“I look forward to the People of Play Inventor Conference and the TAGIEs every year, but I have to say that this year was the best one yet! The toy and game community is an amazing group of people and Mary and this event have a way of amplifying all that is great about it. Where else can creators, inventors, manufacturers, retailers, and toy & game companies all come together for a few days in November to learn, share cool ideas and, if lucky, make that connection that leads to the next big thing? The energy is just so positive, and it reminds us of how lucky we are to do what we do. The POP inventor conference is not just about feeling good and celebrating our great industry though. It’s an essential component of Hasbro’s external innovation strategy.” - Angus Walker, Hasbro 

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"The Mattel Games team is always excited to attend POP each year and look for new games to bring to market.  Our focus is primarily on fostering new relationships by meeting with inventors we have not worked with before, but of course we love to see our existing inventor partners as well.  Game pitches, great conversations, meeting new people – we look forward to it every year and it always delivers."  -Dave Harris, Mattel

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POP Week - It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year! - Shannon Swindle, Moose Games

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Amazing show! The caliber of people and inventions were simply outstanding. The location is perfect! So convenient and affordable! Well done! -Erik Quam, Smart Toys

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POP Inventor Pitch/Conference is unique as the only industry show dedicated and specifically catering to game and toy inventors and the executives that influence the path of innovation for their respective companies. It’s also a terrific venue for networking as each year we emerge with new customers and stronger relationships. If you choose this vocation, it’s absolutely essential to attend.  – Robert Fuhrer, NEXTOY

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We met with 20 companies from a list over 4x the size. I carefully culled the list down to who fits the concepts I am showing.  I pitched 4 of our new games and now have contracts for two of them. It is cool and convenient to meet in individual suites as it is casual and fun, but the best part is the networking.   Meeting the IR execs face to face as well as getting tips from other inventors throughout the event is key.  The events are fantastically fun and over the top including the TAGIE Awards night where you feel like you are at the Grammys." -Kenn Morton,  KidKenn

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Last November's POP Pitch set a record for licensing products for fun-damental . We licensed concepts in a variety of categories with existing clients as well as some new ones. I'll be back - Gary Pyper, Fun-damental invention UK

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POP Pitch meetings and connections we made were so invaluable we got more done in 3 days than we have in the past 3 yrs! It reinvigorated our spirits and gave us the boost we needed. I really can’t thank you enough or reiterate sufficiently how valuable that was for us. I already can’t wait for next year! -Alex Mackey, Lethal Chicken Games

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Below is What Happened at the...
2023 Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference

Awesome Keynotes!

Dr. Michelle Thaller

NASA Astrophysicist,  Assistant Director for Science Communication at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

If Dr. Thaller looks familiar, it means you probably enjoyed Michelle's introduction of the James Webb Telescope last year on one of your screens or one of the countless media appearances she has made over the years. She is extraordinary.. We had the good fortune to have her speak about ten years ago and Conference attendees still talk about it, so we had to ask her back!  More details about Dr. Thaller can be found on her Wikipedia page.

Andrew Himebaugh

Intellectual Property Attorney
I have extensive experience with design and utility patent procurement, enforcement, and defense as well as experience with trademark and copyright disputes. My approach to protecting my clients' passion, ideas, and livelihood through intellectual property is holistic, always prioritizing high client satisfaction and sustainable commercial and monetization for client properties. I regularly represent clients who are enforcing intellectual property rights or defending against such claims in United States Federal District Courts, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (such as in proceedings of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board). As such, I have experience with many types of disputes and the stages thereof, including appeals and settlement.

Jason Keener

Intellectual Property Attorney

Over 18 years of experience in intellectual property matters involving patent, copyright, trademarks, and trade secrets. I regularly represents clients seeking to enforce or monetize their intellectual property assets as well as defending clients against claims of infringement asserted by both competitors and non-practicing entities. I have assisted a number of gaming companies with their intellectual property matters, including assisting established companies such as Games Workshop in its copyright and trademark matters, as well individual artists in disputes about the proper scope of use of their artwork in sequels to popular card games. nnovative solutions are an integral part of my intellectual property philosophy. As part of that philosophy, I not only looks for opportunities to push the law i

Toy Stories - Legends and Lore - Fact or Fiction

Brendan Boyle

Toy Inventor and Design for Play Experience Designer Toy Inventor and Design for Play Experience Designer with Fuse London 

Brendan Boyle is a toy inventor, adjunct professor at Stanford University’s d.School, and the Founder of the IDEO Play Lab. He believes that play is the key to innovation and has spoken to creative leaders, entrepreneurs, and students about the importance of playful exploration and risk-taking.

Mary Couzin

President and Founder of Chicago Toy and Game Group dba People of Play - POP!

After inventing, self-producing and licensing her own toys and games, Mary turned her passion for invention to help other inventors through DiscoverToysandGames.com. In 2003, Mary launched the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) with a plan to create the largest American celebration of play. In 2006 she introduced the Toy & Game Inventor's Conference to help new inventors connect with industry experts, and in 2008 the Toy & Game Innovator of the Year Awards (TAGIEs) to honor and celebrate toy and game innovators. Tracks for professional inventors, design students, social media and play in education have been added to the Conferences through the years. Thinking to celebrate play in an edgier way, she launched PlayCHIC, a toy and game inspired fashion event in 2011. 2006 saw the debut of the Young Inventor Challenge which has over 250 kids competing from around North America and overseas. It’s all about encouraging inventiveness and creativity in kids!

Rob Yusim

Founder & President of Product Counsel

Toy Product Invention Licensing;

Navigating Start-up & Small Toy Companies to success;

DIrect To Consumer Product/Brand Launch

(TV, Connected, Streaming, Social)

Amy Friedland

Executive Vice President

Freeman Public Relations

Azhelle Wade

The Toy Coach

Charlotte Towne

aka Mermaid Lawyer

One of our most passionate and fun events! Make a difference in a child's life and encourage the next generation in our industry.

More information about mentoring, judging and sponsoring on this page!

What Past Attendees Say...

"CHITAG/POP's Inventor Conferences are timed optimally.

There is no better time of year for inventors to pitch ideas to us!"

Ben Dermer​, SVP Creative Development and Innovation. 

Deputy Creative Officer, Spin Master Ltd. 

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“One of the first purchases we made as a new design studio was to sign up for a full POP Pro membership. The relationships we have made, the lessons learned and ultimately the deals we have signed as a result of our involvement with POP has paid for itself many many times over. It could cost 10x as much a nd still be a deal!” -Jordan Goddard, Co-Founder, Indy Toy Lab

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"I love the CHITAG/POP events!

They're extremely well run with a great amount of thought put into them."

Carly McGinnis, Chief Operating Officer at Exploding Kittens

I highly recommend attending POP's Inventor Conferences. The knowledge, networking and access to decision makers is unmatched worldwide. I got my start the industry at these Conferences a few years ago and am now on track to hitting over a million games sold this summer of 2023! -Bob Kamp

“It’s an annual rite of passage for our industry. Keep doing a great job bringing the community together and promoting the spirit of play.” –John Bell, Director, Product Design & Development, Buffalo Games

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I attended CHITAG for the first time, and thought it was a fantastic event. It was great to connect with peers and learn from the quality talks. Look forward to attending next time! Gabby Toniolo, Bella Products, Australia

“This event makes me fall in love with the Toy & Game Industry each year!” - Megan Hinterman Kanous, PSI, Inc.

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"Thank you for putting on such an informative and comprehensive conference and show.  ChiTAG is an excellent way to meet fellow inventors.  Our company, 1015 Creative, grew out of it.  Michael Adams and I met each other three years ago and within a year we were working together.  In October of last year we formed 1015 Creative, LLC with Damon Brown, bringing together a combined history of over 25 licensed games and 80 years of experience in game design, illustration and product development.  Our new company of successful inventors collaborating together debuted at the 2016 ChiTAG show.  We owe our success to the event and environment you have created." -Eric Foster, Principal at 1015 Creative, LLC.

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"The Innovation Conferences are a must for anyone - inventors or company people - in the toy and game industry.  The information you'll learn, the pitching and the networking is incredible. Mary and her team are to be congratulated; there is nothing else like it in the world!" - Tanya Thompson, Hasbro   

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"I don't think I have learned more about the Toy Biz since?... ever. I didn't want it to end." - Carle Wunderlich, Best of Best Toys, Inc. 

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"Mary, you and your team throw one heck of an innovation conference!  It was a fantastic experience with a great group of people in the inventor community worldwide who are so clearly passionate about what they do and collaborative in spirit. Great keynotes/speakers, too!"  -Patty Sullivan, Highlights

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"Chicago Toy & Game Week’s Professional Inventors Track is not just fertile ground for making the connections necessary to do business, it’s the annual gathering of the inventor tribe. In the whole wide world, there’s not a better place for independent toy and game inventors to go to catch up with each other, build friendships and strategic alliances, and spend quality time engaged with others who truly understand the nuances of the toy and game invention industry and share the common goal of expanding and improving our business opportunities. No other convention compares in personal warmth, richness of content, generosity of information sharing, and glorious un-rushed bubbles of quiet time to meet in depth and set a well-considered course right before the show season swings into hyper-warp mode and calm clarity morphs into frazzle." - Peggy Brown of Peggy Brown Creative

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"Thank you for putting on such an informative and comprehensive conference and show.  ChiTAG is an excellent way to meet fellow inventors.  Our company, 1015 Creative, grew out of it.  Michael Adams and I met each other three years ago and within a year we were working together.  In October of last year we formed 1015 Creative, LLC with Damon Brown, bringing together a combined history of over 25 licensed games and 80 years of experience in game design, illustration and product development.  Our new company of successful inventors collaborating together debuted at the 2016 ChiTAG show.  We owe our success to the event and environment you have created." -Eric Foster, Principal at 1015 Creative, LLC.

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“We are not mere creators of trinkets and insignificant baubles and playthings. we are the toymakers, the shamans, the wizards, the blacksmiths, the court jesters and sometimes even the town fool, and what we do – the toys that we create, contribute to the ever-evolving ever-advancing forward motion of the civilized world.” –Bruce Lund