The toy industry is one with easier entry for inventors than many other industries. Because the industry is so idea-centric, it’s often possible to show ideas without a patent requirement. Board, mechanical/electronic, and card games are relatively simple to prototype and present. Mary Ellroy of Gamebird LLC shares with our listeners the basics of game inventing. what is industry is looking for, how to create a prototype, and how to approach the toy industry.
Mary Ellroy, in the toy business since 1990, is an inventor of toys and games and an agent for toy and game inventors.. She comes to toy invention with a corporate marketing background. She received an MBA from the Boston College School of Management (now the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.) Her creative accomplishments in consumer marketing inspired her to turn that creativity to toys and games.
Her games have won multiple awards. Although a prolific speculative inventor, her marketing background places her high on the list as a “games-on-demand” contract inventor for various licenses and theme-specific concepts. As well, she has a commercial understanding of markets and products which takes her beyond the “fun” of toys to the “business” of toys.
Mary serves on the Board of the Yankee Invention Expo, an international forum for inventors. She is President Emeritus of the Inventors Association of Connecticut, one of the oldest and largest inventor organizations in the country, and she has served on the board of Women in Toys.
