The fifth annual Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition has unveiled its Top 16 products. From surgical robots to pain medication, participants now will decide which product will claim the 2026 title. The competition, put on by the NE Chamber (nechamber.com) 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.
Voting is open for the first round of the bracket-style competition and will continue through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, October 4. Advanced rounds will follow during the rest of October. Manufacturers, community members, students and all Nebraskans are invited to cast their votes for their favorite product each week.
To see the top 16 product finalists, please visit nechamber.com/chamber-news/top-16-announced-for-coolest-thing-made-in-nebraska-competition.
The tournament will help celebrate October as NE Manufacturing Month. The 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska will be announced October 29 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 at web.nechamber.com/atlas/events/761/details.