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Convincing kids to brush their teeth twice a day is an age-old problem. A new company is arguing that the solution might look a lot like Lego. Babsy is a toothbrush company founded by two pediatric dentists and a former Cartoon Network designer who believe that the answer to better oral health for kids comes down to simply making brushing fun. How did they realize this idea? Founders Dante Paolino, Zach Gelber, and Marissa Gelber worked with the New York-based industrial design firm Leadoff Studio to design a cleverly customizable toothbrush inspired by classic toys. It’s currently available online as part of a starter pack, which includes all the components of the toothbrush, plus extra accessories, for $40. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] While other companies have framed pediatric brushing as a tech problem (to be solved through electronic toothbrushes with special jingles or vibration speeds) Babsy argues that getting kids to brush their teeth is actually a design issueone with a very analog solution. Design for behavioral change Teeth brushing can be kind of a drag. What Babsy’s “Build-A-Brush” suggests is that the answer to pediatric tooth brushing isn’t to turn it into a high-tech gadget, but rather to decrease kids’ resistance by giving the brush more interaction and appeal. It’s so hard to get kids to brush their teeth, says Jordan Diatlo, the founder, CEO, and creative director at Leadoff Studio, and a parent to two young kids. You would think, It’s just part of the daily routine, it should be easy, but nothey will resist with everything they’ve got. A lot of times, as a parent, I have to actually sit there and brush inside my kid’s mouth. [Photo: courtesy Leadoff Studio] Diatlo certainly isnt the only parent whos experienced this struggle. He recalls the Babsy founders sharing that parents always ask them the same question during dental visits: What toothbrush should I get my kid? It’s an apt question, because there’s so much choice. The current market for kids’ toothbrushes ranges from electronic brushes inspired by the popular stuffed animal brand Squishmallow to U-shaped brushes designed to make the process more autonomous and biodegradable bamboo brushes. According to a 2024 report from the business consulting firm Grand View Research, the global pediatric oral care market size was estimated at $10.3 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $15.5 billion by 2030. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] The toothbrush category is also expected to grow at the fastest rate between 2025 and 2030 compared to other products like mouthwash and toothpaste, due to “modifications and innovations in toothbrush design, such as the introduction of electric toothbrushes and improvements in the size and quality of bristles.” As companies including Oral-B, Philips Sonicare, and Foreo Issa continue to innovate new products specifically for kids, the market can become a bit confusing for parents. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] The parents are always expecting that they need the latest and greatest vibrating technology, or bristlehead technology, or they need some app to trck their kids’ brushing habits, Diatlo says. But Drs. Paolino and Zach Gelber actually tell their parents that the toothbrushes’ capabilities don’t matter all that muchwhat really counts for overall oral hygiene is actually getting kids to brush their teeth more often. To achieve that goal, the build-a-brush is all about turning a toothbrush from a utilitarian chore tool to a tactile, personalized toy. Design for fun Initially, the build-a-brush concept involved an interchangeable brush, body, and base for kids to choose and play with. Diatlos team took that concept and built on it, pulling inspiration from action figures, wooden block toys, and Lego. [Video: courtesy Leadoff Studio] The final product starts with a simple spiral rod, similar to the basic Lego piece that might hold up the structure. Then, the rest of the toothbrush is divided into five interchangeable parts: one toothbrush head, which is swiveled onto the top of the rod, and four decorative parts, which can be screwed onto the remaining rod in any order. These parts, or “bits” as the company calls them, come in a range of colors and patterns, including pieces with smiling faces, others with 3D feet, some with chunky spiral shapes, and even one that resembles a koala clinging onto the side of the brush. The entire design is built to be interchangeable and easy enough to use that even a child as young as three would have the motor skills to put it together. Design for children’s development We’re really trying to hit these two really developing parts of the child’s brain, Diatlo says. First, the toothbrush plays to kids’ innate desire to build something with their own hands. And, second, it allows for kids to play into their developing sense of individuality by switching the brush based on what they’re into at any given moment, whether that be aliens or fairies. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] A Babsy starter pack includes a spiral rod, six bits, and two brush heads. The brand also launched with four $10 expansion packs, each of which come with three additional bits. All of the toothbrushs components are made of 100% recycled polypropylene plastic, which Diatlo says has a soft feel with enough durability for a kids’ product. This is the most rewarding product that we’ve ever launched, Diatlo says. Ive just been watching Babsys Instagram stories of kids opening up their toothbrushes, and there are some where a little kid opens it, and it looks like Christmas morning, they’re so excited. That just makes your heart melt, but also, the fact that we made a toothbrush that is getting kids this excited is an absolute victory.
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E-Commerce
Shares of U.S. technology companies slipped on Monday after President Donald Trump unveiled steep new visa fees as part of his immigration crackdown, raising concerns over higher labor costs and tighter access to skilled workers. The Trump administration said on Friday it would ask companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B working visas, prompting some big tech companies and banks to warn employees to stay in the U.S. or quickly return. Analysts said the impact should be moderate, given that the fees apply only to new applications, but warned that a constrained supply of skilled workers in the U.S. may push wages higher and squeeze margins. Companies including Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Goldman Sachs were among those that sent urgent emails to their employees with travel advisories. Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions, JP Morgan and Intel, which rank among the biggest sponsors of H-1B visas, were down between 1.2% and 1.6% in premarket trading. “The H1B fee will constrain talent supply in the U.S., which in turn will drive up demand for locals or green card holders. IT firms will have to pay these employees more or risk losing them,” Jefferies analysts said in a note. “The talent supply crunch will drive up onsite wages, which could drag profits by 4-13%.” Indian IT workers make up the bulk of H-1B applicants, and while Indian IT companies have long benefited from U.S. work visa programs, they now face the prospect of higher costs and slower revenue growth. Indian IT stocks slid on Monday, with the tech sub-index dropping nearly 3% and dragging the broader Nifty 50 index down. “We believe this will essentially shut out new H-1B visas except in extreme cases for Indian IT companies, as USD100K increment is nearly double their median salaries and doesn’t make economic sense,” Ambit Capital analysts said. Samuel Indyk and Akash Sriram, Reuters
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E-Commerce
A summer night at Surf LodgeMontauk, New York’s famed music venue and it-girl hotspotlooked like any other in July. Hundreds of Hamptons-goers were sipping drinks and dancing at the waterfront venue to blaring DJ sets, trying to catch the perfect Instagram shot. But with Gen Z crowding the dance floor lately, the drinking scene has started to shift. Nights have been wrapping a little earlier, drinks are more slowly paced out, or even swapped out for nonalcoholic options. “Gen Z is interesting because they still celebrate and they have fun. It’s just a new balance and a new way of approaching drinking,” says Jayma Cardoso, Surf Lodge’s owner and hospitality mogul, whose other ventures include New York City’s Goldbar and the Surf Lodge winter spinoff the Snow Lodge in Aspen. With over 20 years in the business, Cardoso has seen nightlife evolve, constantly adapting and innovating to keep her venues relevant to new generations. And, despite headlines calling Gen Z the “sober generation,” new research shows they’re not ditching alcohol entirely. As a Gen Z consumer myself, I find sweeping statements on whether my generation drinks or doesn’t often oversimplified or stuck in time. In fact, our drinking habits are more nuanced. My peers often choose to drink less, not abstain entirely. And yessome even drink more than they should. A recent study from IWSR, an alcohol market data company, found that alcohol participation levels have risen among the youngest legal-drinking-age consumers, with 70% of Gen Z in the United States saying they’d consumed alcohol in the last six months, compared to just 46% in 2023. And while Gen Z’s drinking habits are finally catching up with those of previous generations, young drinkers are reshaping what drinking and socializing looks like. Moderation is in, and so are new ways of socializing “We’re not talking about a sober movement,” Cardoso says. “It’s that if they drink, they drink, but they choose wisely how to drink, and their intake of how much [of] it goes to their body.” As Gen Z drinks more consciously, nonalcoholic beverage brands are tapping into the movementappealing not just to the sober or sober-curious, but also to those looking to pace their alcohol intake. “Instead of drinking alcohol continuously, what I saw were people were switching off,” says Ben Witte, CEO and founder of zero-proof functional beverage brand Recess. He launched the brand in 2018 as an alternative to managing stress and improving mental wellness, beyond what traditional drinks like alcohol could offer. Back then, he noticed consumers having “in between drinks,” like a beer, to pace out hard liquor. Now available at various music venues and bars, including Surf Lodge, Recess serves as a zero-proof alternative to the ritual, positioning itself in the moderation market. And still, some might opt out of drinking in favor of a new buzz. “There are more options compared to other generations when they were that age. Cannabis is legal in many states across the country, so now it’s not always about just getting drunk,” says Darren Seifer, industry analyst for Circana. “There’s just a few more options that are available to Gen Zs that are chipping away at what they do when they’re out having fun.” And the roads leading toward a buzz are already paved, with cannabis entering the beverage world. While not as widely available as functional beveragesdrinks that include an added “function” such as stress relief from herbscannabis drinks are beginning to carve out a role in socializing. “If you think about the thousands of years of human history, we socialize over beverages,” Jake Bullock, cofounder and CEO of Cann, a cannabis-infused drink company, says. He initially launched his brand as an alternative to alcohol to avoid hangovers, but wanted a way to retain the buzz. “Not only are you doing the original goal of drinking less booze, but you’re now also getting another factor,” he says. “It is another experience that’s slightly changing with the way you perceive the world around you and is going to make you a little bit more social.” Money talksand so does health While Gen Z has become the poster child of moderate drinking, the trend crosses the age gap, with older generations reducing their alcohol intake as well. A recent Gallup report shows that the drinking rate in the U.S. has fallen to its lowest point in 90 years, with only 54% of adults saying they consume alcohol. And while the decision to set alcohol aside varies, both rising costs in an uncertain economic climate and a wave of health consciousness are pushing people away from the bar. “The downward trend has accelerated,” Seifer says. “A lot of it is driven by pricing. And volume-wise, it’s been down in the last few years.” In addition to pricing decisionswhere consumers are opting to spend their money elsewherethe popularity of health consciousness is also reshaping habits. “Since the [Trump] administration came in in January and we heard about ‘Make America Healthy Again,’ there’s been an uptick in people saying they’re trying to avoid artificial colors, GMOs, artificial sweeteners. So there seems to be this renewed focus on purity these days,” Seifer says. “And when you think about what’s pure, it could be inferred that alcohol might not be a pure item.” For instance, at Snow Lodge, Cardoso first introduced zero-proof cocktails due to wellness, a decision that has traveled to Surf Lodge, where consumers can now get a bucket of Recess over a bucket of beers. “[Consumers] are looking at, ‘What are my options, and where am I going to spend my hard-working money?'” Cardoso adds. “Maybe it is, ‘I’m going to dance the night away, have the time of my lifebut I’m also going to go home earlier so that I can do my wellness tomorrow.'” So whether it’s for saving money or for waking up ready to go the next morning, moderation is trendier than ever, and Gen Z is leading the way.
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E-Commerce
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