Toy and game company Hasbro announced its Women Innovators of Play 2024 lineup of events, networking moments and other opportunities to celebrate and connect women toy and game innovators across the globe.
This event was launched in fall 2023 to promote a more inclusive and equitable toys and games community, encourage more women’s participation in the space, inspire the next generation of young women and girls to unleash their creativity, and increase awareness and exposure to creative career paths.
“We are on a mission to attract more women and girls to the toy and game industry, and I could not be more inspired by the response to our Women Innovators of Play event and challenge,” said Hasbro global brands and franchise management president Kim Boyd. “As a true testament to the power of women inventors everywhere, Hasbro is thrilled to be investing in an incredible game by one of the Challenge’s winning inventors, Ellie Dix, and we will be partnering with Ellie to further develop her game concept. We are making the 2024 program even bigger and better and can’t wait to share more details soon.”
Hasbro’s 2023 Challenge saw 130 total submissions from women innovators across the US and globally. Submissions were judged on innovation, mass marketability, fun factor and playability, design and aesthetics, and manufacturability. Each of the three winners received a prize of US$10,000 USD and a visit on 26 March 2024, to Hasbro’s Pawtucket, RI headquarters for a full day with the company’s leadership and inventor relations team and a mentorship session with one of the company’s woman leader.
Year 2024 will advance the company’s mission while expanding to a full schedule of programming that leverages its global community of women innovators and leadership. This includes ongoing networking and creative programs for women innovators 18 plus as well as educational and mentorship programs under Hasbro’s recently announced Girl Innovators of Play. This year’s collaboration with Girl Up will engage aspiring and emerging women innovators aged 13-24.
Key 2024 events for Women Innovators of Play will include:
Hasbro Women Innovators of Play:
- 2nd Annual Virtual Event (10 October 2024)
- 2nd Annual Challenge (Starting 10 October 2024)
Hasbro Girl Innovators of Play (with Girl Up)-
- Girl Up Bootcamp (August 2024)
- Girl Up Project Awards Collaboration (Later 2024)
- Girl Up x Hasbro Project Awards Innovation Lab (Later 2024)
As a kickoff for 2024, Hasbro recently hosted the three winners of the 2023 Women Innovators of Play Challenge including Dix (a family card game inventor from Hertfordshire, UK), Sandra Harewood (a family word game inventor from London, UK), and Mandy and six-year-old Maggie Goddard (mother and daughter preschool game co-inventors from Carmel, Indiana).
Hasbro announced that Dix’s winning game has been selected by Hasbro Games. Hasbro will work closely with Dix to further develop the game with the goal of publishing it in the future.