CHICAGO, IL | November 18, 2025 – The Young Inventor Challenge® — presented by People of Play™, a division of The Toy Association™ — celebrated its 20th annual awards ceremony on November 8 at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair in Rosemont, IL, showcasing aspiring young inventors ages 6 to 18 from five countries. Dedicated to fostering creativity and entrepreneurship, this event recognized exceptional young inventors who brought forward original toy and game inventions reviewed by toy industry professionals.

The Young Inventor Challenge offers kids around the world a platform to showcase their ideas, refine their pitching and presentation skills, and receive mentorship from toy industry experts. Winners were selected based on their inventive concepts, compelling pitches, and strong potential for market success.

The 2025 Young Inventor Challenge® winners are:

Best Pitch - Sponsored by Toys“R”Us

• Senior Winner: Alpha Centauri Quest by Kaia Minn from Massachusetts, 7^th grade
• Junior Winner: Ready Set...GOAT! by Tansey Hendrickson from Illinois, 4^th grade

Most Innovative - Sponsored by Disney

• Senior Winner: Rendezvous by Keegan Franck from Massachusetts, 10^th grade
• Junior Winner: Dog Gone by Eleanor Wyskiel from Illinois, 4^th grade

Most Engaging - Sponsored by Crazy Aaron's

• Senior Winner: Echoes in the Airlock by Reece Weitzel from Nebraska, 11^th grade
• Junior Winner: Broccoli Blitz by Zola Hull from Washington, DC, 2^nd grade

Most Original - Sponsored by The United Inventors Association

• Senior Winner: Kibble Kombat by Palash Bhasin from Washington, 7^th grade
• Junior Winners: SHIPWRECK by Leonard Valionis & Brayden Weith from Illinois, 4^th grade

Most Marketable - Sponsored by Zigazoo

• Senior Winner: Orbio by Fei Feng from Texas, 12^th grade
• Junior Winner: Toilet Torture by Truman Pack from Illinois, 4^th grade

Best Potential - Sponsored by Amazon

• Senior Winners: Moon Maze by Mauro De La Calle & Alejo Fatemi from Switzerland, 10^th grade
• Junior Winner: Cat Wars by Evan Lindo from Illinois, 4^th grade

This year, 180 young inventors submitted a total of 127 toy and game creations to the competition, representing 8 U.S. states, as well as countries including Mexico, Switzerland, Italy, and England. The Young Inventor Challenge continues to expand its international reach, offering a platform for young inventors worldwide to share their ideas.

The competition’s judges, made up of professionals across all corners of the toy and game industry, collectively dedicated more than 200 hours to reviewing, scoring, and providing thoughtful feedback for each participant. This review process helped identify winners across the six categories, representing the best in innovation, originality, creativity, and market potential.

“It’s incredible to see what happens when you give kids the tools, encouragement, and platform to bring their ideas to life,” said Ahren Hoffman, director of the Young Inventor Challenge. “For two decades, the Young Inventor Challenge has empowered young creators to dream big, think boldly, and believe in the power of their own creativity, and this year’s participants truly wowed our judges with their imagination and ingenuity. Congratulations to all the young inventors who took part in this milestone year!”

For more information about the Young Inventor Challenge, visit www.chitag.com/yic.

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.org
Founded 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: Emily Auriemma
People of Play
856-723-3055 
emilya@carvecomms.com