Ronnen Harary

Spin Master Toys

Harary and Rabie first teamed up in university, forming Campus Faces, a company that made a profit selling advertising along the side of posters.[6] In 1994, soon after graduating from university, they founded Spin Master, and were joined by Ben Varadi, a former classmate of Anton's. With an initial investment of $10,000 each, they were able to launch their first product, the Earth Buddy: a nylon-stocking-covered head of sawdust, topped with grass seeds, which grew to emulate hair. Earth Buddy generated $1.5 million in sales within the first six months of business launch and springboarded Spin Master into the toy industry.[6][9][10]

Following the success of Earth Buddy, the founders introduced a number of successful toys into the market, including Devil Sticks, in 1995, and Air Hogs, in 1998. The Air Hogs Sky Shark put Spin Master became one of the most popular toys in the world.[9]

From 2002 to 2007, Spin Master expanded its international footprint, establishing sales and distribution offices across western Europe. The company also opened a marketing and design hub in Los Angeles, which allowed the company to access local toy design, marketing and engineering talent. During this time, Spin Master made its first significant acquisition, acquiring X-Concepts, Inc., maker of Tech Deck. Spin Master's growth allowed the company to expand its licensing capabilities and relationships with major entertainment companies.[11]

One of Spin Master’s most successful toy lines, Bakugan, was launched in 2007. Working with Sega, TMS, Japan Vistec, Corus Entertainment, and Nelvana. It was successful because a revenue sharing model was instituted that the company continues to use.[12]

Harary was one of the co-creators of Paw Patrol, a TV series and toy line created in 2010.[13]

Through a number of major acquisitions, Spin Master has become a steward of several legacy toy brands. In 2013, Spin Master acquired the Erector Set by Meccano, a line of model construction sets.[14] In 2015, Spin Master acquired Cardinal Industries, a 60-year-old game and puzzles company, making Spin Master the second largest games company in the U.S. That same year, Spin Master made its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange.[15]

The company continued to diversify its product offering over the next several years with new acquisitions, including the purchase of Etch A Sketch as well as water and outdoor sports company Swimways Corporation, in 2016, and of 120-year old premium plush toy brand GUND, in 2018.[16] In 2022, Spin Master acquired Rubik’s Brand Ltd., owner of one of the best-selling toys of all time, Rubik’s Cube.[17]

Spin Master Digital Games

In 2016, as children’s play patterns were shifting to the digital world, Spin Master purchased digital game and mobile app developers Toca Boca and Sago Mini from the Bonnier Group of Sweden, which expanded the presence of its Digital Games creative centre.[18]

Spin Master Ventures

Ronnen Harary and Anton Rabie established Spin Master Ventures (SMV) to help keep pace with innovation in the children’s entertainment space. The focus of SMV is to facilitate growth in each of the company's three creative centers: Toys, Entertainment and Digital Games. Its intention is to establish Spin Master as a partner of choice for entrepreneurs looking for capital, while also bolstering the company’s product development pipeline.[19]

Spin Master Entertainment

Ronnen Harary led the development of several programming and entertainment franchises for children, including PAW Patrol, Bakugan, Rusty Rivets, and Mighty Express, as well as more multiplatform entertainment series, which are available in more than 170 countries. The popularity of the series worldwide is attributed to the fact that they transcend cultural boundaries, with universal characters and storylines that have travelled the globe.[20]

In August 2021, PAW Patrol: The Movie, Spin Master’s first foray into feature film, was released in theatres.[21] In November 2021, Spin Master announced that the sequel - PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, is set for a theatrical release on October 13, 2023.[22] Ronnen Harary served as Executive Producer for both films.

Harary also served as Executive Producer for over 10 TV series, including PAW Patrol, Rusty Rivets, Super Dinosaur, and Bakugan Battle Brawlers.[23]

Spin Master

Spin Master Innovation Fund

Every year, since 2010, Spin Master has teamed up with Futurpreneur Canada to support innovative young entrepreneurs through the Spin Master Innovation Fund. This program annually supports up to 10 businesses, awarding them each $50,000 in start-up financing, a hand-matched mentor, and a trip to the Spin Master head office in Toronto to attend a two-day Innovation Launch Pad Workshop, with access to senior Spin Master executives.[39][40][41]

The Toy Movement

In 2014, Ronnen Harary co-founded The Toy Movement, a Spin Master-led, global initiative that (as of 2022), has provided over 850,000 toys to displaced and disadvantaged children in impoverished countries around the world. [42] [43][44][45]

Toy Invention Program

In 2019, Ronnen Harary spearheaded the launch of the Toy Invention Program (T.I.P.), a program designed to encourage future generations of toy inventors. T.I.P offers students the opportunity to get professional toy invention training through various universities’ departments of continuing education, in collaboration with Spin Master. The T.I.P. was originally offered as a one-year program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).[46] It is modeled off a similar collaboration between Spin Master and Israel’s Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art.[47] The T.I.P. has since expanded to Kingston University in London, England,[48][49] and to Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan.[50]

Other

Spin Master donates toys to a number of charitable organizations that focus on children in need.[51][52][53][54][55][56]

Spin Master invests in hundreds of charitable organizations and educational programs in over 18 countries, to help children and youth learn through play. In 2021, the company made $1.95M USD in cash donations.[56]

In 2020, Spin Master launched three strategic partnerships with organizations that share its vision: The Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), The Learning Partnership, and Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada.[56]

Personal philanthropy

Since 2013, Ronnen has raised funds for Save a Child's Heart through annual exhibitions of his photography.[57][58]

In 2017, Ronnen Harary and Anton Rabie made a donation to help improve the facilities at their childhood camp, Camp Northland-B'nai Brith.[59]

Ronnen Harary is a benefactor of the Naggar School of Art and Society in Jerusalem, where a campus was named after him.[60]

Ronnen Harary Foundation

The Ronnen Harary Foundation was established in 2020. It has two main objectives: first, to support the development and beautification of public spaces in Jerusalem and Toronto; and second, to help young people with learning disabilities reach their full academic potential. The foundation's most recent project, Full Potential Scholarship, supports Canadian students with learning challenges in their pursuit of post-secondary education in Ontario.[61]

TV series

Films