Indiana Chamber launching third ‘Coolest Thing’ contest
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The Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s annual Coolest Thing Made in Indiana contest returns Friday.
The contest, now entering its third year, features a tournament-style comparison of products made in Indiana. Participants are encouraged to vote online each week for their favorite with one product crowned ‘Coolest Thing’ in December.
This year’s single-elimination bracket features products made by 47 companies across 38 Indiana communities. Each entry includes a photo and product description. Entries this year include everything from aircraft engines, an underwater treadmill system and a mobile veterinary clinic to Batmobile replicas, bourbon and the Honda CR-V, which is manufactured in Greensburg.
“We are thrilled and impressed with the quality of entrants in our Coolest Thing Made in Indiana contest,” Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar said in a news release. “The depth and breadth of this third annual field, like the previous two versions of this competition, are a testament to Indiana’s status as a manufacturing powerhouse.”
Online voting opens Friday for the first round of competition. Fifteen products were selected at random for first-round bye-weeks. First-round matchups were created using an online randomizer, the chamber said. Voting for this round remains open through Nov. 1 with five additional rounds to follow through November 30.
The winning product will be announced at the chamber’s Best IN Manufacturing Luncheon on Dec. 13. Janus Motorcycles of Goshen was crowned champion in the competition’s first year. Maple Leaf Farms in Leesburg took home top honors last year.
“One of the really great things about this tournament is that it draws some really big companies – that make some very-well known products – who compete right alongside some emergent ones that are just starting to make their mark,” Brinegar said. “You just never know how these contests will turn out.”
Votes can be cast between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the following days:
- Round 1 – Oct. 27 to Nov. 1
- Round 2 – Nov. 2-7
- Round 3 – Nov. 8-13
- Round 4 – Nov. 14-17
- Semis – Nov. 20-24
- Finals – Nov. 27-30
To learn more about participating companies, visit the Indiana Chamber’s website at indianachamber.com/coolestthing.