The New Faces of Fun: 5 Toy Innovators to Watch in 2025–2026

Play isn’t what it used to be. With advances in technology, imagination, and cultural mashups, 2025 and 2026 are shaping up to be some of the most exciting years in toy innovation. From AI companions to fresh construction brands that rival long-running giants, here are five companies and toy brands turning heads and inspiring play across ages.

1. The AI Toy Company — bondu (San Francisco, CA, USA)

A bold new startup where artificial intelligence meets childhood wonder, The AI Toy Company captured headlines with its launch of bondu — an emotionally-intelligent companion toy designed to interact with kids in a safe, conversational way. Unlike traditional robots or static dolls, bondu responds, chats, and adapts, aiming to spark curiosity and nurture emotional growth through dialogue and play. This company raised significant seed funding in 2025, highlighting the growing appetite for AI-powered play experiences in the modern toy aisle.

2. Hasbro’s Nano-mals (Global brand)

Not quite a standalone company, but Nano-mals represents one of the most exciting new toy IPs to debut in 2025 — and a brand that could evolve into its own powerhouse. These pocket-sized electronic pets are designed to be interactive, nurturing, and collectible. Each Nano-mal reacts with lights, sounds, and even connects with other figures for shared play experiences. It’s a hybrid of nurture toy and fidget tech — perfect for kids who love sensory play and adorable companions.

3. BLDR by Jazwares

Taking aim at the beloved construction toy category, BLDR is Jazwares’ fresh brand of building sets that mixes creativity with pop culture excitement. Rather than generic bricks, BLDR kits let kids build characters and environments from global favorites like Hello Kitty, Squishmallows, and even anime titles from Crunchyroll like Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen. With detailed articulated figures and themed sets, BLDR is bridging collectible culture and hands-on construction in a way that feels exciting and new.

4. Mattel Brick Shop

Debuting in 2025, Mattel Brick Shop wasn’t just another toy launch — it was Mattel’s official answer to Lego-style building sets. While rooted in a legacy brand, Brick Shop is innovating by focusing on licensed vehicles (initially from Hot Wheels) and modular build systems that invite fans to create custom models and scenes. Think Hot Wheels meets modular brick play — a blend of speed, construction, and customization fans didn’t know they needed.

5. Gubbachhi (Indian toy startup)

Across the globe, fresh voices are emerging in the toy world. India’s Gubbachhi recently secured pre-seed funding from angel investors, highlighting that tech-enabled toy startups aren’t just a Silicon Valley story. While early in its journey, Gubbachhi aims to innovate in design and direct-to-consumer toy experiences, tapping into India’s vast youth market and blending modern play patterns with local creativity and culture. It’s one to watch as global toy innovation becomes increasingly decentralized.

What This Says About Play in 2025–2026

This crop of companies and brands reveals a few big trends in the toy world right now:

• Tech isn’t just for teens anymore — AI and interactive electronics are becoming playtime staples.
• New IPs matter — from Nano-mals to BLDR’s mash-ups with beloved characters, kids want stories as much as stuff.
• Global innovation is growing — startups like Gubbachhi show the next generation of toy brands coming from all corners of the world.

Whether you’re a collector, a parent, or just a kid at heart, this is a powerful peek at what’s next in toys — and it’s playful, surprising, and totally fun.