YWow’s Michele Rudelli on wanting to bring something new to the world of games and puzzles

Last year saw Michele Rudelli launch YWow Games, a firm set up to bring something fresh to the world of games and puzzles.

We caught up with Michele to find out more about the origins of the company, and how they’re looking to engage with the inventor community.

Hi Michele, thanks for doing this; first off, how did you get started in the toys and games industry?
I started my experience in the toy industry 10 years ago with Geomag, a Swiss factory manufacturing magnetic toys. It was one of the most fascinating manufacturing realities I have ever seen in my career.

After that experience, I moved to Hong Kong where I joined ZURU, one of the biggest toy companies in the world. It was a lot of fun and I was part of very strong growth in different areas: business, team, products. It was the best personal and professional experience of my life and helped me to prepare the launch ramp for my next rocket-venture.

And that rocket venture is YWow! Where did that seed of an idea for the company come from?
Around three years ago I realised there was a gap in the puzzles and games market. This market has always been very stable and the products were all made with the classic ‘regular shape’. This led us to study a way to manufacture and distribute puzzles and games with irregular packaging and novelty concepts.

The market really appreciated this new wave and just in the first six months, we received several investment propositions from private players in the toy market.

2020 has been a mad year for everyone, but you have launched some great product this year; what have been some of the highlights?
As a young and fresh company, we have no idea what ‘good times’ are like! We started the business in a very difficult year and we only know tough times. We are convinced that we are able to become a better company having been conditioned by such tough times that we try to overcome.

In terms of products, our licensed Mini Puzzles have been one of the best-selling products across all categories in the last three months.

Moving onto the invention side of the business, are you looking to work with the inventor community on ideas?
We are looking to establish strong relations with inventors for games, puzzles and outdoor products. Our strategy is to work with a small number of very talented inventors who are capable of giving continuity to the creativity. We are hungry for simple, clean and iconic concepts!

That’s great to know; and how can inventors reach you?
They can write to Sophia, our Inventor relationship manager, at [email protected].

Brill! Finally, how do you and the team at YWow fuel creativity?
We are convinced that the best ideas result from teamwork and brainstorming. As a young company we like to have a lot of meetings with different departments: sales, marketing, design, product development and inventors. And of course, a lot of coffee!

I’m yet to properly embrace coffee, but I’ve heard good things! Thanks so much for this Michele; hope you and the team have a great rest of 2020 and we’ll speak soon!

—-

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

More Recent Interview

Funko’s Director of Group Licensing & Retail Strategy, Lucy Salisbury, talks music, sport and more

“I’m absolutely loving it!” Lucy Salisbury on Funko’s new strategy – and her own increased remit.

See Jane Fun’s Jane Bredemus on creating crafts designed for play, not display

Inventor Jane Bredemus talks putty products, Sticker Stackers and her kid-centric approach to design.

Hasbro’s Evan Brooks takes us inside the design process on TRANSFORMERS – and reveals his most underrated creation!

Hasbro’s Evan Brooks – Product Designer on the TRANSFORMERS team – talks design, innovation and what makes the brand unique.

Moodles creator Joanna Paul and LoCoco Licensing’s Peter LoCoco on building the brand beyond toys

“It has an incredible opportunity; it’s about finding the people who believe in it”: Joanna Paul and Peter LoCoco on the Moodles story so far.

The Rubik’s Cube at 50: Ernö Rubik tells Pete Jenkinson how the iconic puzzle came to be

“I don’t like the word invention” Ernö Rubik reveals how he discovered the eponymous Cube 50 years ago…

Game designer Dirk Barsuhn on what inspired his new tile-laying game, Ananda

“The idea came to me when I saw mahjong for the first time”: Dirk Barsuhn talks Ananda – and what made Zoch the perfect home for it.