Design Terminal is Hungary's leading innovation hub and startup incubator, headquartered in Budapest's historic Millenáris Park district. The organisation operates at the intersection of design thinking, technology innovation, and urban development, providing acceleration programmes, mentoring, workspace, and international networking opportunities for startups and creative enterprises working on solutions for smart cities, sustainability, and digital transformation.
Founded with support from the Hungarian government, Design Terminal has evolved into an independent innovation platform that connects Hungary's entrepreneurial community with international partners, investors, and markets. The hub's smart city programmes focus on identifying and supporting startups developing technologies for urban mobility, energy efficiency, circular economy, digital public services, and community engagement. Selected startups receive intensive mentoring from industry experts, access to prototyping facilities, and opportunities to pilot their solutions in real urban environments in Budapest.
Design Terminal also serves as a cultural and creative hub, recognising that successful smart city innovation requires not only technological capability but also human-centred design and creative problem-solving. The organisation regularly hosts exhibitions, workshops, hackathons, and public events that bring together technologists, designers, urban planners, and citizens to co-create visions for the future city.
The hub has built an extensive international network, participating in European innovation programmes and hosting delegations from cities worldwide seeking to learn from Budapest's approach to design-driven urban innovation. Design Terminal's alumni companies have raised significant venture capital and deployed their solutions in multiple European cities, demonstrating the hub's effectiveness as a launchpad for urban technology ventures originating in central Europe.