Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota
Countdown to 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota nominations opening!
Nominations are now open! 🎉
- July 6: Nominations open
- Aug. 14: Nominations close
- Aug. 31: First bracket announced
- Aug. 31 – Oct. 6: Public voting
- Oct. 6: Winner announced at the 2026 Manufacturers’ Summit
Nomination parameters
Any product manufactured in Minnesota is eligible for nomination and companies are not required to be members of the Minnesota Chamber. However, nominees must have been in business for at least two years and have a product that is made using a manufacturing process.
FAQ
How do I qualify?
The single biggest qualifying factor for the “Coolest thing made in Minnesota” contest is to manufacture a product in Minnesota. You need to have been in business for two years. Your company does not need a membership in the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce to qualify and can submit one product per year.
How do I nominate a product?
Product submissions will be accepted at coolestthingmn.com starting July 6. Submission information includes a product description, photos, information about the creating company and acknowledgement of qualifying factors.
How is a winner chosen?
The first bracket will be announced in August. The public will vote on products via head-to-head match up in five rounds until the winner is announced on October 6 at the 2026 Manufacturers’ Summit.
Do you make the “coolest thing made in Minnesota”?
Minnesota companies have a long history of innovation, creating some of the “coolest” products to fuel our economy. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is again searching for the Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota!
- Manufacturing represents the second largest private-sector component of Minnesota’s GDP.
- 315,000 Minnesotans work in manufacturing.
- Half of Minnesota’s Fortune 500 companies are in manufacturing.
- Minnesota exported $21.8 billion in manufactured goods in 2025.
- These companies sent approximately over 3,000 different types of products to more than nearly 200 countries worldwide
- Manufacturing workers took home $27 billion last year for an average annual wage of $86,580 – 12% higher than the state’s overall private sector wage.
Want to learn about all the products featured in last year's contest?
Past Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota winners include:
About the Minnesota Manufacturers’ Council
The Minnesota Chamber is the voice of Minnesota manufacturers
For more than 30 years, the Minnesota Chamber has provided direct benefits to manufacturers by bringing them together statewide and providing a fierce voice for them at the Capitol.
Minnesota Manufacturers’ Council
Membership in the Minnesota Chamber automatically makes manufacturers in the Minnesota Manufacturers’ Council, the state’s largest statewide industry network.
Quarterly meetings with your peers and high-level decision makers.
Executives from the Minnesota Manufacturers’ Council will come together four times a year to meet with high-level decision makers at the capitol and in business.
A direct line to lawmakers making decisions critical to your business.
Manufacturers know what they need to stay and grow in Minnesota. Lower taxes? A less complex permitting process? Reliable energy at lower costs? Through the Minnesota Manufacturers’ Council, they have the opportunity to work with the Chamber’s six-person lobbying team and lawmakers directly.
One-on-one business assistance and access to Minnesota suppliers.
The Chamber will come to a business, listen to the challenges, help make critical business connections and help their business grow. They can provide access to the MN Supplier Match database of nearly 1,200 suppliers who provide accessibility, short lead-times, shared networks and trusted quality.
Short and long-term workforce solutions.
Everyone is looking for the right workers, to fill immediate positions and as our economy evolves into the future. The Chamber team helps manufacturers with resources in their community that can help with expeditious challenges, including how to grow a diverse workforce and tap different pools of talent.
Cost-effective, high-quality business insurance and employee benefits specifically tailored to manufacturers, to guard against business risk and keep and attract the best workforce.
The Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota is sponsored by:
