LINCOLN, Nebraska — September 17, 2025 — Nearly 40,000 individual votes were cast in the first two rounds of the Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition, presented by Pinnacle Bank. With round three now open, the field is down to the last four products.

The following Nebraska manufacturers and their products are the top four contenders:

• AF Series Combine Harvester – CASE IH, Grand Island
  
• Custom Artificial Limbs – Limb Lab, Lincoln
  
• Wool Yarn – Brown Sheep Company, Scottsbluff
  
• Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing – Tasty Toppings Inc., Duncan

Voting for the top four products is open now through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 28. This is the last round of voting before the 2025 Coolest Thing is chosen. Nebraskans and supporters nationwide can cast their votes for their favorite product at nemanufacturingalliance.com.

The competition, hosted by the NE Chamber and NE Manufacturing Alliance, and presented by Pinnacle Bank, celebrates Nebraska’s dynamic manufacturing industry, home to more than 100,000 Nebraskans working in manufacturing every day.

The tournament will help launch NE Manufacturing Month this October. The 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska will be announced October 6 at the NE Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit in La Vista, where finalists will be invited to display their products. Registration is open to the public and available here.

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OMAHA, NE – September 16, 2025 – Tech Nebraska, in partnership with the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, has announced the full agenda for its 2025 Tech Nebraska Summit, set for Thursday, October 30, 2025 at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District.

Now in its third year, the Summit will bring together founders, innovators, technologists, executives, and policymakers for a full day of conversations on the future of Nebraska’s tech sector. Attendees can expect keynote talks, panel discussions, fireside chats, and networking opportunities focused on modernization, innovation, and growth.

Featured keynotes and conversations include:

• The Future of Ag: An Autonomy Story with Greg Tehven, CEO of Emerging Prairie and Co-Founder of Grand Farm
• A Conversation with Jahmy Hindman, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, John Deere
• Fireside Chat with Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers
  
  

Highlighted panels and breakouts include:

• From Angels to Exit: Securing Funding at All Stages — Investors from Nebraska Angels, MOVE Venture Capital, and McCarthy Capital
• Policy Playbook: Legislation Shaping Nebraska’s Tech Future — Experts from Google, Greater Omaha Chamber, and HBStrategies
• Modernizing Professional Services with Data-Driven Decision Making — Leaders from the City of Omaha, Dotcomm, Lutz, and Olsson
• Cybersecurity: Protecting Nebraska’s Tech Ecosystem — Security leaders from UBT, OakTruss Group, the State of Nebraska, and Great Plains Communications
  
  

“This year’s agenda reflects the breadth of our state’s tech story, from startups and investment to policy, cybersecurity, agriculture, and beyond,” said Emily Allen, Executive Director of Tech Nebraska. “I’m excited to continue to build community and hear from so many voices and perspectives coming together for our upcoming Summit.”

Tickets are on sale now. To view the full agenda and register, visit technologynebraska.com. Members of the media may request complimentary passes by contacting Emily Allen at [email protected].

The Tech Nebraska Summit is made possible with the support of sponsors including Google, Kiewit, Great Plains Communications, FMNE Insurance, JE Dunn Construction, Olsson, Behlen MFG, Cox Communications, Hamilton Business Technologies, McGrath North, IP Pathways, Valmont, Aksarben Foundation, Cline Williams, CyncHealth, ECC, Lincoln Electric Systems, and Palo Alto Networks.

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LINCOLN, Nebraska — September 10, 2025 — Tens of thousands of votes were cast in the first round of the Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition, presented by Pinnacle Bank, narrowing the field from 16 products to eight.

The following Nebraska manufacturers and their products are among the top eight contenders:

• AF Series Combine Harvester – CASE IH, Grand Island
• Double Wide Badass Workbench – Badass Workbench, Kearney
• Custom Artificial Limbs – Limb Lab, Lincoln
• Teryx4 H2 / Teryx5 H2 – Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., Lincoln
• Wool Yarn – Brown Sheep Company, Scottsbluff
• Hideaway Copper Mugs – Handlebend, O’Neill
• Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing – Tasty Toppings Inc., Duncan
• Big M Commercial Smoker – M Grills, Beatrice
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Voting for the top eight products is open now through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 14.  Nebraskans and supporters nationwide can cast their votes for their favorite product at nemanufacturingalliance.com.

The competition, hosted by the NE Chamber and NE Manufacturing Alliance, and presented by Pinnacle Bank, celebrates Nebraska’s dynamic manufacturing industry, home to more than 100,000 Nebraskans working in manufacturing every day.
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The tournament will help launch NE Manufacturing Month this October.  The 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska will be announced October 6 at the NE Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit in La Vista, where finalists will also be invited to display their products. Registration is open to the public and available here.

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LINCOLN, Nebraska — August 27, 2025 — The fourth annual Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition has officially unveiled its Top 16 products.  From farm equipment to iconic foods, Nebraskans now have the chance to decide which product will claim the 2025 title.

Voting is open for the first round of the bracket-style competition and will continue through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 7.  Advanced rounds will follow throughout September. Manufacturers, students and all Nebraskans are invited to cast their votes for their favorite product each week at www.nemanufacturingalliance.com.

The competition, hosted by the NE Chamber and NE Manufacturing Alliance, and presented by Pinnacle Bank, celebrates Nebraska’s dynamic manufacturing industry, home to more than 100,000 Nebraskans working in manufacturing every day.

Top 16 Finalists:

• Allmand Light Towers – Allmand, Holdrege
• Double Wide Badass Workbench – Badass Workbench, Kearney
• World’s Largest Folding Corn Head – Bish Enterprises, Giltner
• Basketball Hoops – Bison Inc., Lincoln
• High School Elite Aluminum Hurdle – Blazer Athletic Equipment, Columbus
• Wool Yarn – Brown Sheep Company, Scottsbluff
• AF Series Combine Harvester – CASE IH, Grand Island
• Hideaway Copper Mugs – Handlebend, O’Neill
• A-Tip Match Bullets – Hornady Manufacturing, Grand Island
• Teryx4 H2 / Teryx5 H2 – Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., Lincoln
• Tapered Tube Transmission Line Poles – Klute Inc., York
• Custom Artificial Limbs – Limb Lab, Lincoln
• Digital Scorer’s Table – Fourth Wall, a Lincoln Industries brand, Lincoln
• Big M Commercial Smoker – M Grills, Beatrice
• Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing – Tasty Toppings Inc., Duncan
• Valentino’s Authentic Pizza Sauce – Valentino’s of America, Lincoln

“Manufacturing is a pillar of Nebraska’s economy, and this competition is a chance to celebrate the companies and people making a difference every day,” said Todd Bingham, NE Chamber President.  “These 16 products represent just a fraction of the innovation happening across our state, and we’re excited to showcase them as we discover the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska.”

The tournament will help launch NE Manufacturing Month this October. The 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska will be announced October 6 at the NE Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit in La Vista, where finalists will also be invited to display their products. Registration is open to the public and available here.

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