Licensing International Announces 2024 Accelerator Program Participants

Licensing International has announced the seven companies selected to participate in the 2024 Accelerator Program.

This year’s participants are:

• Beautiful Curly Me Beautiful Curly Me is on a mission to inspire the next generation of confident girl leaders through toys and empowering content. Founded by a seven-year-old girl after she overcame self-esteem challenges, the company has a line of diverse dolls, empowering books, and puzzles. For every doll purchased on beautifulcurlyme.com, a doll is donated. Zoe, now 12, runs the company alongside her mom Evana, as CEO. She is a published author, a Time & Nickelodeon Kid of the Year finalist, and the youngest Black TEDx speaker.
• Black Paper Party Black owned, woman-founded Black Paper Party was born out of a love of Black culture and recognition that the Black family experience is underrepresented during the holidays. The team combines 15 years of corporate retail experience in design, planning, buying, product development, and sourcing, with award-winning illustrations to design, manufacture, and license culturally relevant seasonal products. Black Paper Party’s commitment is to provide trend relevant, high-quality products that provide authentic representation for all holidays and occasions.
• Blank Tag Co Blank Tag Co, the cutest stickers ever. After starting the collectible sticker company in 2017, The Blank Tag team decided to enter the licensing space in 2023. Since then, it has partnered with companies like WildBrain, Paramount, Sesame Workshop, and Hasbro, launching multiple licensed sticker collections featuring some of the most loved properties in pop culture. Moving forward, Blank Tag Co is excited to continue learning more about the licensing industry and discover additional opportunities for growth.
• EPIC Everyday Bridging community, culture, and creativity in an epic way, EPIC Everyday is a visual affirmation brand that fills a void to reflect, represent, and inspire diversity. Its school, home, and travel collection of products are uniquely created for children, from newborn to 10 years old. EPIC Everyday empowers kids with versatile accessories, apparel, and home goods. Vibrant, joy-centric character designs cultivate confidence and serve as fun, functional, and fashionable essentials. The team instills a sense of self-love in children to help them feel empowered, positive, innovative, and creative.
• Hustle & Hope Founded by Ashley Sutton, Hustle & Hope is the first 2-in-1 motivational greeting card company to embed free digital guides with every card, helping people get inspired in their mindset, spirit, and career. Simply grab a card, scan the QR code on the back, and download your freebie. Hustle & Hope is a certified minority- and woman-owned business. Ashley is an alum of the Target Accelerators program, was named one of Ally Bank’s women entrepreneurs Daring to Disrupt, and is a 2023 Black Entrepreneur’s Day grant recipient.
• IGL Nails IGL Nails is working to bring customers’ favorite characters, entertainment titles, sports logos, and celebrities to their fingertips through nail-bed size inclusive press-on nails. The team is working to learn the ins and outs of licensing and apply that knowledge to the brand. The licensing education and mentorship received through Licensing International’s accelerator program will help set IGL Nails on a path for success through brand licensing.
• Little Rebels Little Rebels is where imagination meets inspiration. The award-winning plush doll collection celebrates the pioneering spirit of iconic women like Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Mary Jackson, and Malala Yousafzai, bringing their stories to life through interactive experiences in an innovative app. Little Rebels ignites curiosity and empowers young minds to dream, learn, and explore the extraordinary legacies of history’s trailblazing women.

“The Accelerator Program is an important part of our work to support the global brand licensing community as it builds diverse and inclusive workplaces,” says Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “Licensing International is committed to providing resources to the industry as it works to attract, develop, and retain the best and brightest from all backgrounds.”

Each participating company will receive benefits valued at more than $100,000. These benefits include monthly mentoring meetings with industry leaders as well as a one-year Licensing International membership that includes consultation services, networking resources, access to exclusive research, and business savings. Additionally, participating companies will be enrolled in Licensing International’s Coursework in Licensing Studies, an in-depth study of the business of licensing and the industry’s only training ground to become a Qualified Licensing Practitioner (QLP).

The Accelerator Program is sponsored by the NBPA, the NFLPA, Paramount Consumer Products & Experiences, and Sony Pictures.