“We look forward to seeing some really unique, innovative and forward thinking ideas in September and encourage anyone with outstanding ideas that you think would fit within TOMY’s portfolio to come and see us,” said TOMY’s Alpesh Patel.

We caught up with Pyper to learn more about what to expect from Fun-Damental and why Alan Partridge might’ve been onto something with that ‘Monkey Tennis’ idea…

We caught up with Reece and Knott to learn why toy firms need to embrace some of the new techniques offered by Playwatch, rather than waste time clinging solely to the TV commercial model.

“It’s a great day and looking forward to meeting lots of talented inventors and seeing some old friends,” said Drumond’s Dharmander Patel.

We caught up with Burtonwood to learn more about where the idea came from for his twisty 3-in-a-row game, Rubik’s Cage.

We spoke with Henton about his work with ToyVision, his history in the toy space and what make up his top tips for fuelling creativity.

Cygielman joins as senior vice president and general manager of American Girl.

Launching soon at £14.99 a month, the Future Inventor Box will look to inspire kids with 12 months of activities about the tech that will shape the future.

“Demand for our products and pop culture in general is global and our growth was balanced with strong increases in all geographic markets,” said Funko CEO Brian Mariotti.

“New talent is the lifeblood of the toy industry and as such, we’re delighted to sponsor the Rising Star category at this year’s Play Creators Awards,” said Alpha’s Kerry Tarrant.