2026

Design Awards Silver Winner - ORANGE CIRCLE PTE. LTD.

BarterLink - Community Based Marketplace

Entrant

ORANGE CIRCLE PTE. LTD.

Category

User Experience (UX) - Community Experience

Client's Name

BarterLink - Alex Takacs

Country / Region:

Canada

BarterLink is a digital platform that enables people to exchange goods, services, and skills without using money. Built on the belief that value comes from effort, contribution, and trust—not price tags—BarterLink transforms local abundance into shared access, creating resilient, connected communities.

Unlike traditional marketplaces, BarterLink is designed as a human-first trust ecosystem. Users earn and spend "BarterCredits" by trading everything from homegrown vegetables and furniture to tutoring and bike repairs. An AI-powered safety system called TRUSTWEAVE quietly protects users by detecting fraud patterns, while human moderators ensure fair outcomes. A Color-Coded Value System (Red to Dark Green) gives users instant visual clarity on a listing's authenticity and condition.

The platform also tracks environmental impact. Every trade generates a "waste saved" estimate, turning everyday exchanges into measurable positive action for the planet.

For businesses, BarterLink offers a unique opportunity to turn overstock into customer acquisition, with an Impact Dashboard that quantifies sustainability metrics and community engagement.

After months of intensive development—covering everything from our human-centered philosophy and legal frameworks to UX design and trust systems—we have completed the full blueprint and built the core platform. We are currently in beta testing and actively seeking funding to fully launch. Our immediate priorities include finalizing development, expanding our pilot community in British Columbia, and bringing this vision to life at scale.

BarterLink isn't just an app. It's a new kind of local infrastructure—an economy that cares, powered by people, not profit. We're ready to launch. We just need the right partners to help us cross the finish line.

Credits

Georgios Marketakis
Head of Strategy - ORANGE CIRCLE
Alex Takacs
Founder - BarterLink
Zar Ni Htin Kyaw
UI/UX - ORANGE CIRCLE
Chris Terzis
Developer - ORANGE CIRCLE
More Silver Winners
2026
Design Awards Winner - Imaging Brands - TetherPro Optima 10G USB-C Cable

Entrant

Imaging Brands

Category

Imaging & Vision - Cables

Country / Region

United States

2026
Design Awards Winner - Shanghai Motostuhl Furniture Co,.Ltd - R9 Smart Ergonomic Chair

Entrant

Shanghai Motostuhl Furniture Co,.Ltd

Category

Seating & Comfort Furniture - Office Chair

Country / Region

China

2026
Design Awards Winner - CIIMBIO (SUZHOU) Co., Ltd. - BesCaThin® Egg Yolk Phospholipid Protein Hydrolysate

Entrant

CIIMBIO (SUZHOU) Co., Ltd.

Category

Body, Health & Beauty - Healthcare / Medical

Country / Region

China

2026
Design Awards Winner - Jihye Kim - VeriFlow

Entrant

Jihye Kim

Category

User Experience (UX) - Product UX

Country / Region

United States