Roominate™ Takes The Spotlight At 2015 American International Toy Fair With Industry Honor And rPower Debut
Toy Company Receives Recognition from Women in Toys And Unveils 2015 Toy Portfolio
NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Roominate™, the California-based toy company known for their line of customizable, STEM inspired, wired building kits, is kicking off their appearance at the 112th American International Toy Fair in New York City with tremendous success. The company received a win at the Women in Toys (WIT) 11th annual Wonder Women Awards on Sunday while debuting their new line of Bluetooth-enabled modular building toys, the first of its kind, at the trade show.
Co-founders, Alice Brooks and Bettina Chen, were recognized as Rising Stars by their peers in WIT for their success in rapidly growing the Roominate brand internationally over the past two years.
"Receiving a coveted accolade like the WIT Rising Star award signifies that industry leaders recognize the play value and innovation we have incorporated into Roominate," said Bettina Chen, co-founder of Roominate. "We are thrilled to see that our mission of empowering the next generation of innovators is resonating with key players in our industry."
Roominate's momentum at Toy Fair began on Saturday with the debut of its new line of modular building toys 'rPower,' which utilizes Bluetooth technology so girls as young as 6 years old can program and control their creations remotely through a new Roominate app. Inspiring builders will be able to turn motors, lights and buzzers on and off, adjust the speed and direction of motors, and set lights to blink at varying intervals, thanks to building pieces that are integrated with sensors and other circuit components. In addition to programing and controlling Roominate creations, girls will also be able to engage in guided adventures and upload pictures of their builds to interact with the online 'Roominator' community using the app. Whether girls build and program a Ferris Wheel to light up when the lights go off in their bedroom or drive their Roominate School Bus to the two-story school they have built, rPower will give them the tools they need to bring the ideas from their imaginations to life.
"In a world where kids are introduced to technology at a young age, we knew it was crucial to provide a digital aspect to the brand," said Alice Brooks, co-founder of Roominate. "The Bluetooth technology in our rPower-enabled products seamlessly complements Roominate's play pattern of building, wiring and designing by empowering girls to tap into their creative sides and incorporate today's technology into their playtime, enhancing their Roominate designs in a way like never before."
"This is the first modular building toy that is Bluetooth enabled," added Roominate co-founder, Bettina Chen. "We're so excited to be the first to bring this type of technology to young girls and look forward to further inspiring the next generation of innovators and offering them new ways to experience our brand."
The rPower product line up includes an Amusement Park, School, Townhouse, RV and School Bus. The innovative combination of physical play and technology is sure to provide girls with an infinite amount of possibilities for open-ended and hands-on learning.
Roominate's WIT recognition and new product launch follows a very successful 2014. In the past year, Alice and Bettina sunk their teeth into a deal on Shark Tank with Mark Cuban, expanded internationally into over 4,000 retailer locations in the U.S. and Canada, and recently secured a deal with a distribution company in Australia. This past holiday season, Roominate landed the number one spot on TIME Magazine's Top 10 Toys of 2014, and most recently, Alice Brooks was named to Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 list. With a long list of achievements already under their belt, 2015 looks to be a promising year for Roominate.
Ranging in price from $19.99 - $99.99, Roominate kits are currently available at Toys"R"Us and other major and specialty retailers nationwide, with the rPower-enabled building kits and app becoming available this summer. For more information on Roominate, please visit www.roominatetoy.com.
About Roominate
Roominate™ is a California-based toy company that aims to inspire the next generation of innovators through a line of customizable building systems with modular pieces, working motor and light circuits that allow girls to create original and unique structures. Roominate was founded in 2012 by two female engineers out of Caltech, MIT, and Stanford with a mission to encourage girls to have fun with STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. In 2014, Roominate expanded its product line with several new kits, including the Roominate Chateau and Studio, which feature new building pieces for expanded creative building possibilities. Most recently, Roominate was named a 2014 TOTY finalist by the Toy Industry Association and received a 2014 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. Visit www.roominatetoy.com for more information.
To view the Toy Fair press kit, please visit https://www.virtualpressoffice.com/kit/t5t0.
SOURCE Roominate
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