Nominations Now Being Accepted for the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Nebraska — August 3, 2026 — The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance announced today that nominations are open for the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition, presented by Pinnacle Bank.
 
The competition, in its fifth year, will lead into the celebration of National Manufacturing Month in October.  Sixteen products will be chosen from companies across the state and voted on through a bracket-style competition that ultimately crowns one product 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 are open through the month of August followed by voting in September. Voting is open to the public and all Nebraskans are invited to vote for their favorite product to advance it to the next round. The winner of the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska will be announced at the NE Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit on Oct. 29 in La Vista. Registration for the Summit is open to the public and can be found here.
 
“From innovative products to quality jobs, Nebraska manufacturers strengthen our economy and communities across the state. Pinnacle Bank is proud to once again partner with the Nebraska Chamber and Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance to recognize the ingenuity, craftsmanship and people behind the Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition,” said Marc Wisdom, Pinnacle Bank President.
 
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.
 
Rules for the competition can be found at nemanufacturingalliance.com/contest-rules.
 
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