Announcing the 2021 Adobe Certified Associate World Champions

The results are in, and it’s time for us to share the winners of the 2021 Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) World Online Championship.

In its 8th year, the competition attracted more than 65,000 contestants from 65 countries to prove their superior digital communications skills using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Danny Tse Wei Chun from Malaysia won the top prize out of 51 finalists who came together virtually for the final round of the global competition from November 16-18.

The 2021 Adobe Certified Associate World Champions are as follows:

  • First place, Danny Tse Wei Chun, Malaysia
  • Second place, Gustavo Souza, Brazil
  • Third place, Gina Anjarizky Amalia, Indonesia
  • Fourth place, Anh Duong Viet, Vietnam
  • Fifth place, Sze Ting Teo, Malaysia
  • Sixth place, Jake Owens, USA
  • Seventh place, Bodan Kostov, North Macedonia
  • Eighth place, Ieong Meng, Macau
  • Ninth place, Catherine Noelia Guere Rojas, Peru
  • Tenth place, Duy Bui Dinh, Vietnam

Finalists demonstrated their proficiency using industry-leading Adobe Creative Cloud software to design three marketing assets in six hours for non-profit client Limbitless Solutions. Limbitless Solutions is dedicated to empowering individuals through personalized, creative, and expressive bionics.

“All of the entries demonstrated a clear aptitude for design, and an incredible artistic flair,” said Mrudula Peddinti, Branding Director, Limbitless Solutions “We were really impressed by the professional-level work these students accomplished in just six hours – which proves they can follow client instructions and use both their innate design abilities and the Adobe skills they’ve learned in school to create something amazing. We are grateful we got to work with them to showcase the power of art and engineering in the lives of our bionic families.”

A panel of judges including Limbitless Solutions and design industry experts reviewed the final projects and determined the winners based on visual appeal, their ability to meet the client’s requirements and brand aesthetics, as well as their professional usage of Adobe Creative Cloud applications. The First-place winner received $7,000, Second $3,500, and Third $1,500.

“Creativity is one of the most sought-after skills by employers. These student competitors have demonstrated an astounding level of talent in the Adobe Championship,” said Ray Murray, Vice President and General Manager - IT, Pearson VUE. “Not even a virtual competitive environment could slow down these students. Seeing what these finalists are able to create in just six hours, it’s apparent that they have a deep understanding of digital design concepts and can put their Adobe skills to use in a real-world setting.”

“We enjoy participating in the Adobe Certified Associate World Championship every year, not only to see the wonderful projects created, but also to connect with ambitious, creative students who are launching their careers with industry-recognized certifications,” said Tacy Trowbridge, Global Education Programs Lead at Adobe. “Seeing what the competitors produced for Limbitless Solutions gives us just a taste of their talent. Over the years we’ve watched many of these finalists go on to jobs and internships in creative fields, proving the value of the design and technical skills that they learned in the classroom.”

Next year, Certiport will host the 2022 Adobe Certified Professional World Championship at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA from July 24-27, 2022.