By Sibylle Dorndorf
As children, they threw paper aeroplanes, water bombs and snowballs. As adults, Nicolas and Gaëtan invented Tossit. Right in the middle of the pandemic when they were stuck at home. Out of frustration over the umpteenth lockdown. “We couldn’t see our friends; and after a while, our family got on our nerves. Maybe that’s why we decided to make a silicon dart which, since we were all stuck at home, also stuck.” Whatever. One thing is certain: the two have hit the jackpot with their invention.

Elena, Customer Care, about the uniqueness of the product

“Tossit is a mix of skill, strategy and fun. It combines elements from the games of darts and boccia, boules, petanque and mölkky and can be played both indoors and out. The darts with the soft but strong suction cup stick on smooth surfaces, ensuring a safe playing experience – ideal for families, children, schools and even in physiotherapy.”

No matter how old you are, few things are more exciting than a dart landing right on target. The sound it makes when it lands is like a drug. Adrenaline rushes into our body. We’re winners – even if only for a brief moment. That’s more or less what it feels like when you throw a Tossit. It’s an incomparable feeling – one that can be repeated at any time, since you can play Tossit anywhere. It’s inexpensive and everyone can join in, because the game is child’s play. Even if a throw misses, it’s times like these that bring back childhood memories. And if your dart lands on target, you fleetingly feel like a winner.

Baam! – der Wurf sitzt

Es gibt kaum etwas Aufregenderes als einen Wurf genau ins Ziel zu bringen, egal, wie alt man ist. Wenn es Baam! macht, ist das wie eine Droge. Adrenalin wird durch unseren Körper gepumpt. Wir sind Sieger, wenn auch nur für einen kurzen Moment. So ähnlich fühlt es sich an, wenn man ein Tossit wirft. Es ist ein unvergleichliches Gefühl – und jederzeit wiederholbar. Tossit kann man überall spielen. Es ist preiswert, jeder kann mitmachen, weil jeder von Kind an das Spiel beherrscht. Selbst wenn ein Wurf daneben geht, sind es Ereignisse wie diese, die die Kindheit zurückbringen. Und wer einen Treffer landet, ist für einen kurzen Moment der Sieger. 

Gaëtan, CEO about Tossit’s corporate philosophy

“We set great store on creating a game that unites people of all age groups. Our mission is to combine play and fun with sustainable, high-quality materials. All of our products are made of food grade silicone, with no plastic and are dishwasher-safe  – proof of our efforts to focus on eco-friendliness and durability.”
Before Nicolas and Gaëtan could play with family or friends, they developed a prototype. Just one? The test phase lasted for 12 months. Designing, adjusting, testing…in an almost endless cycle. And finally – the dart flew. Just toss it! The simple but revolutionary game embarked on an unrivalled triumphal march: Tossit debuted at the Furet du Nord bookshop in Lille, France, on 6 May 2023; it landed in its first London shop in August 2024 – @chalkboard.biz; and conquered the hearts of German children and parents at SPIEL Essen in 2024.

Jenny, Country Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, about plans for the future

“We want to position Tossit even more on the international market and reach new target groups through partnerships with schools, hotels and leisure facilities. At the same time, we’re going to carry on expanding our position as an innovative market leader in the toy sector.”

Milestones and markets

The SPIEL trade fair in Essen was the initial spark that vindicated and encouraged the young entrepreneurs. With teams from the USA, Japan and Australia, they started touring through Europe. Gaëtan and Nicolas recognised the huge potential of their idea after the first few decisive steps. This tour wasn’t just about increasing public awareness of Tossit, but also about establishing new contacts and extending the global (retailer) network even more.

Rémy, Marketing, on target groups and versatility

“Our darts are designed to be used not just for entertainment but for education and therapeutic purposes, too. In schools, they help children develop their motor skills; in clinics, they help people with their physiotherapy. With nine different ways of playing the game, Tossit is a genuine all-rounder that can be adapted to suit every target group.”

With its easy but fascinating game principle, Tossit is more than just an entertaining alternative to the ever-growing digital overkill, which is pushing people’s appreciation for the analogue further and further into the background. It’s a fantastic toy that promotes hand-to-eye coordination, motor skills and concentration and is suitable for children from the age of 3. Even for therapeutic purposes, in hospitals, rehab centres and with physiotherapists, Tossit provides patients with invaluable support. 

Delivery capability and storage capacity

So that they could do justice to growing demand and new partnerships, especially with Decathlon across all of Europe, the young entrepreneurs decided, back in the summer of 2024, to increase production capacity in Turkey fivefold and to invest in their own warehouse in Istanbul. This strategic step improved the firm’s ability to meet the ever-increasing demand. They were easily able to cope with sales volume towards the end of the year.

Nicolas, CEO, on sustainability

“We’re proud of the fact that our game was developed in France and is now being produced with care in Turkey for the European market. We’re working on introducing a recycling scheme for our silicone darts to promote the circular economy. Sustainability isn’t just an aspect of our business but a mainstay of our philosophy.” 

Silicone recycling initiative

The world is facing ever greater ecological challenges. That’s why the company aims to achieve a prominent position in this field, too, that is to say to take a leading role in the recycling of silicone – not just for the firm’s own products but for all silicone articles that consumers no longer want or need. In partnership with Silcap, the intention is to create a circular economy for silicon materials in Europe.

Assuming responsibility

The firm’s success is not only down to developing a fantastic game, but also because they are willing to shoulder responsibility for future generations. Because, these days, sustainable company management is a key factor for financial success. Whoever takes on ecological responsibility and incorporates social as well as economic aspects into the corporate strategy, strengthens the brand essence and engenders trust among customers and employees alike.

The closing words of Gaëtan, CEO of Tossit

“Doing something better every day; applying common sense into everything you do in order to carry on living, have fun and to consume more responsibly. These small things demand little energy; we just need to do them as often as possible together.”

About the author Sibylle Dorndorf
Sibylle Dorndorf has been covering the toy industry for almost 30 years. The journalist last worked as the editor-in-chief at the TOYS family of magazines of the Göller Verlag publishing house from Baden-Baden, Germany. Her passion: Companies that reinvent themselves; brands that credibly position themselves; people who have something to say; and products with a future.