LOS ANGELES, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2025 Baby Innovation Awards, an independent recognition platform highlighting the most innovative companies, services, and products in the highly competitive baby care industry, today announced that The Happy Start, founded by two dads to sell products designed and approved by pediatric experts, has won “Early Development Toy Product of the Year” in their 5th annual awards program.

The Happy Start offers baby products designed to support an infant's early development and have been created with pediatric experts. The products are trusted by clinics, daycares, and hospitals. The company’s vision development cards have been developed for early learning and the easy-to-hold cards feature 23 high-contrast images and four low-contrast images, making them ideal for supporting early visual and cognitive growth in infants. Fitting easily into a diaper bag or purse, the product uniquely accommodates preterm babies while on the go. Offered in eight language pairs including Arabic, Chinese, French, and more, the cards serve diverse communities. Its adaptable, detachable ring design meets varied developmental needs.

The company also offers high-contrast board books that feature 14 bold, high-contrast images, including black and white images along with the first colors infants see, making them ideal for supporting early visual and cognitive growth in infants. High Contrast Soft Books feature 12 bold, high-contrast images, and squeaking and crinkling sounds to engage the senses. A baby-safe mirror is included for self-discovery. The company is currently developing Stacker toys to help infants develop important sensory, fine motor, and problem-solving skills.

All products and packaging are made with less plastic and FSC Certified Materials. The Happy Start is proud to donate its vision development cards each year to clinics, hospitals, non-profits, and families in need.

“Growing up in working-class Ohio families, we witnessed firsthand how hard our parents worked to provide us with resources and opportunities they never had. This shaped our values of hard work, giving back, and creating a positive impact in the community,” said Jerry Tsai, co-founder, of The Happy Start. “It’s why we established our Donation Pledge, committing to donate 10% or more of our annual unit sales to organizations supporting children and families. We’re honored to receive this recognition from Baby Innovation and look forward to working with our world-class pediatricians to deliver more products that spark infant development.”

As consumers become more discerning and demanding, parents are looking to balance the health and development of their infants with their busy lifestyles. Emerging trends such as organic and natural products, personalized baby care, innovation in baby food, E-commerce and Direct-to-Consumer options are just some of the trends emerging in this rapidly expanding market. Companies are responding to these evolving demands by developing new products and the Baby Care market is projected to reach over 19 billion by 2030. The Baby Innovation Awards dives deep through a large set of categories within this increasingly competitive market, helping innovative products and companies stand out in this crowded market.

“The Happy Start distinguishes itself by blending affordability with accessibility and inclusivity. With their limited visual acuity, newborns see the world in shades of gray, creating a preference for bold contrasts. High-contrast images capture a baby's attention and encourage visual exploration and serve as a valuable tool for visual and cognitive development,” said Travis Grant, Managing Director of Baby Innovation Awards. “Most high-contrast products are only suited for full-term infants. The Happy Start’s vision development cards emphasize the importance of early sensory experiences. Designed and approved by a pediatric expert for on-the-go learning, this product is unlike anything else on the market. Congratulations on winning ‘Early Development Toy Product of the Year!’”

The focus of the Independent Innovation Awards is on recognizing the leaders in the most competitive categories of the Baby Care market, ranging from Bath & Diapers, Health Products, Nursing & Feeding, Clothes, Toys & Learning, Car Seats, Strollers and Nursery. This year’s program attracted thousands of nominations from around the world.

About Baby Innovation Awards
Part of Independent Innovation Awards organization, a global market intelligence and recognition program within the most competitive consumer categories, The Baby Innovation Awards honors the most outstanding and innovative companies, services, and products within the rapidly expanding Baby care industry. The Baby Innovation Awards provides public recognition for the achievements of baby care industry companies and products including Baby Clothes, Nursing and Feeding, Toys and Learning, Nursery, Strollers and more. For more information visit: https://babyinnovationawards.com.

About The Happy Start
Our mission is to help parents and caregivers build brighter futures for their children or for those children they are caring for through affordable, accessible, and accommodating toys designed and approved by pediatric experts. We also want to give back to our community through our annual donation pledge, supporting families and communities in need.

Media Contact:
Travis Grant
Baby Innovation Awards
travis@independentinnovationawards.com
949.667.4475