The competition launched 12 years ago in Europe and premiered in the US in 2021 as part of Licensing Expo Virtual. This year, for the first time, the finale will take place in person in front of a live audience of manufacturers, retailers and brand owners on May 26.

Licensing Expo, which is run in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, is the world’s largest licensing trade show and is taking place in person at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from May 24–26, 2022.

Through its two categories – Character & Animation and Brand & Design – the License This! competition aims to give unlicensed brands from across the globe a welcome leg-up into the world of licensing and consumer products by helping them secure new deals or agent representation.

The competition is free to enter online; the cut-off date is Friday, March 25, and the judges are looking for new, creative concepts that have the potential to be applied across multiple product categories.

Judge Steven Ekstract says: “License This! does a fantastic job of bringing together innovation and opportunity by helping designers, illustrators and animators to succeed in the wonderful world of licensing. The creativity of last year’s License This! entrants was a joy to behold, so I’m really looking forward to viewing this year’s entries and meeting the finalists in person at Licensing Expo for the first time in May.”

Each category winner will receive:

·       A free-of-charge 100 sq ft booth at Licensing Expo 2023, worth $2,500

·       One-year Licensing International membership, worth $1,000 for a small business

·       One-year Products of Change membership, worth up to $450 for a small business

·       One-to-one consultation with the License This! judges

Last year’s winners – Emily Blumenthal and Lindsay Kaye Lippman’s The Charmsters (Character & Animation), Xavier Smith’s Kujifunza Kids (Brand & Design) and Lawrence Canada, The Goodie Jar – will be exhibiting at Licensing Expo.