been invited to be part of many international juries and have received more coverage in international press, especially in Europe."

"An immediate positive impact"

"We have been covered by international press, our sales have grown and we have gained new international customers," said Anne Salomaa of Light Cognitive. Their product, which mimics natural light, won lighting design of the year in 2020.

"Winning has had an immediate positive impact on us" and "demand is now global in addition to our market area in Europe," added Salomaa.

"There have been some exciting and creative projects this year that might not have happened had Dezeen not given us such international visibility and reach," she said.

"It was an encouraging Dezeen debut for us because all three of our project entries were longlisted or shortlisted."

"I was approached by international clients"

"I finally got a job from India and now it is already work in progress," says Patrick Lam of Sim-Plex Design Studio, which won small interior of the year with its project Smart Zendo.

"I was approached by international clients after winning," he added.

"So many friends and companies have changed their perception of my studio and now believe that expanding the possibilities of limited space is a good thing in a densely populated world."

Lam added that "clients are more willing to listen and follow what [the studio] believes in."

"More press and public attention"

"Winning both the design project [of the year] award as well as product design of the year was an incredible moment for me," said designer Hans Ramzan, who won product design of the year and design project of the year with Catch: HIV Detector.

"Not only are people now more aware of how impactful a simple product can be for a monumental problem, but furthermore, it has attracted more press and public attention," he added.

"The huge impact of the award also meant that I am being noticed by hiring managers for companies in Silicon Valley, somewhere I have always dreamed of working."

"Also, a few exhibitions around the world have requested to showcase the work - notably the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian design museum in New York," said Ramzan.

"I have won other awards in the past, but none have been as impactful in terms of being put in front of the right people."

"It's been a great qualification tool"

"Architecture and building a body of clients is a long game and awards and recognition such as this helps to broaden your audience but also validate you in the eyes of possible collaborators," said Nic Brunsdon whose project The Tiing won hospitality building of the year at Dezeen Awards 2020.

"It's been a great qualification tool when talking to potential clients about their project ideas," he said.

Brunsdon added that Dezeen Awards was a "great recognition of the work and effort that goes into realising projects such as these. Many hands, many heads, many skills."

"Confidence that a young designer needs"

"I received big coverage in Israel, where I come from," said Shahar Livne, who was crowned emerging designer of the year 2020.

"I was proud that it meant so much to so many people from where I grew up, that I won and that I am doing a great job abroad," she added.

"It gave the signature of approval as an internationally recognised expert in my field. As a young designer, to win from such an impressive list of nominees and be recognised by the top of the design world judges really gave me the confidence to follow my heart and guts when I design."

"Being a Dezeen Awards winner gives you the push of confidence that a young designer needs," said Livne.

"Our work is taken more seriously"

"First of all, winning a Dezeen Award has made us really proud," said Ophélie Lespagnol of NOMOS, which won apartment interior of the year 2020.

"It has surely brought more international media attention and more interest from potential international employees," Lespagnol said.

"It was unexpected and overwhelming for the entire team," she added

"Winning has improved our confidence as a studio and we feel like our work is taken more seriously now and has helped validate what we’re trying to do as architects and it seems easier to explain our ideas to our clients."

"Exposed us on an international level"

"Dezeen Awards was such an incredible opportunity for us, since it widely exposed us on an international level," said Xiyan Wen of Gad Line+ Studio, which was named emerging architect of the year.

"Winning has affected our popularity in a positive way," he added. "Our clients and partners also like the idea of us winning such an award," he added.

"After winning, our followings on various social media platforms increased tremendously," added Wen.

Dezeen Awards is accepting entries until 2 June. Find out more about how to enter here.