The Licensing Challenge is Officially Open

and MIPJunior have announced plans for the eighth annual Licensing Challenge competition designed to showcase the kids' TV property with the greatest licensing and merchandising potential.

An international jury of licensing executives, which will be announced shortly, will select a winner during the MIPJunior show on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Hotel Martinez in Cannes. Six finalists, which will be chosen from preliminary entrants, will have the opportunity to pitch their properties live on stage directly to key licensing executives.

Tony Lisanti, global editorial director of

License! Global,

will moderate the Licensing Challenge again this year.

The winner will be offered a one-on-one consultation from one of the top licensing executives in the industry, as well as editorial coverage in License! Global magazine and MIPJunior show dailies.

Last year's winner was Korea-based ROI Visual's "Robocar Poli," an HD-animated series (52x11) featuring a "super transforming" robocar rescue

Other finalists included "Earth to Luna" from TV PinGuim (Brazil); "Melody Street" from Melody Street LLC (U.S.); "Canimals" from Aardman Animation (U.K.); Vooz Club (Korea) and BRB International-Screen 21 (Spain); "Dibidogs" from FutureCode (Finland); and "1001 Nights" from Big Bad Boo (Canada).

For more information and to enter a submission, visit

http://www.mipworld.com/en/mipjunior/conferences-and-events/licensing-challenge/

.