Somaiya School

Placements & Partnerships

At Somaiya School of Design, career pathways for students emerge through sustained engagement with industry during the entire course of study, beginning with live projects, industry-led challenges, and culminating in final-year internships. As students progress, they gain clarity around their interests, strengths, and direction.

Graduates go on to work across design, technology, media, and innovation, often within interdisciplinary roles rather than fixed titles. The institute supports this transition through curated industry partnerships offering full-time internship opportunities in the final semester or full-time roles after graduation, while also equipping students with the skills and confidence to identify and pursue opportunities independently.

Our Recruiters

Career Training Initiatives

Support for Masters Applications

Masterclasses for Industry Readiness

Placement Drives & Mock Interviews

Hands-on Portfolio & CV Training

International Synergies

International partnerships at SSD are shaped by the belief that designers must learn to work across cultures, contexts, and systems. Through global collaborations, students are exposed to diverse ways of thinking, making, and problem-solving. This helps them stay connected to the pace, practices, and responsibilities of design in a global world.

Aalto University, Finland
Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA), Italy
Fab Academy, Fab Foundation
Fabricademy, Fab Foundation
Teesside University, United Kingdom

These partnerships with global institutions have paved the way for semester-abroad programmes, cross-university projects and research, certifications, skill-based diplomas, and international learning experiences which allow students to build a global perspective alongside strong local grounding.

Riidl Ecosystem

The Riidl ecosystem is built on the belief that design education is strongest when it is closely connected to innovation, entrepreneurship, and real-world experimentation. Riidl - Research, Innovation, Incubation, and Design Labs - forms a key pillar supporting the Somaiya School of Design.

Over the years, Riidl has built a strong global ecosystem of makers, innovators, designers, entrepreneurs, startups, corporates, investors, and academic partners. Through this ecosystem, SSD students engage in hands-on making, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world problem-solving, often working alongside startups and innovators rather than in simulated environments.

A glance into the beautiful synergies created between startups in the Riidl ecosystem, partners, and students of the Somaiya School of Design.

Direct pathways into incubation and venture creation

Global exposure through international collaborations and networks

Design challenges, live projects, and startup programmes

Grants and funding support to prototype, test, and scale ideas

Mentorship and incubation support from founders and industry experts

Design & innovation labs: FabLab, SMAC Lab, BioLab, XR Lab

Design Communities

Design thrives in conversation and collective practice. At SSD, our aim is to actively engage with design communities that bring together practitioners, educators, students, and emerging voices across disciplines. Beyond critique and collaboration, these communities play a vital role in cheerleading, supporting, and amplifying growth of our young designers.

SSD has actively engaged with design communities including:

Friends of Figma
Frelo
Association of Designers of India (ADI)
Blue Ribbon Movement
Designare

These collaborations continue to evolve through events, knowledge-sharing sessions, and community-led initiatives that support learning, exchange, and visibility for young designers.