Search for ‘coolest thing’ produced in Nebraska narrows to eight

LINCOLN  — The pool of contenders in this year’s “Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska” competition has been narrowed to eight — a batch that ranges from modular housing built in Gering to animal health intravenous fluids produced in Grand Island.

Organizers said the first round drew “tens of thousands” of votes.

Voting for round two of the tournament led by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry closes Sunday at 11:59 p.m.

The annual contest, now in its fifth year, is intended to showcase the state’s manufacturing industry, which chamber officials call a major economic engine for the state that supports more than 100,000 jobs statewide.

Also helping to present the competition are the Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance and Pinnacle Bank.

The 2026 contest winner is to be announced Oct. 29 at the Nebraska Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit in La Vista, where all finalists are invited to display their products. Registration is open to the public.

Narrowed from a field of 16, these are the eight products that advanced in the bracket-style tournament:

• Hi Rail Excavator and Snowblower – Ceres Group, Omaha
• Modular Housing – Family Built Homes, Gering
• Fresh, Stone Milled Flour – Grand Republic Milling Co., Gering
• TAU-XR – Lindsay Corp., Lindsay
• Animal Health IV Fluids – Nova-Tech, Inc., Grand Island
• Popcorn – Popcorn County, USA, North Loup
• PyraMAX Transmission Structures – Valmont Industries, Columbus
• MIRA- miniRAS – Virtual Incision, Lincoln