And then there were eight.
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) announced that eight contenders are still in the running for the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Illinois title. The IMA’s annual “Makers Madness” contest, sponsored by Comcast Business, is a bracket-style tournament– in keeping with March Madness – that celebrates manufacturers and the products they make across Illinois.
Over the past week, nearly 57,000 voters cast their votes for their favorite individual products in eight head-to-head matchups. The original field of 100 Coolest Thing nominees for The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois has whittled the list down to these Top 8 products and manufacturers (including one from the QC):
- NASA Standard Initiator made by Chemring Energetic Devices, Downers Grove.
- Kinder Bueno manufactured by Ferrero, Bloomington.
- John Deere Combine made by John Deere at East Moline Harvester Works.
- ADA Bus Transport Seat manufactured by Freedman by Lippert in Chicago;
- MQ-25 Stingray made by The Boeing Company in Mascoutah.
- Duck Skimmer made by Elastec in Carmi.
- Aerapy PPR HVAC UV Systems manufactured by Aerapy in St. Charles.
- Curved Blazed Diffraction Grating manufactured by Inprentus, Inc. in Champaign.
According to the IMA, manufacturing is the largest contributor of any industry to the State of Illinois’ Gross Domestic Product. The sector supports nearly a third of all jobs in Illinois and generates more than $580 billion for the state’s economy each year.
“The competition is heating up, and voters will have some tough choices to make as the field of contenders narrows,” IMA President and CEO Mark Denzler said in a news release. “These Top 8 products highlight the creativity and innovation that sets the manufacturing industry apart, and we’re proud to shine a spotlight on the vast contributions manufacturers make to our state and our world.”
Public voting continues
The Makers Madness Top 8 matchups are:
Bracket A: NASA Standard Initiator vs. Kinder Bueno.
Bracket B: John Deere Combine vs. ADA Bus Transport Seat.
Bracket C: MQ-25 Stingray vs. the Duck Skimmer.
Bracket D: Aerapy PPR HVAC UV Systems vs. Curved Blazed Diffraction Grating.
Voting for this round will take place at www.makersmadnessil.com through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 5. Voters may cast one vote per day in each of the four head-to-head matchups between individual products.
The final round of voting will be from Tuesday to Sunday, April 7-12. The IMA will reveal the 2026 winner of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois at an awards ceremony Wednesday, April 15,
at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.
“We are excited to see the amazing variety of products moving forward in this year’s contest,” said Sean McCarthy, Comcast’s regional vice president of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives. “Illinois manufacturers make the coolest and most innovative products, and we are proud to provide them with the advanced connectivity needed to drive their innovation and productivity.”
Last year’s champion was the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump, a pump that provides rapid and reliable water access for aerial firefighting teams, made by MTH pumps in Plano.
