What Is the iF Design Award?
The iF Design Award stands as one of the most respected design honors in the world. Since 1954, the independent iF Design Foundation in Germany has presented this award as a global benchmark for design excellence. Each year, thousands of entries from dozens of countries compete across multiple disciplines — including product design, packaging, branding, UX, and architecture. Consequently, earning an iF Design Award signals that a product meets the highest international standards of innovation, usability, and purpose.
In 2026, the award received over 10,000 submissions from 68 countries. A jury of 129 independent design experts evaluated every entry. Therefore, selection from this pool carries significant weight in both the design and technology industries.
About SunBooster by SunLED Life Science
SunLED Life Science, headquartered in Amsterdam and founded in 2024, develops lighting solutions designed to bring the health benefits of natural sunlight indoors. Its flagship product, SunBooster, earned the 2026 iF Design Award in the Product Design discipline, specifically within the Medical/Healthcare category.
SunBooster is the company’s first consumer product built around its proprietary near-infrared (NIR) LED technology. Notably, the device is designed as a clip-on accessory that attaches to screens and other devices. This allows users to receive a targeted dose of NIR light during their normal screen time — without changing any existing behavior or routine.
A Device Built for Modern Life
Modern consumers spend up to 90% of their time indoors. As a result, they miss out on the near-infrared spectrum of sunlight — a component almost entirely absent from artificial indoor lighting. SunBooster addresses this gap directly. Its compact, intuitive design integrates seamlessly into daily life, making light-based wellness both accessible and consistent.
How SunBooster’s NIR Technology Works
Near-infrared (NIR) light occupies a specific portion of the light spectrum just beyond what the human eye can see. Natural sunlight includes NIR in abundance. However, standard indoor lighting — including LED bulbs, fluorescent tubes, and screens — delivers virtually none of it.
SunLED Life Science developed its proprietary NIR technology over more than six years of research and development. The result is a compact LED device that emits NIR light within a targeted wavelength range. Furthermore, the clip-on form factor means users do not need to set aside dedicated time for treatment. Instead, the device delivers its benefits passively while users work, read, or watch content on a screen.
Designed for Everyday Integration
Dr. Anne Berends, founder, CEO, and CTO of SunLED Life Science, explained the design philosophy clearly: the technologies that make the most impact are the ones people can use consistently without changing their behavior. SunBooster embodies this principle. Its award-winning design prioritizes ease of use, minimal footprint, and seamless integration with existing devices.
Health Benefits Backed by Clinical Research
Clinical studies support a range of wellness benefits linked to regular NIR light exposure. Specifically, SunLED Life Science’s technology has demonstrated the ability to:
- Enhance mood and energy levels
- Lower inflammation markers
- Promote cardiovascular health
- Support eye comfort and reduce dryness
Moreover, scientific literature broadly confirms these findings. NIR light penetrates tissue at a cellular level, supporting mitochondrial function and promoting natural recovery and regulation processes. As a result, researchers and wellness professionals increasingly view NIR as an essential and underappreciated component of daily health.
SunBooster translates this body of science into a product anyone can use at home or at work. Additionally, its Medical/Healthcare recognition at the iF Design Awards reflects how the jury evaluated not just the device’s aesthetics but also its meaningful contribution to user wellbeing.
A Growing List of Global Recognitions
The 2026 iF Design Award is the latest in a series of high-profile accolades for SunBooster. Since its launch, the product has built an impressive recognition track record:
- TIME’s 2025 Best Inventions — Special Mention
- IFA 2025 Innovation Award
- CES 2026 Techlicious Best of CES Award
- MWC 2026 Editor’s Choice Award from The Gadgeteer
Together, these recognitions span consumer technology, innovation, and healthcare design. They reflect a consistent verdict from the global design and tech community: SunBooster represents a genuinely forward-thinking product with broad real-world relevance.
SunLED Life Science: Vision and Expansion
SunLED Life Science launched SunBooster in the Benelux region and is actively expanding into additional markets. Plans for 2026 include launches in the United States and Germany. The company’s broader mission is to make the benefits of natural sunlight universally accessible — regardless of where people live or work.
What Sets SunLED Apart
Unlike wellness gadgets that require users to adopt new habits, SunBooster integrates into existing behavior. Furthermore, SunLED’s patented NIR technology is designed to scale beyond standalone devices. The company envisions embedding its technology into screens, luminaires, car dashboards, and other everyday products — effectively restoring a natural element of sunlight across the built environment.
Winning the 2026 iF Design Award confirms that this vision resonates with the global design community. As Dr. Berends noted, this recognition reflects not only the strength of the design, but a broader shift toward embedding wellness into the devices people use every day.
