Nominations were opened this week for the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition through an announcement from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance.
Now in its fifth year, the competition will lead into National Manufacturing Month in October. Sixteen products will be chosen from companies across the state and voted on through a bracket style competition that will crown one as the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska.
“Nebraska manufacturers are second to none in the U.S., creating innovative products that strengthen our economy and local communities every day”, said NE Chamber President and CEO, Joseph Young. “We’re excited to celebrate the innovative manufacturers that make Nebraska such a great place to live, work and do business.”
Nominations can be submitted through the month of August, with voting to follow in September. All Nebraskans are invited to vote for their favorite products to push them into the next round. The winner of the competition will be announced at the NE Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit on October 29 in La Vista.
The competition celebrates one of Nebraska’s largest industries and brings together students, educators, community leaders and manufacturers to celebrate the 100,000+ Nebraskans working in manufacturing every day. Past winners are Kawasaki’s Rail Car, Rocket Mobility’s All-Terrain Tracked Wheelchair, Valley Irrigation’s Valley Center Pivot and Case IH’s AF Series Combine.
Click here to see rules for the competition.
