We caught up with Jude to delve into his approach to design, where he finds inspiration and what his time at LEGO taught him about working in the play space.

We caught up with Courtney to learn more about the origins of the company and find out about why its new range of games marks something of an evolution for the firm.

Products of Change’s Helena Mansell-Stopher looks back at how the events of 2020 put a spotlight on sustainability… And why she believes 2021 will be the year of fruitful collaboration and positive change when it comes to issues around eco-friendliness and toys.

Toy and Game School’s Adam Borton looks at some of the key things to consider when trying to license a toy or game, including prototyping, communication and dealing with feedback.

“The licensing industry has such a rich pool of creative design talent across lots of sectors, so we’re excited to dive in and celebrate the brilliant work being done,” said Mojo Nation’s Billy Langsworthy.

Kimberly Carcone, Vice President of Market Events at The Toy Association, looks at how the organisation transformed their suite of events in the wake of the pandemic, and what inventors can engage with – both in person and digitally – throughout 2021 and beyond.

So Sound’s Toy and Game Designer Sam Roberts talks cats, coffee and coming up with ideas.

“This year’s biggest trends underscore the ongoing impact of the pandemic on play; the toy industry’s growing commitment to helping kids become better global citizens; and the many social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of mindful, musical, and ‘kidult’ toys,” said The Toy Association’s Adrienne Appell.

“It’s an honour to sign the first ever llama and LEGO minifigure to a global record deal,” said Luke Armitage, VP of Marketing at Astralwerks.

Phalgun Polepalli, Director at DICE Toy Labs, spells out what needs to happen for the Indian board game market to soar, and why international publishers – both tabletop and mass market – should look to license their next hit from India’s growing community of inventors