POP’s Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference to Kick off with Toy Industry Leaders Roundtable

October 7, 2024 | People of Play’s (POP) Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, taking place November 7 to 9 at the Embassy Suites in Rosemont, IL, will kick off with an exclusive roundtable discussion featuring insights from toy industry leaders.

Following the roundtable, inventors and product acquisition executives from across the toy industry will gather for networking and educational opportunities throughout the event.

The “Toy Industry Leaders Roundtable” session will feature insights from a slate of leaders in the toy and play community, including Sharon Price John, president & CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop & chairperson of The Toy Association™ Board of Directors; Geoffrey Greenberg, co-CEO of Just Play & vice chairperson of the Association Board of Directors; Anne Carrihill, director, general manager, category leader of toys & entertainment at Amazon; and more to be announced in the coming weeks. The discussion will be moderated by Greg Ahearn, president & CEO of The Toy Association.

“In addition to over a thousand toy and game ideas being licensed in past years in the pitch portion of the Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, this session will not only showcase the voices of prominent leaders in our industry but also inspire the next generation of toy innovators,” said Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association. “We believe that collaboration and sharing insights are crucial for driving innovation and growth in the toy sector, and we can’t wait to see what ideas will emerge from this gathering.”

The POP Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference is the largest is the largest toy and game pitch event for product inventors in the global toy industry. Click here to register and for more information.

The People of Play Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference is part of a slate of events taking place during POP week, taking place November 6 to 9 in Rosemont, IL. The events include a welcome gathering on November 6, the Toy & Game Innovation Awards on November 8, the Young Inventor Challenge and PlayCHIC Fashion Show on November 9, and the Chicago Toy & Game Fair from November 9 to 10. Click here for more information.