‘Colour nerds’ of CMY Cubes build seven-figure business success with an unsolvable puzzle

An Aussie business has captured global attention – and customers – with an innovative colour-shifting toy that has sold out multiple times since its debut.

An Aussie business has captured global attention – and customers – with an innovative colour-shifting toy that has sold out multiple times since its debut.

The Aeternus Aenigma, a “hypnotic spectrum” puzzle which changes colour based on the viewer’s perspective, has also proven a boon for online toy retailer CMY Cubes since its launch in 2023.

More than 5000 units have been sold since the product’s release, with the first 1000 selling out within hours following a viral TikTok video.

Co-founders and self-proclaimed “colour nerds” Gabi Saper and Lorenzo Gonzalez started working on the puzzle during the early stages of Covid, experimenting with a cube made of magenta, cyan and yellow acrylic colours.

Lorenzo Gonzalez and Gabi Saper of CMY Cubes.

Their original cube proved popular online, with nearly 1000 pre-orders even before it was physically manufactured.

“We launched our first product, the original CMY Cube on TikTok,” Ms Saper said.

“It went viral and we sold 1000 units in our first month — without having a single one ready to ship. We were still figuring out how to manufacture the product.”

The early success of the company, based on the NSW Central Coast, was tempered by manufacturing setbacks.

The pair lost a $5000 deposit with an acrylic and polymer company that was unable to complete production due to the complexity of the design.

“We were left with boxes of half-finished products,” Ms Saper said.

“It felt like we were back at the starting line, but eventually sold out the half-finished products and recovered some of the amount.”

The original CMY Cube which became a TikTok Viral sensation. Picture: Contributed

In 2021, after a year of trial and error, the business was relaunched with improved quality controls and clearer branding.

It closed out the year with seven-figure earnings and a rapidly growing customer base.

The company now operates from a Central Coast warehouse, produced more than 200,000 units and surpassed $2m in revenue this year.

The company now has more than 12 staff, including warehouse workers, a creative team, graphic designers, marketing experts and bookkeepers.

But the journey has not been without further hurdles. As the brand gained popularity, it faced attempts by international companies to infringe on its trademark.

At the same time, Ms Saper using her expertise in marketing had to manage customer expectations around shipping delays while trying to maintain credibility.

The “unsolvable” puzzle by CMY cubes.

Mr Gonzalez, who has a background in engineering, said the focus had always been on offering high-quality, tactile products that could engage the mind without a screen.

“There was a gap in the market for something visual and hands-on,” he said.

“We wanted to bring people back to something they could hold, turn over, and enjoy without needing a phone.”

“We understood the quality of the cardboard needed by going through so many different types in different densities, papers and glues.”

Since its inception, the company has expanded its product range to include 22 different products, all based on principles of colour theory and interactivity.

While CMY Cubes continues to grow, the founders are already looking to the future. They hope to build the business to a point where it could be sold to a larger toy company within five years, with a target revenue of $10 million.

Ms Saper said their goal is to leave behind a strong product line and a global customer base.