BOLOGNA — The winners of the Bologna Licensing Awards for international licensors/agencies, licensees, and retailers have been announced. Now in their eighth year, the Awards are an integral part of the 18th Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/K), the only fair dedicated to children’s and young adult brands, held within the 62nd Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF).

This year’s Awards featured 14 categories, including the newly introduced Best Licensed Videogame Project, and attracted over 250 applications from all over the word. 

A distinguished panel of five jurors convened to select the finalists and winners of this edition:

Karin Ebnet (Journalist and Editor at Toy Store), Michelle Perez Barruos (General Manager of Feenix Studio), Ian Hyder (CEO of Max Publishing), Helena Mansell-Stopher (CEO and Founder of Products of Change); and Marina Narishkin (IP Management and Strategy Expert, with over 20 years of experience).

Here’s the outstanding winners of this 2025 edition:

BEST PRESCHOOL LICENSING PROJECT

Story Toys with Sesame Workshop for the children’s video game Sesame Street Mecha Builders

BEST KIDS LICENSING PROJECT

Starbright Licensing with Scopely Inc. for the Stumble Guys MonsterFlex project, developed by Diramix

BEST TEEN LICENSING PROJECT

Sanrio with the My Melody brand for the My Melody x Lazy Oaf project, realised by Lazy Oaf

BEST YOUNG ADULTS LICENSING PROJECTS

WildBrain CPLG with Hasbro for the Octopus x Dungeons and Dragons project, realised by Youth Srl

BEST RETAIL PROJECT

Sanrio with the Hello Kitty brand for the Primark x Hello Kitty project, by Hello Kitty

BEST FASHION PROJECT – KIDS

Peyo Company with the Smurfs brand for the Smurfs x Emporio Armani project, curated by Emporio Armani

BEST FASHION PROJECT – TEEN/YOUNG ADULTS

Sanrio with the brand Hello Kitty for the project péro  Hello Kitty capsule collection, realised by péro

BEST LICENSED PUBLISHING PROJECT

Maurizio Distefano Licensing with BBC for the Bluey licensed publishing project, by Fabbri Editori, part of the Mondadori Group

BEST LICENSED TOY PROJECT

Lisciani Giochi with Disney for the Inside Out 2 – Il Gioco delle Emozioni project

BEST LICENSED SUSTAINABLE PROJECT

Maurizio Distefano Licensing with BBC for the Bluey Eco Puzzle project, by Lisciani Giochi

BEST LICENSED VIDEOGAMES PROJECT

Miraculous Corp for the project Miraculous RP: Quests of Ladybug and Cat Noir, realised by Toya

BEST LICENSED PROMOTION/LOYALTY CAMPAIGN

WildBrain CPLG with Hasbro for the Nostromo x Monopoly project, realised by Nostromo (Nauterra)/Globe Trade

BEST LICENSED KIOSK PRODUCT

WildBrain CPLG with Sega for the project Cocoricoò x Sonic Modern, realised by Cocoricò

PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Sanrio with Hello Kitty