Hasbro Launches Fourth Annual Women Innovators of Play Design Challenge

PAWTUCKET, R.I., Oct. 12, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Hasbro has announced the return of its Women Innovators of Play Design Challenge for a fourth consecutive year, opening to submissions on October 15 and closing on November 20. This annual event invites women of all backgrounds and experience levels to submit original concepts for the next great mass-market toy or game. Entries will be judged on innovation, scalability, fun factor, design and aesthetics, and manufacturability. Each winner will receive a $10,000 USD prize, a day of programming at Hasbro's new Boston headquarters, a mentorship session with one of Hasbro's top women leaders, and a one-year complimentary membership to Women in Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment (WiT).

The Women Innovators of Play program, launched in fall 2023, has already connected, educated, and inspired thousands of women worldwide. This year, Hasbro is expanding the program into a series of in-person networking events held throughout the year to bring together women across the gaming, toy, licensing, entertainment, and play industries. The first event, celebrating “Women Innovators of Magic,” was held on July 22 at Wizards of the Coast's Renton, Washington headquarters. The event, in partnership with WiT, featured a panel with the creative team behind the Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair x Global Fund for Women release, who discussed career paths in game design, storytelling, art direction, and creative leadership. The evening also premiered a new Spark Moment documentary short.

The second event, held in partnership with WiT, took place in London during Brand Licensing Europe on October 7. This event brought together women from across the licensing, entertainment, toy, and game industries to exchange ideas and meet the people shaping what's next in play.

The program also includes Hasbro's Girl Innovators of Play program, anchored in a partnership with Girl Up, a girl-centered leadership development initiative focused on equity for girls and women in spaces where they are unheard or underrepresented. Aspiring inventors, designers, and creators can join the Hasbro Women Innovators community on LinkedIn, now more than 1,400 members strong, at www.linkedin.com/groups/14607918.

Hasbro, with 165 years of expertise, is committed to creating joy and community through the magic of play. The company has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media and one of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S. by the Civic 50 for fourteen consecutive years.