Illinois manufacturers are invited to get into the spirit of the season as the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) tips off its 2026 “Makers Madness” contest.
The annual bracket-style tournament is a celebration of products built across Illinois with the winning Illinois-made product – as selected by online voters – crowned The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.
Presented by Comcast Business, the competition shines a spotlight on the multitude of manufacturers in the Land of Lincoln. That industry, the IMA said in a news release, has long been the backbone of the state’s economy.
“Makers Madness spotlights the wide array of products made by manufacturers across Illinois, celebrating the innovation, ingenuity and dedication that sets the industry apart,” IMA President and CEO Mark Denzler said in the release. “The women and men on shop floors across Illinois produce life-saving medicines, food that helps feed the world and household goods we rely on every day.”
Nominations for The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois are being accepted at www.makersmadnessil.com, which is where contest voting will take place. Any product manufactured in Illinois can be nominated for the honor.
However, the manufacturers’ headquarters are not required to be in Illinois to be eligible for competition. Nominations will be accepted here through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 8.
According to the IMA, manufacturing is the largest contributor of any industry to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) generating more than $580 billion in economic investment each year. It also directly employs 662,298 workers and supports as many as 1,771,928 jobs – nearly a third of all jobs in Illinois.
“Their work powers our communities, and our economy,” Mr. Denzler said. “We look forward to seeing which unique products capture the attention of voters this year.”
Choose the coolest
After the nominations close, the public is invited to vote to narrow the field to the Top 16 products beginning Tuesday, March 10. There will then be consecutive bracket rounds of voting taking place each week.
Makers Madness will culminate with an awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 15. It is at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield. That’s also where state and association leaders will crown The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois for 2026.
Illinois manufacturers produce everything from life-saving therapies and electric vehicles to components used for space exploration. Others keep store shelves stocked with nutritious food and snacks, create sporting equipment used from neighborhood fields to professional leagues stadiums. Illinois also has a reputation for its agricultural and road construction equipment, high-tech gadgets, components used for national defense and for creating the energy to power our homes and businesses.
“We’re thrilled once again to partner with the IMA as the search for The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois enters its seventh year,” Sean McCarthy, Comcast’s regional vice president of business development and strategic initiatives, said in the release.
“Makers Madness continues to highlight the breadth, creativity, and world-class innovation of manufacturers across the state,” he said adding that Comcast is proud “to support the industry with the state-of-the-art connectivity and technology that help power its continued growth.”
Previous winners
Last year’s champion was the MTH Pumps’ aerial firefighting helicopter refill pump. It provides rapid and reliable water access for aerial firefighting teams. MTH is based in Plano. Previous contest winners include a mining truck made by Komatsu in Peoria; the Rosenberg Moon Habitat by Ingersoll Machine Tools in Rockford; Rivian’s all-electric R1T truck made in Normal; the self-regulating traffic signal heater by Termico Technologies in Elk Grove Village; and the 797F Mining Truck, the world’s largest mechanical truck, manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc. in Decatur.
Last year, a Quad Cities contender made it all the way to the Elite Eight. Chocolates made by downtown Moline’s Lagomarcino’s Confectionary reached the Top 8 Coolest Things Made. It did not, however, make it to the Final Four.
That 2025 Coolest Thing field began with some 250 manufacturers and products. They initially included several with QC roots including John Deere, Whitey’s Ice Cream, Harris Pizza, H.C. Duke/Electro Freeze, ALM Positioners and Parr Instrument Co.
2026 voting schedule
The schedule for the 2026 Coolest Thing Made contest is:
- Feb. 16 – March 8: Nominations accepted at www.makersmadnessil.com.
- March 10-22: Nomination voting.
- March 24: Top 16 announced.
- March 24-29: First round of voting.
- March 31: Top 8 announced.
- March 31 – April 5: Second round of voting.
- April 7: Top 4 nominees announced.
- April 7-12: Final round of voting.
- April 15: Winner of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois announced awards luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.
The IMA is the oldest and largest state manufacturing trade association in the nation. It represents nearly 4,000 companies and facilities. For more information, visit https://ima-net.org/.
