New Delhi , December 14 : Homegrown DIY STEM toys brand, Smartivity, becomes the first Indian brand to be nominated at the prestigious Toy of the Year Awards. Smartivity Pinball Machine was recognized as one of The Toy Foundation’s ‘STEAM Toys of the Year 2022’. Smartivity has emerged as a global consumer brand in the toy industry with a strong presence in 20+ countries including the competitive markets of USA, Canada, Europe and Australia, among other regions. Known as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, the Toy of The Year (TOTY) Awards program recognises the topmost games in the US market. Finalists across categories are nominated from within the industry and selected by a panel of expert judges. toyawards.org/toyaward/custom/StemToy.aspx The Make-in-India brand has consecutively been recognised by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) as a ‘Best Toys for Kids Finalist’ in 2020 and 2021. Smartivity was also shortlisted by Time Magazine as the Top 6 Toy Brands globally in 2020 The company boasts a huge retail network with over 1000+ retailers in India itself, including all Hamleys stores across the country. Post-COVID, they pivoted primarily to digital, a move that led to an exponential 150% growth YOY from 2020 to 2021. During the pandemic, Smartivity emerged as a way for parents to spend quality time with their children. Recent toy launches include the Chemistry Experiments Kit, Hydraulic Plane Launcher, and Smartivity Foosball, all of which have performed well at global markets. Co-founder, Ashwini Kumar said, “We’re truly humbled to be recognised alongside the established whales of the global toy industry like Lego, Hasbro & Mattel. It’s a testament to our commitment to creating world class products without compromising on quality and innovation. While the nomination is a proud moment for Indians, it is also an acknowledgment of Indian toys’ competitiveness at a global level. At Smartivity, we have recognised environmental sustainability as one of our priorities. While the material we use for our toys is recycled wood and non-plastic, we are steadily working to reduce and eventually replace the majority of plastic components in our box within the next 5-6 months.” Smartivity games are designed in-house by a team of imaginative designers dedicated to creating STEM toys to make learning truly holistic. Each product is tested and approved by parents, experts and most importantly, children. Voting for the award runs through January 4 and winners are scheduled to be announced at the New York Toy Fair in February, 2022. The program also serves as a vital fundraiser for The Toy Foundation, which annually delivers toys to millions of children (Agencies)
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