Hoosier State Today

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce's annual Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana tournament has reached its third round, narrowing the field to 32 competitors from an initial record of 90 manufacturers. The event, in its fourth year, continues to draw significant interest with thousands of online votes cast.

This year's tournament is organized in collaboration with the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC). The remaining competitors represent 25 cities across the state. Voting for the upcoming rounds is scheduled as follows: Round 3 from November 12-15, Round 4 from November 18-21, Round 5 from November 22-26, semifinals from November 27-December 2, and finals from December 3-5.

The contest is structured as a single-elimination tournament reminiscent of Hoosier Hysteria. "This event has become just what the Indiana Chamber and IDDC hoped for: a showcase for the many tremendous makers and re-manufacturers across Indiana," stated Vanessa Green Sinders, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber. She emphasized that as competition intensifies, attention will focus on the winners of each round and ultimately on the champion.

For this edition, IDDC will produce high-quality videos highlighting the eight quarterfinalists. These videos can be used by companies for promotional purposes. Participation in the contest is free; however, products must be manufactured in Indiana even if the company headquarters are located elsewhere. Each company can only nominate one product.

The seven-round tournament concludes in early December. Previous winners include Hoosier Racing Tire last year for its racing tire product. Janus Motorcycles won during the inaugural competition, while Maple Leaf Farms was recognized in 2022 for its roast half duck.

Awards for this year's top finishers will be presented at the Best IN Manufacturing Awards Luncheon on December 11 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Sponsors supporting these initiatives include Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Purdue MEP), Kalenborn Abresist Corporation, Evonik Tippecanoe Laboratories, and Kimball Electronics Jasper.

The remaining competitors are:

80/20 LLC (Columbia City), Antique Candle Co. (Lafayette), Aqua Blast Corp. (Decatur), Bear Wallow Distillery (Nashville), Blue Fox Farms LLC (Wawaka), Clabber Girl (Terre Haute), Country Roads Coffee (Albion), Electric Jet Aircraft (Pendleton), Foamnasium (Greenfield), Fort Wayne Metals (Fort Wayne), Gator (Columbia City), GEN-Y Hitch (Nappanee), Goshen Brewing Co. (Goshen), Guardian Bikes (Seymour), Hard Truth Whiskey Co. (Nashville), Harpsicle Harps (Rising Sun), Hiker Trailers (Columbus), Kidstuff Playsystems Inc. (Gary), Kimball International (Jasper), L3Harris Technologies Inc. (Fort Wayne), Labcorp (Indianapolis), Marsha’s Specialty Desserts & Tierney’s Catering (Avon), Middle Davids Artisan Candles & Gifts (Franklin), Noble Industries (Noblesville), Polygon Company (Walkerton), QuickFreeze (Fort Wayne), Rolls-Royce North America (Indianapolis), Smoker Craft Inc. (New Paris), SpaceGuard Products (Seymour), Wag’n Tails Mobile Conversions (Granger) Wheelin Water LLC New Haven Yamaha Marine Precision Propellers Greenfield