Inventors to Gain Direct Access to Industry Experts, Pitch Opportunities, & One-on-One Mentorship   CHICAGO, IL | September 29, 2026 – People of Play™, a division of The Toy Association™, has revealed the speaker lineup and agenda for the 2026 Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, the largest and longest running pitch event globally. Taking place November 5 to 7 at the Embassy Suites in Rosemont, Illinois, the event unites inventors, students, designers, and industry leaders for three days of educational sessions, networking, and pitch opportunities.   Product acquisition executives from around the world attend the conference in search of new ideas to license. This year, more than 80 industry executives representing 60 companies are expected to attend, including Mattel, Hasbro, Goliath, Asmodee, Abacus, Moose Toys, Gray Matter Games, Jumbo Group, Thames & Kosmos, Basic Fun!, The Op, TOMY, Jazwares, Amigo, Ravensburger, and many more.   Attendees will also benefit from programming featuring sessions on artificial intelligence, legal and intellectual property insights, marketing strategies, and influencer collaboration. Conference highlights include:   Keynote Address: Chris Gollaher, director of product design and development at Disney Consumer Products, along with representatives from Lucasfilm and Hasbro (to be announced), will present the keynote address, “From Galaxy to Toy Aisle: How Disney & Hasbro Bring Star Wars Toys to Life!” Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at how designers from Disney and Hasbro collaborate throughout the creative process to bring Star Wars toys from idea to shelf. Speed Pitching: New inventors will have exhibit tables during the popular “Speed Meeting/Pitch” sessions, offering direct access to dozens of companies for feedback and potential licensing deals. Expert Panels: Hear from leading voices in toy innovation, marketing, and design, including Azhelle Wade (The Toy Coach & conference emcee), Yanira Wells (Duracell), Arta Alagheband (Jazwares), Elana Woldenberg Ruffman (hand2mind & Learning Resources), Michael Gray (Nixon Peabody), Matt Nuccio (Design Edge), Amy Friedland (Carve Communications), Rachel Griffin (Playwise Partners), Tracy Dudkiewicz (TAP Marketing), Steve Rad (Abacus/Radical Games), and Jackie Brooks (Loudr Agency). Mentoring Opportunities: Attendees can book one-on-one meetings for guidance in manufacturing, design, legal, retail, PR, social media, and more. This year’s mentors include Amy Friedland (Carve Communications), Rachel Griffin (Playwise Partners), Peggy Brown (Brown Creative), Robert Coleman (professional inventor), Tracy Dudkiewicz (TAP Marketing), Lisa Wuennemann (marketing professional), Robert Yusim (Product Counsel), Steve Rad (Abacus Brands/Radical Games), Donna Moore (Toys of Our Lives), Brian Turtle (Goliath Group), Martin Horstman (BitOGenius), Mark Rappaport (Marky Sparky), Victoria Hanson (Irwin IP), Reid Huefner (Irwin IP), and Michael Gray (Nixon Peabody). Networking Receptions: Evening receptions provide relaxed, social settings to connect with toy and game executives and dealmakers. Complimentary Access: Conference registration includes admission to the Toy & Game International Innovation Excellence Awards (TAGIEs) on November 6 at Joe’s Live Concert Venue and the Chicago Toy & Game Fair from November 7 to 8 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.   Click here to register today and explore the full conference agenda.   “Inventing can often feel like a solitary pursuit, but this conference reminds creators that they are part of an incredibly supportive and collaborative global community,” said Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association. “For three days, inventors at every stage of their careers can share ideas, learn from one another, meet the people who can help move their concepts forward, and make connections that can last well beyond the conference.”   Founded in 2006, the Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference is the largest gathering in the world of new, professional, and student inventors and product acquisition executives. Each year, attendees come around the world gather at the conference to pitch ideas, network, learn, and celebrate the toy and game inventor community.   This year’s conference is sponsored by Duracell, Longstore Limited, Backdrop.com, Eastar Game Manufacturing, Nextoy, Kid Group, and Brown Creative.   About People of Play™ peopleofplay.com People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association™, leads the global toy and game industry in promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity. A one-stop source of community for industry professionals, aspiring inventors, and people of all ages who love to play, People of Play hosts a play platform packed with resources and connection points as well as a wide range of events including the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIEs) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge, the Toy & Game Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conference, Thought Leaders Summit, Toy Takedown and more.   About The Toy Association™ toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org / peopleofplay.com / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.orgFounded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $155.7 billion, and its roughly 900 members drive the annual $42 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, governments, consumers, and the industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.    As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities at The Toy Building in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; supports the inventor and design community through People of Play™ and its numerous assets and events, including the consumer-facing Chicago Toy & Game Fair; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 33 million children in need worldwide.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: People of Play PRMadelyn Jones919.923.3259madelyn@carvecomms.com

Smack N Cheese   Gameplay Smack N Cheese is a fast-paced card game all about mac and cheese! Players compete the complete their Smack N Cheese set by collecting cards with all the necessary tools and ingredients to build the perfect mac and cheese meal.   The game comes with a deck of cards and two Smack-A-Roni noodles, which are giant elbow macaroni noodles that squeak when you smack them. The deck of cards consists of four different categories of items: a vessel—either a plate or a bowl, a utensil—either a fork or a spoon, a cheese—yellow or orange, and a noodle shape—elbow macaroni or shell pasta. Each card may also have one of three toppings on it: blue cheese, green onions, and bacon bits.   To begin, divide the deck evenly among players and place the Smack-A-Roni noodles in the center of play. If there are only two players, just one Smack-A-Roni noodle is necessary. Players then take turns playing cards face up into a central pile. If a match comes up, players race to smack the mac! Whoever smacks first earns one of the two matching cards.   What constitutes a match? If the same item appears on two cards in a row, it’s a match. Alternatively, if the same topping appears on two cards in a row, regardless of what item it accompanies, it’s a match. Note: if someone smacks the mac and there is not a valid match, they must give back one of the cards they’ve collected from winning.   Play continues until one player collects the full Smack N Cheese set, which consists of at least one vessel, utensil, cheese type, and noodle type. First to complete the set wins!     History Gummy Grab was invented by Jordan Goddard and is published by Vango Toys. Vango Toys is an award-winning toys and games company based in Oregon. They are dedicated to sparking creativity and eliminating boredom through engaging, interactive play. They pride themselves on enlisting the target audience to test and experiment their toy products before they are released—children!   Reception & Awards Smack N Cheese is currently a finalist for the 2026 People of Play TAGIE Award in the Game Innovator of the Year category.

Gummy Grab   Gameplay Gummy Grab is a fun and fast-paced family card game that incorporates both color and number recognition. The colorful cards and game pieces and nonstop gameplay keeps everyone engaged and is fun for all ages!   A cross between classic card games Spoons and Spit, players race to get rid of all their cards by placing them onto piles based on corresponding color combinations or numbers. The first player to get rid of all their cards grabs a gummy worm, and play continues until all the gummy worms have been grabbed. After three rounds, whoever has the most gummy worms wins!   The game comes with 13 toy gummy worms and 81 colorful worm cards, which makes it easy to pack and take on the go. Each worm card has a multi-colored worm on it that’s twisted and bent to form a number. To begin, each player is dealt a hand of cards and four cards are placed in the center of play. Gummy worms are also placed in the center of play—one for each player minus one.   When play begins, players race to place their cards on one of the four face-up piles. In order to place a card, it must match either the color combination or the number of the top card in the pile. As soon as you run out of cards, grab a worm! Play continues until there are no worms remaining. After three rounds, the player with the most gummy worms wins.    Gummy Grab is not just a fun card game, it also encourages color and number recognition for young players. Children must recognize that their card might have the same number as one of the face up cards, even if it doesn’t share the same color pattern, and the same goes for recognizing the similar color patterns even if they’re displayed on different numbers. Fun and great for development!   History Gummy Grab was invented by Jordan Goddard and is published by Vango Toys. Vango Toys is an award-winning toys and games company based in Oregon. They are dedicated to sparking creativity and eliminating boredom through engaging, interactive play. They pride themselves on enlisting the target audience to test and experiment their toy products before they are released—children!   Reception & Awards Gummy Grab is currently a finalist for Game Innovator of the Year at the 2026 TAGIE Awards and has been recognized by the National Parenting Product Awards.

Hey, it's Katherine.   I have been collecting and archiving Bop It games for almost 18 years now, and I am premiering my video for obtaining 300 Bop It units tomorrow on my YouTube channel for my birthday.   My first Bop It was the Bop It! (2009). I was 7 years old and I remember getting it for Christmas that year after playing with a Bop It at one of my first-grade events they had, like the Halloween party or whatever it was. I don't remember any of that whatsoever, so I'm getting a lot of this story from my mom. I still have my first Bop It (pictured in the cover of this post), and it's still in very pristine working condition, unlike some of my channel viewers who have pushed their Bop It far into an identity crisis because the logo is completely scrubbed off it...   I may have gotten it for Christmas in first grade, but I didn't actually start collecting until 2009, where I had made my first video that had Bop It in it. I still have to find that video if I still have it, because I haven't seen it in 15 years... not sure if it even still exists or not since it's been so long.   Over time, I went through different processes to log my collecting. When I started my channel in 2020 during my senior year of high school, I didn't realize my passionate interest of Bop It would become a niche interest that has brought in over 13,000 subscribers and counting on YouTube. I went from collecting just the certain versions of Bop It and not counting duplicates, to then counting duplicates, and just recently I decided that I want to only count the electronic versions of Bop It that were battery-operated in my closet, and leave all the non-electronic ones for my Bop It memorabilia world record.   I've had 3 milestones happen so far. My 100th Bop It was kinda tricky to be able to determine, as I didn't count duplicates in 2021 when I stayed in a dorm in college, but since I got a lot of Bop It! Micro Series units back then, I decided to make one of them my 100th unit, and since it's my legend, I have the freedom to kinda write it how I want with my own supporting claims.   My 200th Bop It was in 2024, and it was a modified version of Bop It Extreme (1999), that the programming was reworked with a speed knob. My 300th I can't really say what it is right now because my video has not premiered yet (happening tomorrow night), but I acquired that here in 2026.   I already have plans in mind for my 400th and 500th, with an estimated timespan in which the 400th and 500th Bop It events will occur, in late-2027 and early-2029 respectively. I also have plans on how I want to decorate my milestone Bop Its in the future, and place them in display cases. I'm gonna swap out the modified Bop It Extreme (1999) with a regular Bop It Extreme (1999) to decorate, but the modified one will still count. The milestone units are not just regular Bop It units to me; they are what collecting, archiving, logging, analyzing, and delving for most of my life have all been worth it for.   I'll be turning 25 tomorrow, and next year will be 18 years since I started collecting Bop It, and you better believe I am not stopping anytime soon.