LEGO’s She Built That Campaign Partners with TIME to Honor Global Young Leaders Redefining Innovation

LEGO’s She Built That Campaign Partners with TIME to Honor Global Young Leaders Redefining Innovation

(IN BRIEF) LEGO Group and TIME have partnered to launch the first-ever Girls of the Year list, celebrating 10 extraordinary young leaders aged 12 to 17 who are driving change and inspiring their communities across the globe. Part of LEGO’s She Built That campaign, the initiative challenges gender stereotypes and encourages girls to see themselves as innovators. Honorees include advocates, athletes, scientists, and engineers whose achievements are depicted in an animated TIME cover featuring them as LEGO Minifigures. The project also builds on research revealing that girls often lack visible role models in building and innovation. By spotlighting these changemakers, LEGO and TIME aim to inspire the next generation of female leaders.

(PRESS RELEASE) BILLUND, 15-Aog-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — LEGO Group, in collaboration with TIME, has unveiled the first-ever Girls of the Year list, honoring 10 exceptional young leaders aged 12 to 17 who are transforming their communities and inspiring people worldwide. This initiative is part of LEGO’s She Built That campaign, which aims to challenge gender stereotypes and empower girls to see themselves as builders and innovators.

The honorees represent diverse fields and global achievements: Rutendo Shadaya, 17, advocates for young authors in New Zealand; Coco Yoshizawa, 15, is an Olympic gold medalist from Japan; Valerie Chiu, 15, champions science education in China; Zoé Clauzure, 15, is an anti-bullying advocate in France; Clara Proksch, 12, advances child safety in Germany; Ivanna Richards, 17, breaks barriers in motorsport in Mexico; Kornelia Wieczorek, 17, is a biotech innovator in Poland; Defne Özcan, 17, is a pioneering pilot in Turkey; Rebecca Young, 12, engineers solutions to homelessness in the UK; and Naomi S. DeBerry, 12, is an organ donation advocate and children’s book author in the US.

Julia Goldin, LEGO Group Chief Product & Marketing Officer, emphasized the importance of female visibility in building and innovation, warning that the world risks losing potential breakthroughs when girls are not encouraged to create. She said, “There’s no stopping what girls can build. TIME’s Girls of the Year is a step in giving the next generation the role models they deserve, recognizing young women globally who are not just imagining a better world but actively creating it.”

As part of the celebration, LEGO Group and TIME Studios have created a limited-edition animated TIME cover portraying each honoree as a LEGO Minifigure, set to LEGO’s new anthem She Built That. The initiative builds on LEGO’s mission to foster confidence, imagination, and creativity through play while providing role models to inspire girls to dream big.

Research commissioned by LEGO Group revealed that 70% of young women globally doubt their building skills, and 72% of parents believe girls lack visible role models in building and innovation. The same study showed children are twice as likely to attribute significant inventions to men, despite women’s key contributions to technologies like Wi-Fi, refrigeration, and space exploration software.

TIME CEO Jessica Sibley affirmed the organization’s belief that leadership has no age requirement, noting that these young women are already shaping their communities with courage and purpose. Senior Editor Dayana Sarkisova described them as part of a generation redefining leadership and proving that impactful change can begin at any age.

The Girls of the Year list expands on TIME’s Women of the Year and Kid of the Year honors, spotlighting young leaders making contributions in science, sports, advocacy, and the arts. Together, LEGO Group and TIME aim to inspire a new generation of female changemakers who are not just building for the future but actively shaping it today.

Notes to Editor

About The LEGO Group
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.  The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”.

Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 120 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com

About TIME
TIME is the 102-year-old global media brand that reaches a combined audience of over 120 million around the world through its iconic magazine and digital platforms. With unparalleled access to the world’s most influential people, the trust of consumers and partners globally, and an unrivaled power to convene, TIME’s mission is to tell the essential stories of the people and ideas that shape and improve the world. Today, TIME also includes the award-winning branded content studio and Emmy Award®-winning film and television division TIME Studios; a significantly expanded live events business built on the powerful TIME100 and Person of the Year franchises and custom experiences; TIME for Kids, which provides trusted news with a focus on news literacy for kids and valuable resources for teachers and families, and more.

Media Contact:

email: media@lego.com

SOURCE: LEGO